Why Losing Weight Is Harder When Older

You’re doing the same you’ve always done – trying to eat well and exercise regularly – but the kilos are creeping on and the battle to keep a waistline is getting harder and harder. Accredited Practising Dietitian Trish Guy is here to provide insight into why this might be and how you can manage it.

As we reach our 30’s, our bodies usually need less energy, meaning we may not be able to eat the way we did in our 20’s. 

Then, as you move past 40 and head to middle age, changes in muscle, hormones and metabolism all make it harder to stay trim. But it’s not a lost cause. By understanding how your body changes, you can work to manage your weight more effectively. Why is it harder to lose weight as you get older?

Losing Weight As You Age

Men don’t miss out on the hormone rollercoaster either. Typically from the age of 40, testosterone levels drop. As testosterone is responsible for regulating fat distribution, muscle strength and muscle mass, less testosterone can make it harder to burn calories.

So, with all these changes to your body working against you, how can you combat weight gain as you age? Trish's 5 tips on preventing weight gain

1. Make each mouthful count – Focus on nutrient-dense foods full of vitamins and minerals, fibre and protein, like fruit, veggies, legumes, nuts and whole grains.

Having Trouble Losing Weight After 40? Give These Tips A Try

2. Watch portion sizes – If you don’t burn all the energy from the foods and drinks you consume, your body will store it as fat. As you get older it’s important to watch your portion sizes and potentially cut back how much you eat to suit what your body now needs.

3. Mix up your exercise – It’s important to get a mix of aerobic exercise and weight training. Aerobic exercises that get your heart rate up, like running and cycling, burn more calories. Weight training helps by building up and strengthening muscle.

4. Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water and steer clear of fizzy drinks. Mild dehydration can cause symptoms similar to hunger, so try having a glass of water before automatically grabbing a snack. Dehydration has also been linked to increased risk of obesity and a higher BMI.

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5. Stress less and sleep well – Find activities to help you stress less. You’ll be less likely to reach for comfort foods, you’ll sleep better and be more inclined to stick to exercise goals.

6. Health is more than one number – It can be tempting to get fixated on your weight, but health is much more than just a number on the scales. Focussing on eating a healthy diet, doing regular physical activity, sleeping well and looking after your mental health are all really important for your overall wellbeing, and can have the added benefit of helping to maintain a healthy weight.

For more information about healthy eating, chat with your local Dietitian or a healthcare professional, who will be able to provide individualised information for you. * For destinations within the contiguous U.S., orders totaling $59 or more (before tax) ship free and orders below $59 require payment for shipping. The price of shipping is available in Checkout. Multiple shipping addresses count separately. For other destinations (including international), shipping cost is calculated at checkout. Delivery date will be estimated at checkout. See Full Details

Weight Loss: Here's Why It's Difficult To Lose Weight With Age?

It's a fact of life: as you get older, losing weight becomes more difficult. This can happen for a variety of reasons. From increasing stress levels to a slowing metabolism to the inevitable loss of muscle, shedding that excess weight takes more effort and intention. Here's a closer look at why losing weight is so challenging and how you can succeed in your healthy lifestyle goals.

One of the primary reasons losing weight is harder to do as you grow older is due to a slowing metabolism. It is estimated that your metabolism slows down 5% every decade after you turn 40. This can occur because of the loss of muscle (or sarcopenia) which plays a crucial part in maintaining your metabolism. Consequently, as you age you may not be able to maintain the same dietary behaviors without gaining weight.

A combination of exercise and eating nutritionally dense, but calorie-light foods will help you retain muscle and a balanced metabolism. Include more high-protein foods like beans, lentils, , and seeds into your meals (if you're looking for recipe ideas, we suggest these quinoa stuffed peppers). You can also increase your muscle mass by engaging in some resistance or strength training on a regular basis.

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As you age, not only do you lose muscle more rapidly, but your body also retains more of a certain type of fat. The amount of brown fat, which generates heat and burns calories, decreases and the level of white fat, which stores excess calories, increases.

According to research by the Endocrine Society, dieters can increase brown fat in their bodies by exposing themselves to cooler temperatures; however, the study was conducted over a short period (four months) and long-term research has remained inconclusive. Following a healthy diet, consuming foods with natural fat-burning properties, and taking part in moderate exercise (ideally, 2.5 hours a week) are straightforward ways to help minimize white fat content.

From demanding jobs to raising children to planning for retirement, our responsibilities increase as we get older. As a result, we experience more stress, leading to an increased release of cortisol, the body's stress response hormone. Cortisol can trigger the flight or fight response, which makes it most effective in life-threatening situations. However, we encounter many non-life threatening moments that still induce stress. This can lead to unnecessary cortisol being stored as fat cell deposits in the body.

Weight Loss After 40: The Difficulties

Many things change as we age, especially our bodies. But by being cautious about the foods you are consuming, maintaining a regular exercise routine, and getting an adequate amount of sleep you can help ensure that you're able to maintain your lifestyle for longer.Have you noticed that, as you get older, it’s becoming much more difficult to lose weight? Long gone are the days of binging on Taco Bell and McDonald’s, with no repercussions. Trying to shed ten pounds isn’t so easy anymore. Rest assured that it’s not just your imagination; losing weight is harder to do as we age.

Regardless of how thin or fit you are, every aging human suffers physiological changes that cause weight gain, belly fat and slower metabolism. There are a number of reasons for this. However, the two main factors are hormonal fluctuations and muscle loss. It means a quick morning run simply won’t cut it for a 45-year-old who wants to burn off the calories from an unhealthy pizza.

Get excited because you can manage these changes! Rather than cutting calories, it is a simple case of adjusting your approach to fitness and diet.

Losing Weight After 40: Tips And Tricks

Male Hormones: Testosterone is the secret to men having naturally less fat and more muscle than women. The hormone—a hydrophobic molecule—likes to stick to fat, meaning less fat storage overall. It also builds muscle tissue, fuels metabolism, and maintains insulin sensitivity (which prevents diabetes).

While cardio or aerobic workouts are beneficial for heart health, muscle building is just as important to protect yourself from developing inflammation and diabetes.

Lower testosterone levels make it easier for the body to store fat. Equally, obesity impairs the production of testosterone. As men age, testosterone levels naturally decrease at a rate of about one percent a year after the age of 30. This means body fat starts to increase, especially in the belly area.

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Female Hormones: The female body has a delicate balance of progesterone and estrogen. Higher levels of estrogen contribute to fat tissue formation and storage. In younger women, this is offset by strong levels of progesterone. From the age of 35, levels of both hormones decrease, eventually leading up to menopause. However, progesterone levels decrease at a faster rate, causing fat tissue to form at a seemingly less controllable rate than before.

Muscle Loss: From the time you are born, until approximately age 30, your muscles grow larger and stronger. At some point in your 30s, you start to lose muscle mass and function. You can lose up to 3-5% of muscle mass every decade if you’re sedentary. The loss of muscle mass is one of the greatest factors that leads to a slow metabolism. Muscle tissue is the largest consumer of glucose in the entire body. If you can’t maintain your lean muscle mass as you age, there’s less to consume than glucose. In turn, that glucose can convert into lingering body fat. As a result, your body does not process carbs as swiftly as it once did.

Change Your Workout: The exercises people do as they get older tend to be cardiovascular-focused, like walking, biking or swimming. But it’s particularly important as people get older that they focus on resistance training. It’s more important than when you’re 25! While cardio or aerobic workouts are beneficial for heart health, muscle building is just as important to protect yourself from developing inflammation and diabetes.

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Resistance training is a general term for any exercise that causes muscles to work