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Who among us relishes the idea of getting old? Although it’s true that embracing our changing appearance is a healthy position to take, an excessive amount of wrinkles, saggy skin, and paunchiness can be an unnecessary bummer. The good news is that there are plenty of steps we can take—with nutrition, exercise and skin care, just to name a few—that’ll not only stop the effect of time on our bodies but even roll back the clock a few years. Below are 50 such strategies for looking more youthful in what should be your best decade yet. And for more healthy living advice, be sure to Steal The Secrets of Ageless Superstar Athletes.

1 Use sunscreen

Being exposed to sunlight does have health benefits. It can help regulate the production of melatonin, and we humans are are rather good at converting rays into vitamin D, a nutrient that a supermajority of Americans are deficient in, particularly those living in northern states. That said, ultraviolet (UV) rays break down skin fibers, which cause it to sag and lose elasticity (not to mention lead to melanoma). If you’re going to be spending time outside, use a sunblock with an SPF of at least 30, and wear a hat with a brim that casts a shadow over your face. Oh, and speaking of your face? Don’t miss the 13 Astonishing Things Your Face Shape Says About You.

2 Tame your guy-brows

As you get older, your brows can get, well, a little woolly. This change can happen slowly, making it harder to recognize (and leaving you scratching your head when people start offering you their seats on public transit). Resist the temptation to shape them yourself. Instead, ask your barber to do a trim during your regular visits. And while you’re at it, have him take care of excess ear and nose hair too. Don’t be shy—he’s used to it. Or grab one of these 10 High-Tech Grooming Gadgets You Need Now to stay perfectly manscaped.

how to increase energy after 50  

3 Get more sleep

When your co-workers tell you that you look tired, they really mean that you look bad, old or both. Next time you’re at the water cooler, hand them a tall glass of STFU by having snoozed your way to a more youthful, vibrant appearance. Studies indicate that seven to eight hours of shut-eye is optimal, and it’ll make you look younger, happier and more attractive. Talk about an easy route to reeling back the years. (And extending them: According to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, getting less than six hours of sleep a night comes with a 10% increase in risk of death!) Is where you live affecting your sleep levels? Take a look at the 50 Most Sleepless Cities in America.

4 Eat oysters

In addition to being a great source of muscle-protective protein, oysters are a prime source of zinc. “This mineral helps convert vitamin A, a vital nutrient for eye health, into a usable form and transport it through blood, says Chip Goehring, Board President of the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF). “Recent studies also suggest that zinc can slow the progression of macular degeneration,” he adds. How’s that for a pearl of wisdom?

Exercise for Flabby Arms for Seniors  

5 Change how you frame your face

Our faces appear to lengthen as we age. One way to forestall looking like an old codger is to foreshorten your look and make your face appear more rounded (read: youthful). Crewnecks make the face look more rounded than V-necks. For the same reason, when you’re dressing casually, wear button-collared shirts rather than a wide-spread collar. They narrow the face.

6 Shave off a few years

Sure, stubble, a moustache or a beard can lend you a rugged air but forgoing a clean shave isn’t ideal if you’re trying to look more youthful. A recent British study showed men with facial hair looked about 10 years older than they actually were. But that’s not the only reason you should shave to look young. Taking a razor to your face sloughs off dead skin cells and helps stimulate collagen production, making your face appear younger. For those wanting to stop looking like Father Time, This Haircut Will Shave 10 Years Off Your Age.

7 Eat flax seeds

Flax offer a payload of omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines. A study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that participants who downed about half a teaspoon of omega-3s in six weeks experienced significantly less irritation and redness (thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties), along with better-hydrated skin.

8 Dress your age

Passing 40 can “inspire” us to dress younger. Bad move. “Dressing younger only serves to highlight your advancing years,” says Alex Wilcox, co-proprietor of New York men’s clothing store Lord Willy’s. “You end up looking like a old head on a young body. This in contrast to dressing classic — albeit with a few playful little touches — which tends to do the opposite.” For ideas on establishing the right look, follow these 25 Rules of Office Style.

9 Stand up straighter

Another quick, simple way to appear younger is to stand up straight, pull your shoulders back and tighten your core. Experts say you’ll appear 10 pounds lighter and will be perceived as healthier, more confident, alert, and more youthful. It’s also a hedge against back pain.

10 Smile more

A 2011 study demonstrated that happy-looking people are perceived to be younger (compared to pictures of the very same people sporting a neutral or angry expression). In the study, 154 adults guessed the age of 171 male and female faces. Researchers discovered that the age of happy or smiling faces was likely to be underestimated by an average of about two years! Need some motivation? Check out these 25 Ways to be Happier Now!

11 Nuke age spots

Brown splotches on the face or hands are a giveaway of aging skin, and we tend to see them arrive more when we reach our 50s. IPL (intense pulsed light) or lasers helps to disperse the pigment, leading to an even, more youthful complexion.

12 Moisturize

Dry skin can look so dull that you can actually end up looking like you’re covered in a thin layer of dust. Use a moisturizer on your face, hands and body. An effective, natural and inexpensive option is coconut oil. Not only is it effective at locking in moisture and staving off wrinkles, you’ll smell and taste like a macaron. Women love macarons! Another tip: Wear tinted moisturiser. If your complexion looks even in tone, you appear younger according to research by Dr Bernhard Fink, an expert in evolutionary psychology at the University of Gottingen.

13 Eat more grapes

Grapes are filled with anthocyanins, which have arthritis-fighting properties and help boost collagen in the retina, which protects the eyes against age-related macular degeneration.

How To Release Toxins From Fat Cells  

14 Detox with water

Puffy, dark circles under the eyes often become worse with each passing birthday—and being dehydrated make matters even worse. To replenish your body, cut up some citrus fruits (rind included), soak them in a pitcher of ice water and drink copiously. The citrus not only improves the water’s flavor and drinkability but the rinds contain a powerful anti-inflammatory compound called de-limonene, which helps the liver flush toxins from the body, according to the World Health Organization.

15 Grey hair: There’s mush-room for improvement

As we get older, it's not just our wardrobe and taste in music that change. After age 30, our metabolism begins to gradually decline, which means we have to be even more selective about the foods we eat. There's less room for empty calories from sugary drinks, desserts, and snacks, and greater demand for foods with a high nutrient-to-calorie ratio. At the same time, many people develop a greater appreciation for healthy eating as they age, and they're on the hunt for multitasking foods that can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and protect against diseases like type 2 diabetes.

Eating a variety of whole foods really is the key to a healthy diet, but some foods — including those highlighted below — offer more nutritional bang for your buck than others. Powerhouse ingredients like beans and leafy greens supply much-needed vitamins and minerals and help the body stay metabolically fit, making them terrific everyday staples for the 50+ crowd. That's not to say that these foods come with an age limit. Whether you're 4 or 94, these picks provide premium fuel to energize your body.

There aren't any big surprises or trendy ingredients on this list, and that's completely intentional. All of these featured foods are relatively affordable and readily available, which means their health benefits are well within reach.

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1. Beans

I'm a bean fanatic, so if you read my blog regularly, you won't be surprised that these guys made the list. Research shows that eating a daily serving of beans or lentils (3/4 cup) can help to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 5 percent. Another study in people with type 2 diabetes found that eating about a cup of beans or lentils per day as part of a healthy diet lowered hemoglobin A1c, a marker of blood sugar control, by 0.5%, which is a substantial improvement. Need a simple way to introduce more beans into your diet? Toss canned, low-sodium beans with whole-grain pasta and sauteed veggies for a quick weeknight meal, or try some of these other easy ideas.

2. Oats

The risk for heart disease increases dramatically in men over 45 and women over 55, so incorporating more cholesterol-lowering foods like oats into your diet is a smart move. Oats are rich in a type of soluble fiber called beta glucan, and consuming at least 3 grams of this fiber a day (equivalent to 1.5 cups cooked oatmeal) has been shown to reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels by 5 to 10 percent. People who eat oats and other whole grains regularly are also at reduced risk of dying an early death. Plain oats are cheaper than boxed cereals and a perfect conduit for other healthy ingredients, like nuts, seeds, and fruit.

3. Apples

Sure, they're not as glamorous as acai berries or mangosteen, but apples are every bit as super as exotic fruits, and much, much cheaper. A large apple supplies 5 grams of heart-healthy fiber, and research shows that eating apples daily can lower both total and LDL cholesterol to help keep your ticker in tip-top shape. A 2013 study found that frequent apple eaters are at lower risk for type 2 diabetes. And the good news is, you can find apples almost everywhere, including gas stations and convenience stores. Slice one up and add a smear of peanut butter for a classic snack that never gets old.

Exercise for Flabby Arms for Seniors

4. Nuts

Snacking on nuts instead of chips, crackers, and cookies is an easy way to give your diet a major upgrade. A 2013 randomized controlled trial conducted in Spain found that eating an ounce of mixed nuts daily as part of Mediterranean-style diet reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from heart disease by 28 percent. And don't forget that peanuts count, too — they're equally healthy, but cost about half as much as almonds and other tree nuts. Another easy way to get in a daily serving: Use chopped, toasted nuts as a garnish for roasted vegetables or whole grain sides like brown rice and quinoa.

5. Leafy Greens

Piling on the spinach, kale, collards or other leafy greens at meals may help to keep your mind sharp as you age. People who ate one to two servings per day had the same cognitive ability as people 11 years younger who rarely ate greens, according to research presented last month at the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting. Cooking greens doesn't have to be complicated. For a hassle-free side dish, pick up a bag of baby spinach and saute the leaves whole in a drizzle of olive oil with optional chopped garlic. Heads up: If you take the blood thinner coumadin, you don't have to give up greens completely; talk to your doctor about adjusting your medication to allow for small portions every day.

6. Berries

You also want to get your fill of berries, another potential brain booster. Strawberries, blueberries, and their sister fruits are rich in phytochemicals that may help slow age-related memory decline by increasing blood flow to the brain and reducing harmful inflammation. These findings are still preliminary, but regardless of future research results, berries are a healthful choice given their high fiber and vitamin content. Fresh berries aren't always an affordable option, but you can find large 2- to 3-pound bags of frozen varieties at supermarkets for around $10 year-round. Add a scoop to plain yogurt, oatmeal, homemade muffins, or even the occasional bowl of ice cream to give your diet a berry boost.

How To Release Toxins From Fat Cells

7. Yogurt

There are definitely perks to getting older: we know what we like, our bank account is a bit more robust than during those college years, and we have experience on our side. Unfortunately, there are a few trade-offs in the way our bodies change. Most notably: We might not see results from healthy eating and workouts as quickly as we once did. It can be frustrating to maintain a healthy lifestyle without seeing the change you want in your body, but you don’t have to skip meals or spend hours at the gym to fit into those skinny jeans again. It’s completely possible to lean up and maintain a flat belly after you learn how to lose belly fat after 40.By following six simple principles, you’ll find yourself healthier and fitter than you have been in years. And they’re not unachievable tips, either. Each one just takes mindful thinking and a little commitment. It’s time to diet smarter, not harder, and this this guide will walk you through exactly what you need to know about how to lose belly fat after 40. You’ll have all the information you need to achieve (and maintain) that flat belly, so let’s get started!

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1. Clean Eating

This is one of the first major lessons for how to lose belly fat after 40. We may have been able to eat junk food when we were younger, but there’s no way we’ll see results that way today! Make a lifestyle change to choose healthier options for foods. That means minimally processed foods with limited ingredients. Organic is always best, but it’s not 100 % necessary for clean-eating.

We would also encourage you to choose lean sources of protein, like fish or chicken. They provide all the protein you need while also helping you avoid unnecessary fats. Plant-based proteins – like legumes, tofu, or tempeh – are also great. These are perfect options to help you consume low-calorie foods that are healthy, nutritious, and make you feel more satisfied while avoiding overeating.

Next, let’s talk about the type of foods you’re choosing. Fruits and vegetables should take up the bulk of your diet, along with heart-healthy grains, seeds, and beans. You should seek a diversity in food types, as well as color. Different colored food contains different vitamins, which are beneficial to your body. The more colorful your daily fruits and vegetables are, the better!

2. Portion Control

Next up, let’s talk about changing your eating habits to rebuild your body. A fundamental principle of clean eating is to eat more frequently, in smaller portions. You should have 3 meals per day and 1 snack in between each meal to keep your hunger at bay. But, as we get older, our bodies still need the same amount of protein and vitamins. At times, we may actually need more! So, keep that in mind as you portion.

Breakfast options are plentiful, but it’s important to choose the right foods. Foods like donuts, cereal, and bagels might satisfy us in the moment, but they provide no real benefits to our system. Your choice for breakfast food sets the tone for your day. Think light, filling, and energy-rich foods. Our breakfast section has a large variety of options to kick-start your day.

how to increase energy after 50  

For lunch and dinner, you should choose meals that include a nice balance of fruits or vegetables, grains, and lean protein. As always, it’s a good idea for those vegetables to take up the majority of your plate. Try these lunch and dinner suggestions to help you to get an idea of how to portion those meals.

Finally, snacks should always be nutritious and filling. Feeling full is not only beneficial to our overall well-being, but it also prevents binge eating. Our 25 Best Flat Belly Snacks post provides delicious options to flatten that belly and satisfy your taste-buds.

3. Water

Our bodies are 60% water. The more hydrated we are, the better our organs will function. Benefits of regular water consumption include sweating to release toxins, hydration to keep workouts going strong, and a feeling of fullness that wards off cravings. On average, you should aim to drink 8-12 oz glasses of water a day.

Did you know there are 21 Ways to Eat Your Water?

4. What to Avoid

Cutting certain items from your diet can be the greatest lesson for how to lose belly fat after 40. It will also contribute to your overall weight loss and wellness. Alcoholic drinks can add extra inches to your belly line, and that kind of fat is hard to get rid of. Soda is another beverage that has no nutritional value. Be wary of juices also. Some may be 100% natural, but their sugar content can be high. Moderation in these types of drinks is always a good option, or try some of our favorite recipes and make your own juices and smoothies.

Exercise for Flabby Arms for Seniors  

Food such as white rice, white sugar, white bread, and regular pasta are processed and offer less nutrition. It’s not just that they’re carbs, either. These types of foods provide your body with simple carbohydrates instead of filling you up with beneficial complex carbohydrates. Instead, try some of these carbs for weight loss, like brown rice, brown sugar, and whole wheat bread and pasta. To wrap things up our list of things to avoid, let’s talk about artificial sweeteners. These products are unnatural and provide little (or no) benefit to your body. Instead, try some natural sugar substitutes. Our  10 Alternatives to Refined Sugar provides great options that can satisfy your sweet tooth and give your foods flavor.

If you’re looking for some options to still enjoy delicious food, try these three article options: • 30-Day No Sugar Challenge • No Sugar Added – Skinny Desserts

5. Exercise

This might be one of the most important tips of the day. Exercise (and varying your exercises) is the best way to create a flat belly. Let’s talk about a few different types of exercises to help you lose that belly fat: 1. Ab exercises are important in order to build muscle and slim down your mid-section. Hitting your abs from all angles (targeting lower abs, upper abs, and obliques) will help you to get amazing results. 2. Cardio exercises are also a beneficial way to tone. Although we can target where we want to build muscle, we can’t decide where our body burns fat. Cardio works to involve your entire body in fat-burning action. Jogging, treadmills, spinning, and even swimming are good options for burning body fat and revealing a more toned belly. 3. Building muscle is key. Although ab work and cardio will get you results, exercising other parts of your body will bring faster results. The more muscle we have, the faster we burn fat. Work on your butt, which contains the biggest muscle in your body. Also include your arms, legs, back, and chest to increase your fat burning abilities. Unsure of where to start on with transforming your belly? Our 6-Week Flat Belly Program will guide you into a belly you’ve always dreamed of.

6. HIIT

Once we hit 25 years of age, our metabolism begins to slow down gradually. Our muscle mass also decreases, making it more difficult to burn fat at the rates we need. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is one of the best methods to kick-start your metabolism. HIIT involves doing fast-paced exercises for a short period of time.It allows us to change our bodies on a cellular level. The higher the intensity, the more you change you’ll see in your body.

The famous Japanese routine, Tabata, is a great HIIT workout. It involves working for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest. In total, you’ll repeat this process about 8 times with various exercises. That creates a 4-minute workout that can burn fat for up to 24 hours. Start your morning with these Tabata routines and watch your belly fat disappear.

How To Release Toxins From Fat Cells  

If you’re looking for more, these are some of our favorite HIIT routines.

Additional Tips

Fifty is big. It calls for big celebrations (it does mean you’re half of a century old), sometimes retirement, and of course, weight gain. When it comes to women, hitting 50 years old may not seem like a huge celebration because of one very unfortunate thing: menopause. It’s unpleasant for multiple reasons, but what may be the worst is weight gain. This is why these 10 best weight loss tips for women over 50 are so important if you’ve hit that half of a century mark.

Why do women often gain weight during menopause? Because of the hormone and appetite changes that occur. We all know from going through puberty that hormone changes mean appetite shifts, which can result in weight gain. Plus, during menopause, women’s body structures change. This makes it more difficult to lose the weight that’s already being stored on women’s bodies.

On top of menopause being a leading cause for weight gain in your fifties, other factors also aid in weight gain. These factors include: • Lack of sleep • Stress • Depression • Not consuming enough food • Slower metabolic rate So, whether you’re going through menopause or not, if you’re in your fifties and you’re trying to lose weight, these best weight loss tips for women over 50 are for you!

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1. Get More Active

As we age, we tend to get less and less active for multiple reasons. Perhaps you recently retired and now have a ton of time on your hands. Maybe the kids are all grown and have moved out of the house. You may even just have more aches and pains that prevent you from moving around as much. Regardless of the reasons, women who are menopausal usually become less active due to the changes they endure.

Although all of the above reasons are valid when it comes to not exercising, exercise is essential for healthy weight loss at any age. So, at the age of 50, getting active in less strenuous ways can be great for both your body and mind. Try walking for just 30 minutes a day or give our 17-Day Walk/Run Plan a go!

2. Build Muscle

The older we get, the more muscle we lose. This muscle is more often than not replaced with fat, and it’s more often than not stored in our midsections. Building muscle is a great way to reduce fat on your body. It’s also great because it allows you to consume more calories without putting on any weight. Our muscles need food to grow and, fortunately, they burn off more calories than fat does.

3. Say “No” to Sugary Drinks

You’ve heard it before and I’ll say it again, drinks like energy drinks, fruit juices, and that beloved soda are loaded with sugars and unnecessary calories that only add to the weight you’re trying to lose. Sugary drinks are simply empty calories. They lack any nutritional benefits and don’t fill you up but still add to your daily calorie count. Thanks to the added sugars, such drinks also make you more prone to storing body fat–especially around your midsection.

how to increase energy after 50  

On top of that, the most popular sugary drink of all, soda, harms more than just the number on the scale. It also negatively effects your: • Heart • Brain • Bones • Teeth Why risk your health so drastically when you could simply swap out sugary drinks, like soda, for water? You could live a much healthier life and take steps closer to reaching your goal weight by making this simple change. This may be the easiest and most beneficial of these best weight loss tips for women over 50!

4. Eat More Veggies

If you’ve heard the saying “eat the rainbow” before, then you know that it means eating on plates of beautifully-colored foods like vegetables. So, eat the rainbow! Yup, I am telling you to simply eat delicious foods to lose weight!

As stated earlier, menopause causes weight gain because of the changes it makes to both your hormones and your appetite. With this tip, we’re focusing on the appetite part. If your appetite is going to increase and you’re going to eat more food, you should eat foods that aid in weight loss. Fill up on the good stuff that’s high in nutrients and low in calories.

Vegetables are by far the best foods to consume when trying to lose weight because of how high in nutrients and low in calories they are. Oh, and they’re delicious! Remember when I said that cutting out sugary drinks might be my favorite tip on this list of best weight loss tips for women over 50? Well, I think I changed my mind. I think this one is! I can’t think of anything bad about eating yummy, healthy food! We have tons of SkinnyMs vegetable recipes and cooking tips. Find them here and get to cookin’!

5. Eat More Fruit

The second food group that’s usually apart of the “eat the rainbow” deal is fruit! Yes, fruit is high in sugar and shouldn’t be eaten in extremely high quantities when trying to lose weight–especially for women over 50 who are experiencing hormone shifts and more fat storage. That being said, you should opt for fruits that are lower in sugar like: • Blueberries • Strawberries • Raspberries • Cranberries • Clementines • Watermelon

Exercise for Flabby Arms for Seniors  

6. Control Your Portions

According to registered dietitian Manuel Villaoorta in his article on weight loss, as we age, our metabolic rates decrease up to 8% every decade. This means, of course, that once we hit that 50 mark, we can no longer eat like teenagers. Consuming healthy foods is of course essential when trying to lose weight, but portion control is also essential.

As Manuel Villaoorta also points out in his article, you cannot simply eat tons of healthy foods and expect to lose weight–especially with a slowed down metabolism. You must pay attention to how much of those healthy foods you’re eating in order to work with your slower metabolism.

In my opinion, this is one of the more difficult weight loss tips for women over 50 to follow. However, it is very important, which is why we’ve put together some information, tips, and recipes to help get you started. Check out 7-Day Portion Control Menu, 7 Portion Control Tips, and 10 Ways Portion Control Can Help You Lose Weight Quickly.

7. Eat Breakfast

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. It can either be the reason you maintain your diet all throughout the day or the reason you binge eat during lunch or dinner time, ruining your diet. Eating breakfast not only gives you energy to get more active throughout the day, but it also keeps you from binge eating! I think it’s safe to say that we’ve been there, done that when it comes to binge eating, and man, does it stink!

You feel so awful all day, starving, and then when lunch or dinner time rolls around, you’re uncontrollable. Afterward, you feel bloated and gross, and you probably consumed way too many calories. It’s not worth it, and it’s such an easy fix. Just eat your breakfast! I know that making breakfast can seem very tedious in the morning.

This is why we’ve put together a list of 10 Quick & Easy Meal Prep Breakfast Bowls. You can prep the bowls in advance so when you wake up, no tedious activities are required! Just grab your pre-made bowl and wave goodbye to binge eating.

8. Eat When You’re Hungry

Now, you already know that skipping breakfast is a bad idea when it comes to losing weight over 50. However, did you know that it’s harmful to your weight loss journey to skip out on any meal when you’re hungry–snacks included? Well, it is!

If you’re hungry, it means your body needs nutrients. Depriving your body of those nutrients is not helping you in the slightest. Like skipping breakfast, not eating when you’re hungry will only lead to binge eating later on.

It can be difficult to figure out what exactly to eat that won’t sabotage your progress when you’re hungry in between meals. Luckily, with these weight loss tips for women over 50, we also have tips and tricks (in case you haven’t already noticed). With that being said, check out 32 Clean Eating Low-Calorie Snacks for some inspiration.

9. Eat Less

I know, I know, so many of these weight loss tips for women over 50 were sounding so good and rather easy, and then I hit you with this one. Eating less isn’t as easy as it sounds. I know that. Unfortunately, it may be necessary if you want to lose weight after turning 50. After all, that metabolism isn’t speeding back up!

Eating less, however, means something different for everyone. According to Erin Coleman, R.D., L.D. in this article, if you’re an active woman, you may be looking at eating around 1,600 calories a day whereas if you’re less active, you may be looking at a diet closer to 1,200 calories a day. Regardless of the calorie limit that’s right for you, cutting down on calories can really aid in weight loss, but you must remember to make sure you’re getting all of your nutrients in, too.

How To Release Toxins From Fat Cells  

10. Stay Hydrated

I’m bringing this list of the best weight loss tips for women over 50 to an end with possibly the most-said tip: stay hydrated. I’m sorry, but although you’ve heard it again and again, I need to say it one more time. Drink water!

Drinking water aids in weight loss in a variety of ways. It helps prevent over eating, it helps you to not eat when you’re not hungry, it keeps you energized, it boosts your metabolism, and it aids in fat burning! Talk about the ultimate weight loss tool–especially for women over 50 who are gaining fat around the belly area. Just drink water whenever the idea pops into your mind and the simple step is sure to work wonders.