Once you hit the age of 40 everything becomes more difficult.
Especially if you were out of shape during your 30s and suddenly realize its time to fix that. Aside from the fact
that you no longer look great in your clothes, it becomes harder to lose weight. And there is a long list of reasons why it becomes more difficult as you get older.
Physical Effects
When you hit the BIG FOUR O you will notice a few things are different. You may have
noticed gravity is no longer your friend. Gravity isn’t your only
problem; the human body tends to go through some pretty crazy changes,
beginning around age 35. Here’s a look at a few of the things that may impact weight
loss.
- If you’re a woman, you’re probably dealing with what is known as perimenopause, which is a decrease in estrogen. Yay! Oh, wait… That is not as good as you think.
- Hormonal changes make you hungrier. That second loaded baked potato is looking mighty tasty right now, isn’t it?
- Metabolic rates tend to slow. In other words, even if you stick to
that all-vegan, macrobiotic-anti-whatever-else diet, you may still gain
weight. Who knew green beans could cause muffin top?
- Cortisol production increases. Cortisol is a stress hormone that may
contribute to the aforementioned muffin top. Don’t give up and think
that because you appear to be a muffin you should eat more muffins.
- The sudden incidence of insomnia may result in lower energy levels
the next day. Although you might get caught up on your scrapbooking, you
are less likely to burn any meaningful calories.
- Believe it or not, you may lose a few inches as you progress past
40. Gravity has a lot to do with this. Your weight doesn’t go south with
your height; in fact, it can be more difficult to lose.
- It’s almost guaranteed that you’ll lose some lean muscle mass.
Losing muscle not only means it’s harder to open that jar of spaghetti
sauce, exercise becomes more daunting.
- Fat cells increase and grow. You can’t lose fat cells without
surgery, but you can always grow new fat. Maybe it’s better to skip that
second piece of German chocolate cake, after all.
- Joints begin to creak and ache more. Does this mean you shouldn’t
exercise? Of course not. Does this mean you will exercise less? Probably
yes, unless you’re into masochism.
- You move more slowly. Call this a combo of many of the
aforementioned effects. Although you may experience less discomfort,
you’re also burning fewer calories. Kick it up already!
- Your skin loses its elasticity. Although this does not have a direct
impact on weight loss, the sight of floppy skin may give you the
impression that your efforts aren’t working; in turn, you may give up
prematurely.
- Thyroid changes can develop after 40. If you are working your butt
off and still not seeing results, visit your doctor. You may need
medication.
- A decline in melatonin can cause you to wander the house at all
hours. Unfortunately, we tend to wander to food when we’re bored or
sleepless. Put down the brownies and try a cup of chamomile tea,
instead.
- For women, the effects of osteoporosis can be an inhibitor to
exercise, which in turn can make it difficult to lose extra pounds.
While you should be careful, your doctor can guide you to a safe
exercise program.
Mental and Sensory Effects
Yes, this does refer to the fact that all-nighters are no longer a
good idea. However, it’s not just your desire to party that changes.
There are mental and sensory aspects that can impact your weight loss,
as well.
- You’re tired. Remember how tired you were after a night of clubbing?
You may not have gone out last night, but you feel like you did. You
need more sleep as you get older, and if you don’t get it, you won’t
have the energy to get moving the next day.
- Now that you’re older, you might think “To heck with it.” After 40,
you may feel you’re past your prime; if you already think you’re less
attractive, you may be less inclined to exercise or watch what you eat.
- If you don’t partake in any enjoyable activities for yourself, you
may feel depressed once your children grow up and move out; this sadness
can lead you to eat more for comfort.
- You may become more absent-minded. No, that’s not a reference to
dementia. As we age, small lapses in memory are common. You may forget
that you only exercised for 15 minutes this morning, and promised
yourself another 15 minutes at night.
- Anxiety and depression are more prominent in older adults. Perhaps
it’s the thought of our own mortality. In any case, mental health can
have a direct impact on physical health and well-being.
- After 40, you might find it harder to focus on a task. What does
this have to do with weight loss? Have you ever tried to cook a healthy
meal while imagining bunnies chasing a rubber ball in a field? As silly
as it may sound, if you can’t gather your concentration to fix a meal,
you’ll probably end up at your local drive-though.
- Like memory and focus, balance can be affected by age. If you feel
off-balance, you may be too self-conscious or afraid to exercise, for
fear of looking silly or of injuring yourself.
- Have you noticed that it takes more salt to flavor your food? Yep,
the sense of taste can start to decline, as well. If you’re not careful,
you may end up dumping an entire bottle of ranch on that side salad
you’re having with dinner.
- Are you worried about your job? As we age, we often worry that we
appear less useful than someone half our age. Fear of your future at
your company may contribute to stress levels and make you more likely to
snack around the clock.
- If you used to read the nutritional labels on food, but have
recently experienced a change in eyesight, you might opt to avoid the
tiny print rather than admit you need glasses. This is more likely to be
a concern if you used to pride yourself on having 20/20 vision.
- If you can’t come to terms with the fact that you aren’t in your 20s
or 30s anymore, shaping your body to what you want it to be can be
difficult. Accept yourself and strategize accordingly.
- Overzealous determination to look the way you did 15 years ago can
backfire. Don’t skip breakfast because you MUST lose five pounds. Your
already slowed metabolism will slow even further from lack of fuel.
Changes in Family and Home Life
By the time you’ve hit 40, there’s a good chance that your home life
has reached a comfortable stride: it’s unlikely you’re still raising
infants, but you may be dealing with teenagers. Family situations can
impact weight loss, as well.
- If you’re old enough that the kids have left the nest,
congratulations. Now you can go out to eat at places that don’t serve
toys with meals. Unfortunately, your newfound rich, exotic eating
experiences can contain up a day’s worth of calories in one sitting.
- Even if your kids are still at home, they’re probably a bit older.
Chasing after a young child tends to burn more calories; yelling at a
teenager, not so much.
- If you’ve been married for a while, it’s likely you and your spouse
are very comfortable with each other. So comfortable, in fact, you don’t
feel the need to impress each other anymore. Seconds on everything,
please.
- If you’ve downsized recently, you might find you have less area to clean and sanitize. Less to do=less calories burned.
- Remember when the kids were younger and there were trips to the
park, the zoo, the beach…. All that walking was great exercise. Now your
family is older, and no one wants to see the new manatee at the zoo.
- If you do have teenagers, you are probably restraining yourself from
strangling them at this very moment. Stressful family situations can
provoke overeating.
- Blame the kids: if your growing children demand having more snacks
in the house, it can be harder to avoid munching. Remember, you don’t
burn calories like you used to.
- If job security isn’t a concern because you’ve moved up in the
company, you might find yourself with more responsibility. At the end of
a long day, the last thing you want to think about is broiling and
steaming up a healthy meal. Burgers and fries are a lot easier to
collect on the way home. Besides, didn’t the Reagan administration
declare ketchup a vegetable?
- Dinner problems can be the same on the weekends. The last thing you
want to do on your weekend is cook, isn’t it? Besides, your clan would
rather have pizza. You’re too tired to cook anyway, and that pie covered
in extra cheese and pepperoni sounds too good to pass on.
- If you have reached the age where the kids have moved on, you
probably feel it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy “me time.”
Unfortunately, me time might include an uninterrupted movie and a
container of cheese balls that you don’t have to share. I bet you’d
swear that container was nearly empty when you grabbed it.
- If you have downsized and it’s just you and your spouse, the two of
you may decide there’s no need to cook. Even if you don’t dine out, fast
snacks and meals can contain far more calories and fat than a regular
meal. Go ahead and cook that meal; your body will thank you.
- If you suddenly take extra interest in your appearance, your spouse
may believe you are having an affair after so many years of marriage.
Jealousy and uncertainty can lead you to want to ease his or her mind,
and can hamper your efforts.
- If you have waited to start a family until after 40, you have a host
of challenges in front of you. The exhaustion of raising an infant
later in life can leave little time for personal consideration and
health.
- If you are over 40, single and sans children, you have all the time
in the world, right? All that time will do you no good if you aren’t
motivated, and sometimes family is the best motivator. If you still have
parents or siblings, turn to them for a little kick in the rear.
- If your spouse has let himself or herself go, it can be harder to
lose weight. Don’t ask me why. I hear spouses start to look the same the
longer they’re together. Does that mean the wife will grow a beard,
too?
Friend Challenges
Whether you’re a man or woman, you probably have buddies. If not, you
should make some. However, your friendships can interfere with your
weight loss goals, whether or not the interference is intentional.
Here’s how.
- Friend get-togethers often include snacks and alcohol. Lots of
snacks and alcohol. It might have been easier to burn off that second
glass of wine or beer ten years ago.
- Have you ever heard the expression, “birds of a feather flock
together?” If the rest of your friends are putting on weight, you may
feel more comfortable letting yourself go, as well.
- Over-40 girls-day-outs (or guys-day-outs) may include less activity
and more sitting. Remember when you enjoyed shopping with your
girlfriends or working on a car with your guy friends? Now, you may be
too tired to exert that much energy on your day off. You may opt to veg
out in front of a television with a bag of nacho chips, instead.
- Ice cream gatherings among women are an opportunity to vent your
life frustrations, and an opportunity to stock up on empty calories. The
same holds true for beer socials and men. Remember, your metabolism is
slower now; all that junk food is wreaking havoc on your frame.
- Your friends mean well, they really do. However, you are less likely
to take on a new diet and exercise regimen if you don’t have the
support of your pals. If your friends are comfortable with extra weight,
they may not be inclined to support your plans for personal
restructuring.
Environmental Challenges
Sometimes, the biggest hurdles are things we can’t change.
- Now that you’re past 40, you may not want to wear those tiny jeans
or those muscle-enhancing shirts. Don’t give up because you can’t fit
into them; learn to ignore labels.
- You may be trying to watch what you eat and do, but have you noticed
that portions seem to be growing when you dine out? With a slower
metabolism, you have to be cautious about how much food is served. It’s
not a contest; you aren’t required to finish the meal.
- You can’t do anything about society’s perception of healthy or
beautiful. If you are healthy and are working out, but not losing any
weight, stop trying to look like that 20-year-old billboard model. Even
she doesn’t look like that.
- The media would have you believe it’s perfectly normal to be
overweight and unhealthy past 40. Don’t believe that for a minute. How
you look and feel is up to you, not primetime television.
