By the age of 50, it’s easy to become fed up trying to get fit and healthy. You’re sick of fad diets that promised results and delivered nada. You’re becoming more aware of how your health and fitness impact your life. Intermittent fasting just can’t cut it anymore; neither can any diet plan that denies you the goodness of life. You must remain healthy and fit, nonetheless. So, what do you do?
Fad Dieting Doesn’t Work at 50
The intricacies of fad dieting involve severely restricting your calories and fat intake to maintain your weight. The extent to which these nutrients are restricted is not often sustainable. Fad dieting, in most instances, is a quick fix that never actually works. The best weight loss diet plan for men should provide your body with a balanced assortment of nutrients.
At Age 50, the Only Successful Path to Healthiness is Making Gradual Changes in Your Lifestyle
Low carb diets at 50 can throw your health in jeopardy. It puts you at risk of nutrient deficiencies, worse still at a time when your system is changing and trying to keep with your lifestyle. Fad dieting that involves crossing out carbs from your meal plan, for instance, will leave you without energy and in a constant state of hunger.
Then again, severe calorie limits can lead to uncontrollable overeating to compensate for the deficit. Fad diets are not feasible for long-term weight loss. Other side effects of fad dieting at age 50 include bad breath, bad moods, galls stones, headaches, and severe fatigue.
Weight Loss Past 50 Should be Gradual and Sustained
Rapid weight loss from miracle diets and supplements doesn’t work as you grow older. The weight that you lose in a few days can quickly come back when you return to your normal eating habits. Older men should lose weight at a steady pace of 1 or 2 pounds per week and adhere to a balanced meal plan.
If you need more help with meal planning, you can read this article 10 awesome meal planning ideas for ideal weight loss.
You don’t need to slave yourself sore at the gym. You don’t have to eat anything you don’t like. The trick to a healthier lifestyle for men aged 50 is finding happiness in natural fresh foods and adjusting workout routines in line with bodily changes.
Weight Loss Diet Plan for Men at 50
Eat whenever you Are Hungry, But Don’t Over-Eat!
Three meals, four meals, five—it doesn’t matter. Just don’t ignore your hunger. If you stay hungry waiting for your next mealtime (or because you have sworn by some fad diet), your metabolism will learn to slow down to conserve the energy in your body. That sets terrible precedence because next time your metabolism will remain low even after eating.
Aging lowers your metabolic rate, so don’t do anything to make it even slower. Experts believe that when you reach 50 years, metabolism and fat oxidation drops by 10-15%. In fact, in men, this decline starts earlier at age 40, while in women it begins at 50.
Don’t allow your body’s metabolism to go into that dreaded rest period. It might never snap out of it. So, eat 4 to 5 times a day so that you don’t stay hungry. It is not an assumption. Research studies in the ‘American Journal of Epidemiology state that such a regular meal plan’ can help men to slim down.
For more information about meal planning and prepping, you can read my article meal prepping.
Eat More Probiotics
As you grow older, it becomes harder to lose weight, because as seen earlier, your metabolism slows. Poor digestion can also lead to obesity. The digestive system contains many friendly bacteria that support the process of digestion. They help in the breakdown of sugars and the absorption of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper.
When the population of harmful bacteria in your gut overgrows that of good bacteria, an imbalance occurs that could negatively impact your health and weight. Harmful bacteria slow down absorption in the small intestines. Their overgrowth can also slow down metabolism and drive up your insulin resistance, putting you at risk of diabetes type 2.
You can prevent the risk by eating more probiotic foods. These foods promote the growth of good gut bacteria. Apart from improving digestion, absorption, and metabolism, they can also reduce your risk of heart disease. Good food sources for probiotics include yogurt, brine-cured olives, fermented vegetables, and traditional buttermilk.
How to eat probiotics at age 50:
- Eat Greek yogurt with nuts, flax seeds, and berries for breakfast
- Make your soups using miso
- Drink kefir and Kombucha for your mid-morning snack
Eat Plenty of Fibers
Your body needs a high amount of fiber the older you get. Apart from reducing constipation (which is rampant in men aged > 50) the food substance also helps to lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar levels, and appetite suppression.
Most adult men don’t get enough fiber, according to recent surveys. Consider, filling up your pantry with fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. These are excellent fiber sources. Don’t look for it in dietary supplements.
In a study published in The Journals of Gerontology, scientists followed the eating habits and health statistics of adults aged 49. The participants completed many food surveys in ten years. The researchers weighed factors such as fiber and carbohydrate intake, sugar intake, and glycemic indices.
The researchers found that high fiber intake promoted healthy aging. Individuals that consumed plenty of the food substance were found to have aged gracefully. It was said that they had an 80% chance of living longer and healthier.
How to eat fiber at age 50:
- Incorporate beans, lentils, and peas into your lunch and evening meals
- Eat your fruits without peeling them, if possible
- Eat nuts for snacks as opposed to drinking fruit juice
- Eat brown bread for breakfast and brown rice for main meals
Don’t Fuss Over Calories
The right diet for men after clocking 50 should be stress-free. You only have to eat the right foods and stop hunger whenever it starts to creep up on you. A Mediterranean diet consisting of fruits, nuts, seeds, and non-starchy vegetables can set your body in a self-adjusting mode. Your calorific count will remain effortlessly low.
A Mediterranean meal plan can also help to strengthen your heart health. It promotes the consumption of healthy fats while restricting red meat. It also promotes plant-based proteins and seafood. The World Health Organization recognizes this diet plan as sustainable. For men at 50, it is simply stress-free; no calorie charts needed here.
Note that obsessing over your calorie count is not ideal for your emotional health when you are older. Remember that past the age of 50, your testosterone count is low and as such you are more susceptible to psychological stress. Calorific obsessions can boomerang on your physical health, for instance, by driving you into stress-eating and eventual weight gain.
Enjoy food without guilt. Don’t restrict your consumption of fruits and vegetables—you can never eat enough of them.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services in their 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans explain the right diet patterns for men aged 50. Ideally, you need to eat a variety of food sources to gain all the nutrients you need.
Eat More Leafy Green Vegetables
It is essential to incorporate fruits and leafy greens into your diet. Plant-based diets supply your body with vitamins A, B, C, E, and K. These foods are also rich in antioxidants and can boost your immunity. Similarly, fruits and vegetables contain high fiber and minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium, all of which are essential in weight management.
The recommended daily intake for fruits and veggies is:
- Fruits—1½ to 2½ cups
- Vegetables—2 to 3½ cups
- Eat more proteins
Your fat loss meal needs to have some amount of proteins as well, to help you to maintain your muscle mass. Muscle wastage is rampant as you get older, but a high protein diet plus strength training can help you maintain your solid frame. You can read more about muscle loss in my article losing muscle as you get older.
You can get high-quality protein from foods such as fish, eggs, chicken breast, nuts, and snacks such as low-fat Greek yogurt and many others. These foods will help you get the necessary amino acids that aid to boost metabolism.
The recommended daily protein intake:
- Protein foods—5 to 7 ounces of meat (or one egg, a quarter cup of cooked beans, a half-ounce of nuts or seeds, or one tablespoon of peanut butter)
- Dairy foods—3 cups of fat-free milk (or 1½ to 2 ounces of cheese, or one cup of plain yogurt)
Eat More Seafood
When you are older, and your metabolism is slowing down, you need fatty acids to keep everything in line. Omega 3 fatty acids help to speed up fat burning. You can get these nutrients by eating more seafood such as salmon and oily fish. Seafood can also reduce the risk of cancer.
Eat More Grains
Some diets like the keto diet will have you cut down on your carbohydrate intake. Even though keto is very popular, as you get older keto may not be the best diet for you. Your body uses carbs for energy.
Restricting carb foods in your diet may start unhealthy food cravings, as your body has been used to carbs all its life. The moment you are off the restrictive diet, you will end up eating more carbs to compensate for the nutrient deficiency.
I’ve written an article on Keto diet the complete guide if you’re interested in learning more about keto.
You can help your situation by eating more whole-grain carbs like whole-wheat bread and brown rice. Nuts, fruits, and veggies are also good sources of healthy carbs. The fibers they pack will protect you from the risk of overeating. The Institute of Medicine recommends 130 grams per day.
You Need Fats Too!
When older men are trying to cut away that fat, many restrict fat sources from their diet. That could be counterproductive, according to research by the University of California. The research found that men who ate a high-fat diet lost 63 % more weight than those who adhered to a low-fat meal plan.
When including fat into your diet, choose healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats. Choose fat sources such as almonds, coconut oil, olive oil, canola, or unsaturated vegetable oils. The recommended daily intake of fats and oils is 5 to 8 teaspoons.
Cut Back on Sodium
Sodium-rich foods are not right for any age. Many food sources already contain Sodium, so it is essential to limit its consumption from sources such as table salt and junk foods. High sodium intake can hike up your blood pressure.
Sodium also causes water retention, which might manifest as increased weight. Beyond that, however, Sodium is closely linked to belly fat. Salty foods are easy to over-eat; that’s the reason why. People watching their weight should cut back on table salt and processed foods. In the Mediterranean diet described earlier, herbs and spices are used to limit the use of salt.
Eat Foods Rich in Calcium
Calcium is very critical in men’s diets. However, at 50, most people develop lactose intolerance; cutting back on dairy products can cause calcium deficiency. You need the mineral to strengthen your bones and prevent osteoporosis. It also helps to support the functions of blood cells, the heart, and the lungs.
When it comes to weight loss, calcium increases thermogenesis, which is the body’s core temperature. That might help to boost your metabolic rate, as the body tries to keep up with the energy demands of staying warm. If you have trouble with milk and yogurt, consider eating more beans and broccoli—they are excellent calcium sources.
Cut Back on Sweetened Beverages
You can take coffee with honey, that’s allowed. On the other hand, sweet snacks shouldn’t be part of low-calorie diets. Instead of Pepsi or soda for an afternoon snack, opt for a salad. The latter only contains natural sugars that your body can handle. Besides, it will help you stay fuller for longer compared to sodas and juices. Studies show that people who stop drinking sweetened beverages like soda lose more weight than those who don’t.
Eat Only the Foods You Enjoy
As mentioned before, at age 50, your health impacts your lifestyle more. If your main ambition is that your health doesn’t impact your enjoyment of life. Then don’t restrict yourself to stressful keto diets, Atkin diets, and the likes.
Studies show that if you don’t enjoy what’s on your plate, you may end up consuming minimal nutrients from it. So, whatever restrictions you might have regarding carbs, meat or snacks, try to have a cheat meal once a week to just let go and indulge.
After going through the plan, you must be excited and wondering where to start. The problem with most plans is they end up being just the same information being regurgitated differently. While the above information is helpful, you might be wondering if there are any practical plans for you to start right away.
The answer to that is yes, and a no. Yes, there’s a simple yet detailed plan you can implement today. The no comes in by reminding you; there is no set template, and while the program below will help, there’s nothing wrong with you adjusting it to fit your needs.
Example Meal Plan
Here is an example of a daily plan to keep you healthy, in shape, and to keep you from adding excess weight. The plan is broken down into six meals; these are breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and a late evening snack.
Breakfast: 200 milliliters of apple juice and 45 grams of oats served with 300 milliliters of milk, and a teaspoon of milk.
Mid-morning Snack: 120 grams low-fat yogurt served with blueberries and honey
Lunch: 1 grilled chicken (breast) salad sandwich. The bread should be wholemeal
Afternoon Snack: Smoothie blended from 80 grams raspberries and blueberries, 25 grams whey product, and 50 grams of blackberries
Dinner: 120 grams of tuna steak. The steaks can be stir-fried in green beans, sesame seeds, broccoli, mushrooms, and 70 grams of brown rice.
Late Evening Snack: 250 grams of skimmed milk
If you add up the meals during the day, you’ll get a total of 1,835 calories, 229 grams of carbs, 136 grams of protein, and 33 grams of fat.
As you can see, these figures are highly specific, and that’s the trick. You don’t want to guess the numbers or just go for what you feel; on the contrary, take time to draft a plan that works for you. Ideally, it would be best if you created a week’s plan, and that way, you won’t have to keep worrying about what to eat to lose weight.
Conclusion
Keep your meal plans simple and healthy. Eat more fresh foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables. Eat more proteins as well to combat muscle wastage and adhere to a workout routine for a healthy and happy life. As we get older we start to suffer from muscle loss.
Having a plan also helps keep you accountable. When you are out, and you see something that you feel is bad for you, you’ll remember you have a plan to stick to. However, it does take a high level of discipline to crave something and choose to walk away from it. Over time, build this discipline and learn to resist anything that will deter you from your goal.
Additionally, when it comes to sticking to a meal plan designed to help you lose weight and keep it, realize it is harder to do alone. You may create the plan, and you may really want to lose weight and be in shape, but the truth is, if you do it alone, you’ll likely fall off the wagon at some point –don’t worry, it means you’re human. However, when you have an accountability partner, it becomes easier to share the burden and to help each other in times of weakness. There’s strength in numbers, don’t be afraid to ask for help from those around you.
