Slimming down is a challenge at any age, but many people gain weight beyond the age of 40, particularly around the middle. Despite a good diet and frequent exercise, your metabolism slows down and it becomes more difficult to lose weight.
You may have noticed that maintaining a healthy weight was easier when you were in your twenties. You could eat anything you wanted, and if you gained weight, you could simply lose it by making simple dietary changes and increasing your exercise regimen.
However, as we become older, age-related weight gain can impact anyone. Fortunately, there are some basic dietary and lifestyle modifications you may adopt after the age of 40 to help weight loss and weight management.
Why Do You Gain Weight After the Age of 40?
Age-related weight gain is frequently inherited. For many folks, it’s just a natural part of becoming older. While there are numerous reasons why people acquire weight after the age of 40, the following are some prevalent biological variables.
Hormones:
Most people’s hormones begin to shift in their mid-30s and early 40s. This shift, which results in less estrogen production for women and less testosterone production for men, causes fat to build around the midsection of the body.
Many people are genetically susceptible to gaining weight. Scientists revealed that specific genes affect the number of fat cells a person has and where they are stored. You can’t really change this, and if you look at your parents and relatives, you may see that particular places of your family members prefer to store excess fat.
Muscle loss:
By their 40s, most people begin to lose muscle mass, which continues to drop steadily as they get older. Researchers believe that as people age, the number and size of muscle fibers decrease, and the motor units that trigger those fibers fire less frequently. That is why older folks are frequently advised to engage in strength training.
Lower metabolism:
After the age of 40, your metabolism undergoes a number of changes. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) falls first, and you consume less overall energy during activity second.
According to some research, at the age of 40, your metabolism can slow by roughly 5% per decade, implying that you should take 60–100 less daily calories every ten years.
Consideration of Lifestyle Factors
Aside from the many age-related reasons for weight gain beyond 40, other factors also play a role. Weight gain is frequently caused by lifestyle decisions such as what and how much you eat, as well as how often you exercise. The good news is that, unlike biology, you have complete control over these lifestyle influences.
Unhealthy Eating Patterns
If you’re gaining weight as you get older, try not to stress or obsess over it. While it may be tempting to follow a restrictive fad diet that promises rapid weight loss, these diets are rarely effective in the long run and frequently result in weight regain. Rather than obsessing over a number on the scale, concentrate on feeling better from the inside out, which begins with eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense whole foods. Remember that you are what you consume.
Many people acquire weight in their forties and fifties as a result of a bad diet and a lack of nourishment. According to research, unhealthy eating habits based on overly processed foods, added sugars, refined carbs, and excessive alcohol use might contribute to weight gain and obesity.
Reduce your sugar intake and restrict your use of refined carbohydrates and processed meals. The current USDA dietary guidelines recommend consuming a range of nutrient-dense foods such as fruits and vegies, lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and healthy fats.
A well-balanced diet packed with key vitamins and minerals can help with weight loss and general health. Choose heart-healthy fiber-rich foods to help you stay satisfied longer and avoid excessive snacking or overeating throughout the day.
Excessive Calorie Consumption
You gain weight by consuming more calories than you burn. For a sustained pace of weight loss of 1–2 pounds per week, the USDA advises a calorie reduction of 500 calories per day. On an average 2,000 calorie diet, this translates to approximately 1,500 calories per day. This number, of course, changes with age and other parameters such as gender, weight, height, and level of physical activity.
Nutritionists recommend tracking calories to generate a calorie deficit and lose weight. You might keep a food journal to keep track of your meals and calories. This will show you how many calories you consume each day and provide insight into the meals you may need to limit. A small change here and there can help you keep nourished and fulfilled without feeling deprived.
Sedentary lives have become more common as a result of technological advancements. Too much sitting is associated with a variety of health hazards, the most serious of which is cardiovascular disease. Sedentary behaviors in middle age are also linked to weight increase, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
At the very least, get up from your desk once every hour to stretch your legs and move around. Standing desks are a popular alternative to sitting for many individuals. A couple of walks every day can help you burn a few more calories while also decreasing the hazards linked with too much sitting. To see how many steps you can achieve in each day, try using a pedometer or a wearable fitness tracker.
Inadequate Exercise
Inadequate exercise is a common cause of weight increase as people age. By the age of 40, most adults are juggling several personal and professional responsibilities. Because of the hectic pace of life, it is common for exercise to slip by the wayside as other priorities take precedence. Furthermore, some people may be struggling with injury, illness, weariness, stress, worry, or mental health issues that keep them from exercising.
However, as you get older, your body need more exercise to lose and maintain weight. The problematic issue is that your body does not always accept more intensive exercise as it did in your youth, making you more prone to injury and burnout. That is why it is critical to develop a realistic fitness plan that you can gradually build on and stick to in the long run.
Exercising regularly after the age of 40 helps to avoid muscle loss and maintains the body’s metabolism. Because muscle is more metabolically active, it can also assist prevent weight gain. Your metabolism will slow down if you lose muscle.
Concentrate on what you can change, such as eating a better balanced diet and getting more exercise. You’ll feel less stressed, sleep better, and even have a better mood as a result. As an added advantage, you are more likely to reduce weight and avoid weight gain.
How to Begin Exercising After the Age of 40
It’s never too late to start exercising if you’re dealing with age-related weight gain. Regular exercise, when accompanied with a healthy, balanced diet, has been shown in studies to promote weight loss.
However, losing weight should not be the main motivation to begin exercising. Consider exercise to be something you do for your long-term mental and physical wellbeing. It may seem less difficult to get moving if you remove part of the weight loss emphasis from the exercise equation.
If you don’t know where to start, simply commit to moving every day, whether it’s a brisk stroll or a brief cardio class you can watch before work. If you’re ready to start benefiting from the health advantages of exercise, here are a few tips to get you started.
Establish a Weekly Exercise Goal
To compensate for age-related weight increase, most people need to exercise more frequently and strenuously. It is recommended that individuals engage in at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity per week, as well as strength training at least twice per week, to maintain optimal health. However, according to the American Heart Association, for extra health benefits like as weight loss, you may need to double that suggestion for cardio.
If you’re new to fitness, it’s a good idea to start with the basics and gradually progress to more rigorous activity. Begin with a few weeks of simple cardio and weight training to lay the groundwork for more difficult, intense workouts. The amount of activity you require will depend on your weight loss goals.
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity per day and progressively increase from there. This level of activity can help maintain your heart healthy while also lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure. This is an excellent place to start if you’re new to fitness or returning to it after a long gap. After a few weeks, as your strength and endurance improve, you can advance to more rigorous workouts.
Maintain Consistency
While losing weight may necessitate 300 minutes or more of weekly activity, once you’ve reached your desired weight, you can adopt a more modest approach to maintaining your health. Many people may discover that focusing on 150–250 minutes of exercise each week might be a long-term feasible goal. Maintaining a steady exercise routine can aid in the prevention of weight gain.
Being consistent also entails allowing yourself some leeway. For example, one week you may only be able to get in 150 minutes, while another week you may be able to get in your whole 300 minutes or more.
Keep in mind, however, that more exercise isn’t always better—overexercising raises the risk of injury, burnout, or overtraining, which may be especially irritating when trying to lose weight. So, try for consistency while also prioritizing balance.
Listen to your body and take a step back if you begin to experience physical pain or emotional turmoil. Make self-care a priority and allow your body the rest it requires to recuperate.
Increase the Intensity of Your Workouts
When you’re ready for more strenuous activity, here are some ideas for improving your weekly calorie burn.
- Try high-intensity interval training: Tabata, interval training, and metabolic conditioning workouts are meant to burn more calories and push you harder.
- Do circuit training: Combining cardio and strength training keeps your heart rate up, which aids in the development of endurance and strength.
- Increase your workout time: If you normally exercise for 50 minutes, try adding 10 minutes to one or two workouts per week. Increase the frequency of your workouts by adding another day of exercise, or by doing cardio early in the day followed by strength training later in the day. Just keep in mind to set aside one day per week for recuperation.
- Hire a trainer: Working with a personal trainer can help you stay disciplined and motivated while also providing you with specific training coaching.
- Train for a race: You may set a goal to train for a 5K race or a bicycle race. Having something particular to encourage you to train for might sometimes change your emphasis away from weight loss as the main objective you’re pursuing.
Consult Your Doctor
Contact your doctor if you’ve been working hard and eating correctly but aren’t seeing any improvements. Discuss the various causes of your weight gain or loss plateau, and see if there are any alternative options available to assist you in meeting your goals.
We can only influence so much of what happens to our bodies as we become older. However, it is much simpler to accept our bodies if we do everything we can to keep them healthy and fit. Make the most of the body you have by eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods and exercising regularly.
If you’re unsure about which diet and exercise regimen is best for you, consult with your doctor. You could also seek the advice of a nutritionist or licensed dietitian to help you develop an eating plan that is suited to your specific needs.
A Final Word…
Remember that growing older is a natural aspect of the human experience, and changes to your body are a normal part of the process. Being gentle to yourself as you age may be exactly what you need as you go into the next stage of your life.
