Expert Tips to Kick-Start Healthy Weight Loss

Unlike in our younger years when our metabolisms were working overtime, we can’t wake up on a Monday, hoping for a quick five-pound weight loss by Friday. “As we age, the biggest change we see is a decrease in metabolism, especially approaching our mid-40s,” says Pittsburgh plastic surgeon Jeffrey Antimarino, MD. As our metabolism stalls, it becomes more difficult to lose excess fat. “Hormonal changes are also at play,” he explains. “Women, especially in their late 40s, start becoming perimenopausal and menopausal. This is when estrogen dips and they start to store fat in areas they’ve never had before, mostly in the midsection and upper part of the abdominal wall.”

While we love good transformation stories, ones like Kim Kardashian’s rapid weight loss for the Met Gala draw ire for what some believe is an unhealthy approach. The star boasted dropping more than 16 pounds in less than a month. “The goal is to sustain the weight loss over time, so crash dieting is not a good idea,” says nutritionist Jennifer Hanway. “No one wants to hear it, but if you’ve been gaining weight for the last two years, you are not going to miraculously lose it in two weeks.” Hanway notes that “quick fixes” typically have an opposite effect: “Dropping your caloric intake too much reduces lean muscle mass and lowers your metabolism. It can also lower thyroid function, both of which can slow your weight-loss results.” Here, pro tips for slow and steady weight…