We’ve all heard of it and it’s not some crazy, butter substitute.
But what actually is it? And what can we do about it?
As we get older, we need to be more mindful about how we can manipulate our body and our environment to keep us healthy and reduce the increased risk of weight gain, obesity, and the other health issues that go alongside that.
We hear this all the time “I just don’t get it, I run, exercise and eat the same foods I’ve always eaten and I’m still putting on weight”
Yup, you will, and here’s some insight as to why:
Your metabolism, the thing you see and hear all over the place, slows down, and the rate at which we break down food decreases by about 10% per decade.
Muscle mass is key for reducing weight gain. It requires more energy (calories) to exist which is why it’s so hard to maintain. The more muscle we have, the more calories are burned at rest meaning the number of calories used during the day is more.
But, we lose muscle mass as we age. After the age of around 40, the average person will lose around 1% per year(various sources may have this slightly different +/-). This is why it’s so important to do more resistance training and less damaging conditioning as we get older.
So you can see the problem.
➡️Calories consumed stays the same
➡️Energy expenditure stays the same
↘️Metabolism slows down meaning we need fewer calories
↘️Muscle mass reduces meaning we need fewer calories
The result – ↗️excess calories in your body = ↗️↗️weight gain.
Strength and resistance training isn’t just about bodybuilders grunting and posing. It is a much-needed type of training to help solve and resolve many of the planet’s weight and health issues and it’s why we prescribe to all of our clients, regardless of their age. It might look different as clients age, but the theory remains the same as the battle with middle-aged spread is very real and ongoing.