Some things that take practice usually improve with age, like our culinary skills or our relationships, for example. Others related to our body instead they become somewhat more difficult.
If losing weight is something that costs us an effort throughout our lives (and to maintain it, let’s not say), usually things get more complicated when we turn years and especially after 40. But why this cruel joke of nature? Well there are a few reasons, and they are the following.
With age we lose muscle mass
No matter how active we are throughout our lives, the normal thing is that from 30 or 40 years we begin to lose muscle mass that our body replaces with fat tissue.
This is a natural part of aging, but muscle burns more calories than fat, so this loss means our metabolism slows down and therefore, eating the same as before we can gain more weight. So in turn, losing weight becomes more difficult.
Weight Gains of the Past
This change in the composition of our body can be intensified if during our youth we have followed yo-yo diets in which weight is lost and recovered periodically. This is so because normally when the body is subjected to this type of swings, the weight that is regained is usually always in the form of fat, which is more difficult to lose the next time let us try.
The result is that over the years we have been gaining fat that it has become increasingly difficult for us to lose, and that adds to the loss of muscle mass to make it harder for us to lose weight.
Changes in hormones
In the mid-40s for women and later for men (from the 50s) there are important hormonal changes with a decrease in the production of estrogens in ones and testosterone in others. This also affects your metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight.
Less physical activity
Due to greater job responsibility and family burdens, from the age of 40 it is common decrease levels of physical activity. Later on, joint pain and other health problems may begin to appear that push us to move even less.
This, coupled with the aforementioned change in metabolism, means that caloric needs are lower and therefore, losing weight becomes more difficult.
More stress
Also as we mature we assume more responsibilities and that can generate more stress. Stress is an impediment when it comes to losing weight: it makes our brain generate cortisol, a hormone that prepares our body for “fight or flight” situations, but which in most cases ends up stored in our body as fat.
The importance of a healthy life
The number that the scale shows us serves as an indication, but it is not something we should obsess over, however, A healthy diet and the custom of performing physical activity they are often essential for living with the highest quality of life into old age.
Therefore, although losing weight after 40 is more difficult than at 20, it is important do not neglect habits and continue to maintain healthy habits that ensure an old age in the best possible way. And remember that it is never too late to start.
This article was originally published by Rocío Pérez in February 2018 and has been revised for republication.
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