Weight Loss is harder as we age, but you can still get results!

Being an over 40 something my self, I tend to have a little sympathy when someone says; "I find losing weight so much harder now I'm older"...

Or even the defeatist "I will try but it won't work at my age"...

So the science is as we age our metabolism does slow down and we do tend to gain weight (fat)...

The reason being is that as we age the body becomes not as good at holding on to muscle, the very thing that needs a lot of calories...

So our metabolic rate slows down...

Now, be honest with this answer, have your eating habits changed much over time, especially quantity wise?

See this is a problem, whilst before we had more muscle, we had a greater need for calories, so if you have put on weight as you have got older, muscle has decreased over time, meaning you don't burn as many calories as before, but it's likely if the calories consumed haven't changed you are at a point where you are consuming more calories than you need...

I seem to know a lot of people who could pretty much eat what they want when they were younger, but recently they have noticed weight gain and it's very hard to start having to watch what you eat if you never had to before!

"Surely there is a way to reverse it?" I hear you ask...

Well, of course...

If muscle naturally decreases over time, we know we can slow this process or even change it by doing strength training exercises, even if you have no equipment and are so busy you can only do short sessions it's still effective... 

That will increase metabolism...

In relation to consuming too many calories, just make some tweaks, nothing drastic...

How often do you enjoy calorie laden food? What about stuff that is not obvious like fruit juice and fruit smoothies and other high sugar foods? Or liquid calories?

Or big portions?...

So yes, there is some truth in the fact it indeed gets a little harder as we get older...

But I have seen great results in anyone I have helped that made the necessary changes and made it a lifestyle, regardless of age.

Ed.