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If your 20s was filled with endless chocolate chip pancakes, then you’ll quickly find out that indulging in food doesn’t quite work the same way in your 30s. Don’t freak, but your metabolism starts to slow around this age. Lean body mass, a key player in metabolism, starts decreasing in women in their 30s which leads to the redistribution of body fat and unfortunately can lead to weight gain.
Hey millennials on the younger end of your fabulous generation, this doesn’t mean you can eat with abandon and avoid the consequences! Women in their 20s and 30s need to keep some key factors in mind when it comes to weight loss. These are the 6 tips that will help you keep things in check.
Avoid sugar.
And not just the crystallized stuff you spoon into coffee. Eating a bagel has the same effect on your blood sugar as eating 7 teaspoons of sugar. You might as well have had a donut! Eating hidden sugars (like in soda) cause your blood sugar to spike and then fall. Next up: you’re hungry and craving more sweets. So you eat them and sabotage weight loss goals.
Plus, keep your drinks in check, ladies. A lot of alcohol is filled with sugar and empty calories. Additionally, the more you imbibe the more that disrupts your sleep and the hormones that work to keep your metabolism functioning properly.
Snack smart.
You know those packaged foods that have giant ingredient lists with a long string of things you can’t pronounce? Yeah, like that energy bar you have stashed in your purse for the 3 p.m. slump. Highly processed foods are packed with calories, fats and carbs. It’s super cool to work in a space with free snacks but your weight loss can suffer for that perk. Skip the usual pantry options and instead opt for a piece of fresh fruit and a tall glass of water. The same goes for extra birthday cupcakes being passed around your office. Anything with white flour like cake and cookies has little to no nutritional value. These foods lack fiber and require minimal effort from your body to breakdown so you won’t be burning many calories in the digestion process.
Use a meal plan program or app.
Everyone needs positive back up when it comes to weight loss–and not the complicated kind with weekly meetings and frozen foods your mom was big in to. We consider Noom to be the best weight loss plans for millennials. It syncs data from your other weight loss devices and provides an intuitive, motivational platform for healthy, sustained weight loss. Foods are divided into three colors and you don’t need to count calories. It’s basically like having a bestie in your back pocket–one who’s always there to boost your confidence and hold you accountable for your eating habits without making you feel badly.
Drink green tea.
When people tell you that age is just a number it refers to your inner self, not the function and appearance of your body. We strongly believe in maintaining a youthful and adventurous spirit. But we’re also realistic that our physical age could use a boost as we enter our late 20s and 30s. It’s true millennials, you are not getting any younger. Think about adding a healthy, weight-loss supplement that can help rev metabolism to burn calories. A study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that green tea, or a green tea supplement, can boost metabolism and help you shed pounds. It’s naturally high in catechins which inhibit body fat from accumulating. Plus, the caffeine in green tea works with the catechins to further increase the fat burn.
Indulge!
It’s important to give your body the nutrition it needs to function but indulging in treat once in a while can also help you feel satiated. We couldn’t agree more! Weight loss isn’t about culinary deprivation and dessert should not be banned. Dark chocolate (not milk or white) is chock-full of antioxidants, and a 100g bar provides 67% of the daily-recommended amount of iron, as well as 11g of fiber. No other sweet treat can compare to the healthfulness of dark chocolate. Enjoy a rich square (artisanal if you prefer) after dinner without a hint of shame.
Love it or lose it.
We once bought a 6-month package to a kickboxing class because our BFF said it was super fun. It was great to workout with her (when she showed up) but we dreaded the workout. A similar thing happened when we heard about a new yoga class only 20 minutes from home. The only problem: We never wanted to trek that long for a workout! Do what you love and make sure it’s easy enough to be sustainable. Choose activities that you know you will and can stick to in the long run.
The editors at SheFinds wrote this article in partnership with Noom.
