There’s no denying it ladies, as most women get older they find it easier to gain weight and harder to lose it.
This is due to a number of things.
Firstly, let’s understand the biological facts
Fact #1: Your metabolism gets slower every year
Fact #2: As you age, your hormones change and your insulin-regulating hormone becomes less effective (which means your store fat more readily).
Fact #3: Sarcopenia means ‘age-related muscle loss’ and it is a natural part of aging. After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade.
Fact #4: Bone loss increases with age and accelerates during menopause
So it would appear that aging causes us to naturally lose muscle, grow weak, and gain fat (cry)
BUT, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some simple things you can do to get great results, no matter what your age.
And while at first glance it may feel impossible to beat biology, we must also consider this…
Most women stop exercising when they get older and they don’t adjust their eating and exercise regime to match their body’s changes. Therefore, it’s no wonder so many women struggle with weight as they age.
Here are 3 simple things to whip your metabolism back into shape and avoid gaining belly fat as you age
- Eat more protein.
While sarcopenia (muscle loss due to age) is inevitable, it mostly occurs in women because of poor diet and exercise choices. When it comes to maintaining and building muscle, protein is our best friend! Protein is the only building block for our muscles, so if we want to keep them, or even grow them, we need lots of protein and we need even more as we age.
If fat loss is your goal, remember this – muscle burns more calories, increases your insulin sensitivity, and strengthens your bones. Also, you are naturally more active when you have fit, strong muscles, and this will help keep weight down and promote other health benefits.
- Get lifting!
I can’t tell you how many women think exercise is for young people. It couldn’t be further from the truth! Young people are naturally fitter, so as we age, we have to keep it. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. And that goes for your muscles and your bone density ladies! Strength training is the most effective way to build muscle, strengthen bones and avoid joint pain.
Muscle also burns up to 3 times more calories than fat, so this is the most effective way to boost your metabolism and prevent fat storage.
- Swap high glycaemic-index carbohydrates with low ones
As we become more insulin resistant with age, it’s important to control blood sugar to prevent fat storage and other health implications. Focusing on low GI foods will help your digestion greatly, making it much easier to process foods and keep off belly fat. It will also assist with gut issues. This change alone will reduce the already increasing insulin resistance that leads to fat storage.
To set the record straight, your body does change with age, and these changes can result in fat gain, muscle loss and bone loss.
The unfortunate truth is this, if you keep doing the same thing you’ve done for years, it may stop working. Because every year, your body changes. However, if you exercise to build muscle and eat to support your changing body, you’ll feel strong and confident and realise that your age is only determined by the limitations you set on yourself.
Here’s to getting strong, eating smart and aging confidently!
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