Between ages 35 to 55 our body changes and often for the worst. As we age we either gain some weight or find it more difficult to control weight. For both men and women weight is often gained because of less activity, higher calorie intake or a loss in lean muscle. In most cases it is probably the combination of all three factors that makes us gain weight with age.
Aging causes physiological changes to occur which often lead to weight gain. For men there is a gradual decline in the sex hormone testosterone. Less testosterone in men has been shown to reduce muscle and a loss of lean tissue causes the metabolism to decline, this means less calories are required with age.
Requiring less calories means that if the normal diet is continued over the years when testosterone is reducing then a slow weight gain is inevitable. Many make the mistake of attempting to reduce calories even further when realizing weight has been gained, sometimes reducing as low as 1200 calories per day. This is a mistake however, cutting calories too much will only cause a further reduction in metabolic rate as the body uses up more protein for production of enzymes or antibodies. It may be much more effective to become more active and substitute high energy foods for natural foods low in calories, foods which are also rich in nutrients.
It is also important not to skip meals because it may create the risk of overeating at the next meal. If there is limited time to cook and prepare a meal it may be a good time to fill up on favorite fruits, these can be eaten in large quantities without worry about too much energy intake.
Women tend to start gaining weight a few years before the menopause. This is thought to be caused when estrogen levels are starting to decline. Again women should not focus on trying to reduce calories too low, instead work on eating meals small in portions but full of nutritiously dense foods, increasing activity levels will also help limit weight gain with age.
A decline in our metabolic rate can also be attributed to a gradual change in lifestyle which is one thing we can control. It is interesting to note that regular exercise in adulthood will slow the rate at which lean weight is lost and help keep metabolism optimal.
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