subject: Yes, you are what you eat, especially when you're a woman over 50! [print this page] You've probably heard tips on eating for optimum health' or the best way to eat to lose weight' for your entire adult life. Now that you are a woman over 50, it is even more important to be mindful of your diet, and there are studies to back up the old adage that "you are what you eat."
1. Never skip breakfast. Yes, your mother was right, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Studies have shown that people who skip breakfast are more likely to smoke, less likely to exercise, and more likely to crash diet with the current fads. People who eat breakfast end up having a higher caloric intake, but they have a healthier diet overall, getting more fiber, calcium, and other nutrients. They tend to eat more fruits and vegetables than breakfast skippers do, and are 30% less likely to be overweight or obese. Breakfast also revs up your metabolism, which slows down even more for women over 50. If you don't eat until lunchtime, your body won't burn as many calories as it could during the morning period. Kick start your day with a balanced breakfast such as omega-3 eggs, a protein-enhanced smoothie or yogurt and fruit.
2. Snack wisely. Instead of mindless munching, try strategic snacking, keeping your body's needs in focus, not what your mind tells you sounds good. Snack on peanut butter and wheat crackers, string cheese, and other high-protein foods, while keeping sweets to a minimum. Protein helps build muscle mass, which in turn boosts your metabolism. Eating snacks also helps keep your over-50 body from going in to "survival mode" further slowing down metabolism.
3. Keep "portion distortion" in mind. Over the past 30 years, portion sizes of most foods have dramatically increased. Salty snack portions have increased by 93 calories, soft drinks by 49 calories, hamburgers by 97 calories, and restaurant Mexican foods by 133 calories. Many drinks and packaged foods are sold in multi-portion sizes, so beware. At home, you can use smaller plates and bowls to help control serving sizes. Visually you will think you are getting a larger portion than you really are, and you will tend to eat less.
4. Eat more whole foods. A good rule to follow: the shorter the ingredient list, the healthier the food. The FDA has a list of more than 3,000 ingredients that are considered "safe," but since you can't keep up with all of them, just remember that less is more in this case. Most of the sodium in our diets comes from packaged foods, as well as food preservatives, colors and flavor enhancers. The more natural the food, the easier it is for the body to break it down, especially for women over 50.
5. Drink responsibly. Not only "you are what you eat," but you are what you drink, also. According to a University of North Carolina study, we get almost 25% of our daily calories in liquid form. Sweetened beverages, which can add on an extra 330 calories a day, are the culprit for many who are overweight, and they aren't just carbonated drinks. A Grande Coffee Frappuccino from Starbucks has 232 calories, but packs in 15% of your RDA of carbs. Fruit juices can have just as much sugar as colas. One example: Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry juice just has 15% real juice. The other 85% is made up of high-fructose corn syrup and water. So read the labels, and make sure they say "100% fruit juice."
6. Set the table. Not only does a family meal time promote good conversation and "togetherness," it promotes healthy eating. If you still have children at home, or if your grandchildren are visiting, use this time to prepare nutritious foods, and discuss the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables over "fast foods." Studies have shown that middle- and high-school girls whose families ate together 3-4 times per week were less likely to struggle with their weight than those whose families ate together only once or twice weekly.
To be fabulous over 50, keep focused on what you eat for a longer and healthier life. Just a few changes in your diet can make all the difference in how you feel, and can help you fight that "over 50" bulge.
Yes, you are what you eat, especially when you're a woman over 50!
