Monday, September 19, 2011

Is Weight Gain Inevitable With Age?


Clients often as me, and I guess they’re entitled, if I’ve ever been heavy. This question makes me uncomfortable and I’ll often mention the fact that I’m a runner or that like many women I had to loose weight after my pregnancies. The truth is that, as an adult, my weight has been fairly stable. While many sane habits contribute to this, there’s also an element of fear. You see, for almost 15 years I’ve been counseling perimenopausal and menopausal women. I’ve witnessed their frustration when it comes to weight loss and so in anticipation of what may be many years away for me, I’m doing what I can now.

I was reminded of this when I had lunch on Friday with my beautiful literary agent (the book concept is strong but the feedback is I need to be funnier and include more anecdotes, ok ok). Over our avocado salads, she joked about “the forty thing” being true. I noted I haven’t hit “the forty thing” but that even your 30’s are different than your 20’s in terms of metabolism. As we commiserated, we both acknowledged that our “good” mode now needed more stringency. I said “it used to be I could just remove the extras and my weight would drop those couple of pounds before a vacation or event.” To which she added, “now it has to be a total cleanse.”

Most people operate with a weight range. The have their ideal weight, then a range above this where they are “fine” and an upper limit. As years go by, the “upper limit” number can become the good number. This is the weight creep that’s insidious but real.  Our muscle cells drive our metabolism. Age and a decrease in estrogen, testosterone and other hormones contribute to the loss of muscle cells. Muscle cells are where calories are burned. So if you eat the same amount over the years and less is burned or it’s burned less efficiently…you see where this is headed. Another proposed mechanism is that our bodies are more likely to be in an inflammatory state as we age even in the absence of a threat (virus, bacteria). This inflammation can damage cells in joints and muscles or wherever the inflammation occurred. And sorry guys, this applies to you as well.

Before you throw your hands in the air and prepare for the inevitable pudge, know that you are not powerless. One tool is exercise as a way to preserve and deposit muscle.  The good news is that exercise can help prevent age-related weight gain. The bad news? You have to do more with each decade. A study of male runners gave the suggestion that “runners who average 10 miles per week at age 30 should increase their weekly running distance to 24 miles by age 40 if they plan to still fit into the tuxedo they bought a decade earlier." Yes, I realize that 24 is more than double 10, it’s a good thing I’m marathon training.  I also advise my younger clients that they don’t want to exercise excessively in their 20’s as they will need to increase it as they age.

Another tool is anti-inflammatory foods. Chia seed, wild fish, hemp protein, ginger and turmeric are some of my favorites. Incorporate these in your daily diet. As for that diet, if you feel as though you’re doing what you used to do and not getting results, there’s a reason. You need to “do” things differently. The weight loss plan that worked in college will not work at 35. If this concept is a little scary, welcome to my world.
Have you noticed it's harder to lose or maintain your weight with age? Do you do things differently? 
Do you find this depressing?

33 comments:

  1. Incredibly depressing, but on the other side...at least I really like to exercise. Right now, I feel like my lifestyle (work lifestyle) gets in the way more than anything else. I do wonder how celebrities in their 40's and 50's keep it off - and I'm going to assume it's hours and hours of exercise, HRT (which has it's own host of issues) and as you've mentioned before - that's what they are paid to do so they have an entire "team" devoted to keeping them in the best shape possible. However, when you see people like Jennifer Aniston, Michelle Pfiefer, and a host of others, you do realize it IS possible, but it means more changes in the way you approach things, which already feels overwhelming. I'll leave Demi Moore out of it for now, given she got a major head start with a total body make-over courtesy of her plastic surgeon.

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  2. Ha, I wasn't going to the celebrity place but since you did, Demi we say is all plastic? Too bad, she looks fantastic. After all this research I may be conducting outdoor sessions today, while running.

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  3. Such a great post! I will admit that watching my mom go through menopause was no picnic. I kept thinking about my own experience with menopause and how different I will do it, compared to her. She has gained some 15 pounds, but she just doesn't workout on a normal basis and tends to eat a lot of sweets at night. I try and try to help her, but she also has fibromyalgia and I know that holds her back.
    I didn't know about the inflammation component. Super interesting, thanks!

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  4. Ug, this is depressing. I'm 27 but have noticed just this year that my body comp seems to have changed. Although not noticeable to others, I can tell. This scares me bc I too have a fear of gaining weight as I get older. Weight seems to shift to areas you never had trouble with before. Although I refuse to work out MORE than what I already do, I WILL keep learning to work out smarter by making the most of my workouts!! I will also continue to eat healthy and not go overboard on the splurges, like I did in my early 20s (at times). Great topic...although depressing for a monday lauren!

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  5. I'm 46 and a runner. Ladies, it just happens. It is awful when it happens, but here's the best advice I can give: learn to love some things about yourself before you hit your 40s.

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  6. Oh gosh - so true. I can't go crazy on weekends like I did in college. I'm still in my 20s, but I can already tell a difference. Stupid metabolism...

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  7. Gotta admit...getting diagnosed w/ premature menopause at 38 made me feel a lot better about my post-30 weight gain. While my lack of exercise and eating habits explained some of my weight gain, finding out that I'd been peri-menopausal for the decade gave an explanation about why losing had become so difficult. In my dreams, this all means that my 40+ body changes have happened already!

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  8. Marie, I will say with my clients that there seems to be a shift and then a stabilization so you transition from one metabolic level to another and then it is what it is. Erin- didn't mean to be depressing. I almost feel it's better to know and plan accordingly. Plus, it's not all in our heads which, to me, feels nice.

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  9. I feel like I've been chubby most of my life. That said, chubby now is about 10 pounds more than chubby in my early 20s. I know that my main problem is overeating. I eat beyond the point when I'm satisfied and I have the worst sweet tooth (just typing "sweet tooth" makes me want to dig into the bag of chocolate-covered almonds in the cupboard). I would like to get to a normal BMI while I'm still in my early 30s and maintain that weight. I'm about 15-20 pounds away from that, so I know that I have some excess pounds to lose. And I hate to whine, but...it's haaaaaaard.

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  10. Part of it is metabolic too (not to discount the choc almonds-yum). It is hard but will get harder, so try now and I'm here to help. That sounds so trite but you know what I mean. I am hopping over to read some of those good links.

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  11. Great conversation starter, Lauren. I see it so often in my 40+ clients -- the weight just doesn't come off as easily, even when "doing everything right." It's frustrating at the very least. Would love to see more research around this topic, as it is a real issue and one most women will face.

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  12. Yes, it does get harder! I like your suggestion of not overexercising earlier as you will have to increase what you are doing as you get older. I also like thehealthyapron's point about working out smarter. By adding a lot more HIIT to my workouts, I can get things done quickly, yet get a really good workout.

    Fighting so hard to keep from gaining weight is frustrating, but I'm also a bit more realistic with my weight and have adjusted my "happy weight" slightly (while still being healthy).

    Thanks for the tip on anti-inflammatory foods. I'm already eating several of them, but I'm going to pay more attention to them.

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  13. I love the term happy weight. Can I use it?

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  14. I totally get what you're saying... how you are preparing now to avoid weight gain that comes with aging/menopause. I think that "prevention" can help keep you on track with eating healthy and exercising!!

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  15. Hi, great post. I am 47 myself and know that what you say is true. I do nutrition work with people who have/had cancer, and with some treatments weight gain is a real issue. Because weight is also associated with cancer and recurrence, getting excess weight off is paramount. I always recommend small changes (rather than unsustainable diets as such) and adding in physical activity - whatever appeals and can be ongoing. Owing to the rigours of cancer treatment many of my patients are starting at a very low level of activity and it is important for them to realise that whatever they do helps. I also believe very strongly that chronic inflammation is hugely under-recognised as influencing weight and ill health generally. Thanks for the reminder. Btw, I can't run but I love my twice a week Zumba and using my trampoline. We all need to find something we enjoy and then we'll commit to it.

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  16. Ah, the million dollar question! Over 40 now, I can attest that this is true. It is an uphill battle, but one that should be fought {to a certain degree}. I love Andrea's "happy weight" term too. For me, I was at my thinnest when I was running 25-30 + miles/week, but I honestly feel I don't have the time to do that now {nor will my feet/shins/etc allow it} balancing young kids, plus work, plus life in general. I agree that hormones and inflammation are culprits, but stress too plays a big part, and I am always striving towards some sort of balance in my life. I am upping my exercise and trying to do more weight lifting, plus interval training to boost my metabolism. Oh, and I know its not a magic bullet, but I'm drinking more green tea too, which has been shown to be a very modest metabolism booster. My mom , who is in her mid-70s, just started doing this and has lost 10 pounds already. Certainly can't hurt to try!

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  17. Hi Lauren, I have been told that flax seeds need to be ground in order for our bodies to absorb the nutrients which flax offers. Do you know if this is true for chia seeds also?
    Jan Z-R

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  18. EA- I'm with your mom, I have tea all day long (you're a tea girl too) green, white, black, oolong. Your point about stress is a good one too. Jan- chia can be milled but doesn't have to be. More to come on chia wed....

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  19. I've been having this chat with my mom recently - and I have definitely noticed a difference between myself at 29 and myself at 19 or even 25. Awareness of the inevitable and prevention now are so smart - love this post.

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  20. I always thought that I was gaining weight simply because I was aging but it ends up I was gaining weight because I was developing problems associated with aging. Once I've cleared those up the weight disappeared! It's such a relief. But I do think my metabolism has slowed down...I suppose it's inevitable. No more late night Chips Ahoy madness...

    You have a literary agent? You are my inspiration!

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  21. I need you to try kookie karma. Foodtrainers-approved cookies.

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  22. I often feel uncomfortable as well when it comes to my clients asking me about my weight. It has never been a battle for me and some feel I cannot relate. What I always say is while I may not have battled with my weight, everyone has their own struggles and they aren't always with the scale.

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  23. Allison, love "everyone has their own struggles" very well put.

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  24. Ugh, I read that study too...or at least, Gary Taube's play-by-play of it, and I was deeply saddened. I could not believe how inevitable it is for me to gain weight! Luckily I am not as fearful of fattening as I was a few years back, but I still want to avoid it! I feel like I haven't grown up enough to start aging yet!!!
    I was so ecstatic when my 2nd opinion doc told me I could exercise again. I know so much about all of this stuff and having to put exercise on the back burner felt like I was signing my death certificate. I am such a believer in the powers of food and exercise as medicine.

    PS. I think you are funny!
    PPS. BOOK DEAL!? Bravo! That's amazing!

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  25. I am so excited for your book deal! Can't wait to read it!
    I have definitely noticed a slower metabolism in my 30s. It doesn't bother me because that's part of life. I just try and eat cleaner.
    Ameena- Oreos are my vice. I can't inhale them the way I used to...

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  26. Almost 41 here and I have not gone through the weight gain yet, but I've started on the muscle loss. I can see it in my arms, breasts. Not very pretty. I have been going to a weight lifting class twice a week for 6 years, but it did not prevent it. I also go to a Zumba class twice a week and still hope that it will help to keep my tummy tight. Keep on dreaming!

    Thanks for the information on inflammation. Very useful.
    As I get older, I also notice that I eat differently. My appetite is different, my stomach more sensitive. I eat less meat, more grains/seeds/nuts proteins.

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  27. I'm 34 and I definitely see a difference from my early 20's. I saw a big change around age 22 - I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted and never really exercised and always weighed ~130 since my teens, and then suddenly my metabolism slowed down and I gained 10lbs after college - so around then I started exercising and watching my diet a little bit. Now my weight has been pretty stable since then, even after having a child. But I exercise more now than I did at 25 or 26. I also add a lot more weight training to my routine, since muscle mass typically starts to drop after 30, which will take a toll on metabolism also. It seems to be working well enough, but I do have to watch my diet carefully - just keeping portions under control(not too hard) and trying not to overdo it on sweets (much harder).

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  28. Great post on a very important topic.

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  29. I would never want to "diet"/eat the way I did in my early twenties. I consumed way too many fake foods. However, when I reach 40 I may just come knocking at your door for your services.

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  30. Ha! I agree, I feel I too have a more wholesome diet I just wouldn't mind being able to eat healthy foods in whatever combos/quantity I desire.

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  31. For some reason this doesn't really depress me. I have noticed that people who had a time in their lives when they could eat as much as they liked are often more shocked at the weight gain that comes with aging. I have NEVER been able to to do that so overtime have tried every diet out there, and at 36 realized what works...wholesome food, exercise and frequent weight/clothes checks. My mom was very thin all her life and when she gained weight after menopause had no idea about how to lose weight.

    Also, if you need inspiration that aging and weight gain go together just go to a physique 57 class. There are many women there over 40 who have incredible bodies. I am sure they do a lot more then workout, but they give me hope!

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  32. i think you have to be a tad more careful as u age not depressing just something to be aware of what will your book be on?

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  33. Hey! Did you ever deal a position when a complete stranger has stolen your articles? Can't wait to see your answer.

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