Weight Loss and Middle Age

Middle age seems to be one of the most difficult times when it comes to weight loss. It seems that when this time hits, the pounds start to pile on from no where. Women seem to be especially hit during menopause. There are several explanations for why this happens. In this article, we will look at reasons why the middle age spread hits nearly all of us and what you can do to prevent and even reverse the effects.

We all age as a part of life. Some do it better than others. Unfortunately weight gain seems to be one of those givens with getting older. Why does this always occur and why does it seem to hit women harder? One reason for both men and women is, as we get older our metabolic rate slowly starts to drop. This essentially means, the rate in which our bodies burn calories starts to slow down. It is estimated that with each decade of life our metabolic rate drops by about 5 percent.

A second reason which pertains specifically to women is menopause. When women go through menopause, their bodies stop producing estrogen. When this happens, the body starts to look for this elsewhere. The most likely place is food. Once the body finds this from food it quickly converts the rest over to fat. This helps account for some of the weight gain women experience during menopause. When menopause occurs, the body also decreases the level of progesterone. Decreased progesterone causes the body to retain water. This creates that thick around the middle feeling many women get. Water isn’t really weight and the good thing about this weight is it is usually temporary.

No one has to take middle age weight gain lying down. With a good diet and exercise plan the effects can be minimal and even reversed. If you already exercise regularly then you at an advantage. Try adding to your workouts. You can spread the increase out over the week so you don’t kill your self. If you run an average of 20 miles per week then you need to up that by about 5 percent. That amounts to only an extra mile in one week. You can also increase the intensity. Perhaps run up hill for a small portion of your run or pick up the pace. With a small increase in activity or intensity you will go a long way towards battling the middle ages bulge.

The diet is also important. A diet low in fat will help battle the weight gain associated with menopause. Concentrate on staying healthy. Stay away from foods that contain refined sugars. You will help your body remain healthy and thin if you monitor your diet carefully.

Middle age can be a difficult time for weight control. However: you don’t have to take it lying down. By increasing your exercise slightly and watching your diet, you can win the battle against the middle aged spread.