As we age, our bodies go through a series of changes that can make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. And gaining weight is not just about overeating or not moving enough, it’s about the lifestyle that we lead.
In this blog, we’ll explore some science-based reasons why weight gain happens as we age and what you can do about it.
Age and Weight Gain
Let us take a look at some of the reasons why we tend to gain weight as we become older.
Lower Metabolic Rate
As children and teenagers, your body constantly keeps growing and changing, which means you burn energy quickly. This high metabolic rate helps you burn fat effectively. However, once you hit 30, this metabolic rate slows down naturally, leading you to burn fewer calories than before. This can lead to weight gain. The only way to boost your metabolic rate and burn fat is through regular exercise.
Less Muscle Mass
As you age, your muscles tend to shrink. This means that instead of forming muscle, your body will start producing more fat from the food you eat. Since muscle tissues are more metabolically active and burn more calories than fat, having fewer muscles slows down our metabolism. This reduction in calorie burning can lead to weight gain.
Hormonal Changes
Everyone goes through changes in hormone production at different stages in their lives, with some of the most noticeable changes occurring during middle age.
Women – During menopause, which usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, women’s estrogen levels drop significantly. This hormonal change often leads to fat gain, particularly around the belly. Carrying extra fat in this particular area can increase health risks, including higher levels of LDL cholesterol, as well as increase the risk of developing high blood pressure, cancers, diabetes, and heart attacks.
Additionally, the hormonal shifts during perimenopause can cause mood swings, making it tougher to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Men – Starting around the age of 40, men experience a drop in testosterone by about 1% to 2% per year. Testosterone helps regulate fat distribution, muscle mass, and strength, so as levels decrease, the body becomes less effective at burning calories. Also, the production of growth hormone declines at the same time, making it harder to build and maintain muscle mass.
Sedentary Lifestyle
As we age, it’s normal for our lifestyles to turn more sedentary, which can negatively impact our health. This lack of activity not only leads to weight gain but also brings in other health issues. Without regular exercise, our existing metabolic rate slows down, causing fat to accumulate in the body.
Preventing Weight Gain and Losing Excess Fat As You Age
Here are a few tips that can help you prevent weight gain and lose excess fat as you age.
Healthy Foods
One of the best ways to lose unwanted weight is to switch to a healthier diet. This means cutting down on fatty fast foods, sugars, and processed foods and adding more fruits and vegetables to your daily diet while also practicing portion control for your meals.
Focus on whole foods like grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These foods are filling but not too high in calories. Just make sure your diet is realistic and manageable, so you’re more likely to stick with it.
Protein Intake
As you age, your body processes protein less efficiently and needs more of it to preserve muscle mass, maintain healthy bones, and support other physiological functions. older adults should aim to consume around 1-1.2 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight.
However, it is important to note that certain high-protein foods (that are high in purine), like red meat or specific seafood like anchovies, shellfish, sardines, and tuna, when consumed in excess, can raise uric acid levels. So moderation of these foods is important.
Destress
Over time, the brain starts losing its ability to regulate stress hormone levels. Not only does this lead to hormonal imbalances, but it also can increase stress levels. This hormonal balance and stress can often lead to an increase in cravings for high-calorie foods, leading to weight gain eventually. To deal with this, try activities like yoga, take a walk in the park, or read a good novel. Find what helps you relax and make time for it in your busy day to keep stress in check.
Go For A Workout
As you get older, it’s important to stay active and incorporate both resistance exercises and aerobic activities, such as cycling and walking, into your daily routine. Doing so will not only help reduce belly and overall body fat but also help slow down the natural muscle loss that comes with aging.
Plus, staying strong and active can have numerous other health benefits, like maintaining mobility, boosting your immune system, and making you feel good both physically and mentally.
Sleep Well
Adequate sleep is crucial for regulating hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which control hunger and satiety. When we don’t get enough sleep, these hormones go out of balance, leading to increased appetite, cravings for unhealthy, high-calorie foods, and metabolic dysregulation.
Poor sleep is also linked to problems like blood sugar intolerance, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress, all of which contribute to weight gain and diabetes. So try to aim for 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night to reap the benefits. Good habits like avoiding screens before bed and sticking to a consistent wake/sleep schedule can help.
Conclusion
From our metabolism slowing down to hormonal shifts and changes in lifestyle, everything plays a role in both weight loss and weight gain. Thus, staying active, eating healthy, and taking care of ourselves both physically and emotionally is the key.
By understanding these factors, we can make better choices for ourselves and work towards maintaining a healthy weight and overall well-being as we age.
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References:
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Kurth, Jacqueline, and Shaista Malik. “Reducing women’s cardiovascular disease risk profile.” Women’s Health 11.3 (2015): 385-397.
Feldman, Henry A., et al. “Age trends in the level of serum testosterone and other hormones in middle-aged men: longitudinal results from the Massachusetts male aging study.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 87.2 (2002): 589-598.
Al-Nimr, Rima Itani. “Optimal protein intake during weight loss interventions in older adults with obesity.” Journal of nutrition in gerontology and geriatrics 38.1 (2019): 50-68.
Choi, Hyon K., et al. “Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men.” New England Journal of Medicine 350.11 (2004): 1093-1103.
Taheri, Shahrad, et al. “Short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index.” PLoS medicine 1.3 (2004): e62.
