Preventing middle-age weight gain
I visited my niece this weekend and she was complaining about a few pounds she can't seem to shed. She has a health condition that prevents her from doing more than walking, swimming, stretching, and using light weights, but she remains very active. She said that it used to be so easy for her to lose 5-10 pounds when necessary. But now that she's getting older it seems to be harder. I hated to break it to her, but she should just wait until she hits her late 30's! According to a Good Housekeeping article, our metabolism decreases by about 5% each decade. So, at age 35 you may burn up to 100 calories less per day than you did when you were 25. (Assuming your fitness level is roughly the same.) But there are things you can do to ward off middle-age pounds:
- Get a body-fat reading. Muscle burns more calories than fat. If your muscle mass is low, you're more susceptible to gaining weight (even if your BMI is right on target). Start incorporating more strength exercises into your fitness routine. You may want to book a session (or two or three...) with a personal trainer for some custom advice.
- Lose weight slowly. Crash diets don't work in the long run. You're much better off aiming for a 1/2 pound to 2 pound weight loss per week. Just check out the National Weight Control Registry -- it's proof positive that slow and steady wins the race!
- Your cardio workout is lonely. Cardio workouts are important -- but don't forget strength and flexibility exercises, too.
- Shake things up. A fitness routine is a good thing, but throw your body a curve ball once in a while and try something new.
- Don't skip breakfast. People who start their day with a healthy breakfast have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight.
- Reduce stress. Focus on healthy sleeping patterns in order to manage your stress levels.
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