Aging and Weight Gain: Is it Inevitable?
September 17, 2019 By Dr. Kelly Barrett
For numerous reasons it is harder for most of us to lose weight as we transition through adulthood. We have hormones, genetics and lifestyle to blame for the changes in our body composition.
Beginning in your 30s you lose muscle mass every decade. That muscle is replaced with fat. Less muscle and more fat slow down your metabolism. By the time you are in your 50s and 60s, most of us will have lost about 30% of our muscle power.
Because of changing hormones and a loss of estrogen, women tend to gain 10-15 pounds around menopause. The excess fat tends to end up around the abdomen.
Men going through middle age are dealing with a decrease in testosterone, which can also cause a decrease in muscle mass.
Add to the list the busyness and stress of our adult lives: long hours at work, raising kids, taking care of aging parents, etc. Who has the time or energy to exercise or cook? Luckily, most of us can make the time to do these things if we feel they are important enough. Because self-preservation is important.
So what to do?
The good news is we can do plenty to get the upper hand here. The most important include:
Sleep well. Most of us need 8-9 hours of sleep/night.
Weight-bearing exercise. This can include lifting weights, body weight exercises or resistance training.
Move more throughout the day.
Establish healthy eating habits. Focus on quality, quantity and timing of your meals, making sure you are getting enough protein.
