Weight Gain with Age…What to do?

Quite a few things come with age…wisdom, hair in new and unwanted places, and crow’s feet being among them.  And I almost forgot, weight gain, usually in the form of that muffin top escaping from the top of your jeans just as a real muffin top rises from the confines of its crinkly container (Elaine, of Seinfeld fame, once opened a store that sold only…you guessed it, muffin tops.  From season 8, episode 21 if you’re interested).  But is weight gain once we pass 30 inevitable?  Unfortunately, the answer for most of us is “yes.”  However, with some effort on your part, the weight gain can be contained.

Why do most of us put on an additional 1-2 pounds per year after age 30 and then that weight gain tails off after age 60?  Why does the incidence of obesity peak between the ages of 40 and 59?  Why do we also usually lose 3-8% of our muscle mass after that magical age of 30?  There’s more than one answer to those questions, and they are: genetics, hormonal changes, a reduction in physical activity and poor food choices being the primary ones.  Let’s look closer to each answer in turn.

As for genetics, there’s not much you can about your DNA except use it as an excuse for putting on weight and yet another reason to blame your parents for your current predicament.  And that really doesn’t solve the problem.

On to hormonal changes…as women approach that wonderful time of menopause, their estrogen levels decrease which leads to weight gain, especially around the mid-section as that becomes the body’s new place to store fat.  On the male side, as they age, testosterone level and growth hormone levels plummet and since both are responsible for building and maintaining muscle mass, we replace that muscle loss with fat.  Also, since muscle burns more calories than fat, we get caught in a vicious circle.

And of course, that muscle loss affects women as well.  Finally, as we age, our families and careers become our primary foci, and both severely reduce our free time during which we once spent exercising.  Lastly, we are so pressed for time due to those familial and career concerns, that we make poor food choices in order to save time.

So, what can you do to combat all these forces working against you?

1. Plan and cook your own meals as often as possible. Or, utilize the services of Magic Kitchen to provide you with healthy and delicious meals.  By “planning” I don’t simply mean writing down your menu for the week (although that helps), but it also means cook ahead.  While you’re cooking salmon on the grill, roast the skinless chicken for tomorrow night’s meal at the same time.  And avoid the siren song of fast food at all costs.
2. Continue or begin weight-bearing exercises in order to stave off muscle loss for as long as possible. If that exercise entails lifting free-weights, that’s great, but they aren’t necessary.  You can use your own body weight (think push ups, pull ups, planks) or resistance bands, or Pilates, or yoga…whatever floats your boat.
3. Join an exercise group. Study after study shows that people who exercise in groups do it more often and for longer periods of time.  Use friends and family as motivation to get you from behind your screen or desk and out there burning calories in whatever manner you and your group decide.
4. Get some solid sack time as often as possible. Studies also reveal that a solid 7-8 hours of sleep each night also assists in losing weight and consistent exercise will help you get that sleep your body needs.
5. Avoid stress as much as possible. Stress can lead to various health issues from high blood pressure, to heart disease, to headaches and depression.  And that can lead to stress/emotional eating, especially when we’re not hungry.  It’s eating to feed our emotions, not your body and if done often enough, leads to weight gain.

So, now you’re aware of WHY we gain weight as we age and HOW to combat that weight gain.  Now it’s just a matter of proper execution on your part and I wish you all the best as you struggle with age related weight gain.  Just remember, you’re not alone out there.