How can i lost weight? what are the guidelines for loosing weight? how do these change as women get older and what pitfalls should i avoid when starting out?

In : In general, weight loss becomes more difficult as we age because aging generally reduces our calorie (energy) requirements over time. So as our metabolisms slow, we don't need to eat as much food to maintain our bodies. Unfortunately, our appetites tend to remain the same, fixed by many cultural, social, and psychological factors, which can lead to a slow accumulation of extra weight over time. To lose and maintain weight loss, physicians generally recommend calorie reduction (to reduce intake of energy) and exercise (to increase usage of energy) in order for our bodies to start using up the stored fat we have accumulated. The weight loss goal should be generally to decrease 1 to 2 pounds per week to maintain the loss without stimulating an excessive hunger compensation response. Losing weight faster than this by any diet strategy typically will lead to rebound hunger and weight gain. Your target weight should be based on achieving a body mass index (bmi) between 20-25 for optimum health and longevity. There are many online resources for calculating an appropriate bmi for you based on your height and age. Start by making small incremental changes in your lifestyle that you can live with forever, because if you go back to your current lifestyle, your weight will also reset to this current level. Good luck in what is a very important endeavor at improving your health. Best, - john peng, md.