GAINING WEIGHT WITH AGE IN CITY* STATE*

Everyone knows that as we age our hearing and vision decrease and we don’t move as fast as we did when we were younger. Is it possible that it also becomes easier to gain weight as we get older? Many people can attest to the fact that as we age we typically can’t eat the same things as we did when we were younger and expect the same results. Unfortunately, there are changes that occur in our body as we become older that predispose us to gain more weight. Thankfully, our doctors at CLINIC NAME* can provide you with some tools to fight back and lose weight in CITY* STATE*.

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Getting Older and Gaining Weight in CITY* STATE*

There are several factors that contribute to increased weight gain as we age and understanding them is fundamental in fighting back. While some of the things that occur in our bodies are unavoidable, we are able to do things to slow and counteract these processes.

One of the major reasons for putting on weight as we age has its roots in our body composition. In our younger years, our bodies are composed of primarily muscular tissue. As muscles are damaged, we quickly repair the damage and heal the injured muscle. As most people know, our ability to heal completely and quickly decreases with age. Because of this, it is more likely that our muscular tissue is actually replaced with fat, rather than healing. As a result, people may weigh the same as they did when they were younger, but their ratio of fat to a muscle has increased greatly.

Another significant factor contributing to weight gain as we age is the fact that we tend to get less physical activity. While many people exercise less, they often forget to make modifications to their diet, resulting in gradually putting on weight. To maintain your weight it is important that the number of calories in equals the number of calories out. Failing to do so can contribute to the extra pounds around the midsection.

When it comes to putting on extra weight as we age, women may be at a bigger disadvantage than men. Following menopause, women often report difficulty in losing weight. This is due to the fact that significant hormonal changes occur during and continue after the menopause process. As a result, there are changes in a woman’s metabolism resulting in how efficiently calories are burnt.

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How does my diet play a role in weight gain as we age?

Set aside the changes that occur in our body for a minute and realize that what we eat or drink plays a large role in the amount of weight we put on throughout our entire life. While most people understand that maintaining a healthy diet has a huge impact on the quality of life we live, research has shown that certain foods may contribute to weight gain more than others.  For example, it has been found that with all other things held constant, processed meat, potatoes, and potato chips resulted in more rapid weight gain over time. It was also discovered that people often forget about the number of calories present in many of the beverages we drink. For instance, people who consumed larger quantities of alcohol, juice, and pop put on weight quicker than those who didn’t. Keeping these things in mind will have a significant impact on how quickly and what type of weight you put on as you grow older.

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So what can I do to slow the growing bulge?

As mentioned earlier in this article, there are some changes that will occur as we grow older and there is little that we can do about it. Making changes to your diet and lifestyle can have an enormous impact on how quickly and to what degree these changes progress.

Nobody likes to think of the muscle in their body turning to fat. One way to prevent this process is to increase the amount of strength and resistance exercise that we incorporate into our daily routines. Performing just 20-30 minutes of strength training each day can have dramatic effects on your muscle mass, development of osteoporosis, and arthritic pain.

Simply staying active can have a large impact on the amount of fat tissue we develop. Today, it has become increasingly easier to remain seated on the couch or the chair so finding ways to remain active is important. It has been recommended that adults engage in a minimum of 2 and a half hours of moderate-intensity exercise every single week. However, it is important to understand that this doesn't have to be done at one time. Separating your exercise routine into 10-minute intervals has been found to be as effective.

Finally, as mentioned before, maintaining a healthy diet throughout your life can have the biggest overall impact on weight gain. Replacing processed foods with more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will not only result in less weight around the midsection but will also help prevent many other disease processes.

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It’s important to understand that weight gain with age isn’t inevitable. However, it is just as important to realize that it will occur unless you take an active role in your own health. Your CITY* STATE* doctor at CLINIC NAME* would be more than happy to assist with your weight loss questions and help you make the right decisions about your health.