Harder to lose weight when you are older? Myth or Reality

CKMillson

I listen to podcasts when I walk outside. On a recent walk the speaker was talking about the myth of it being harder to lose weight as you age. She claimed it is self fulfilling. We believe it is harder so it becomes harder. Her argument was basically if it were true why are there so many very thin elderly who struggle with illness because they have so little reserve. I was still struggling to believe her but I continued listening. The argument made is that our metabolism changes (slows). Not so, she says. If we maintain the same level of activity our metabolism would not be slower but as we age we sit at our desks working, do sedentary activities etc etc. So our metabolism does slow due to lack of activity. We however continue to eat the same amount as when we were chasing little kids, generally being more active etc. Which leads us to gain weight. So in the end we need to exercise/be active more and eat based on our actual needs not what we are in the habit of eating. I found the whole thing interesting and it makes common sense to me. So I am going to stop using my age as an excuse. MFP and track my portion sizes much more carefully. What do you think?

JamesAztec

Who was the speaker on the Podcast? Did she have a medical background. Metabolism does slow down slightly. Its mainly because we lose muscle because of lack of resistance training. Elderly tend to be thin because the ones that were big are most likely not with us anymore.

I think there's some truth to what you heard. Every individual is different. Do what works best for you.

lynxdiva

The elderly eat less because your taste buds change as you age. Food tastes more bland. In essence, they don't eat nearly as much as they used to eat.

modmom1

Its a good argument and I see her point. Did she address hormonal issues for women as they age? Its definitely a weight contributor. Thankfully we can put up a pretty good fight if we live a healthy lifestyle. I plan on fighting it every step of the way

Rogsman

Age is the ultimate excuse. Everyone has it, you can't change it. We might as well add it to the stack of reasons why we can't lose weight.

"I can't reach goals because in my 40's I'm so ancient and brittle and so close to rolling over dead it's impossible."

None of that nonsense for me. Metabolic slow down as you age is mostly due to muscle loss. Most articles I've read refer to folks in their 70's, not 40's or even 50's. They didn't just wake up one day at 70 with muscle loss, they stayed sedimentary for decades. The metabolic hit you take in your 40's is very small, too small to use as an excuse.

So yeah, I think the podcast is on target. I'd do some researching into preventing muscle loss as you age, it's interesting stuff. Also note there's articles and studies around that discuss how folks that led sedimentary lives rebuilt muscles after retirement age.

jlewisrn74

I would say it's an excuse. I fell for they myth. When I was 38 i decided I needed to lose some weight before I turned 40. I heard that after 40 it was harder. I was convinced that once I hit 40 I would never be thin again. I watched what I ate and started working out. I lost 40 pounds in a year. It's been 2 years in May (I will be 41 in April) and I have kept it off by changing my lifestyle. I didn't want age to be an excuse for be to be overweight, lazy, and have no energy. Now at almost 41 I am the same weight I was when I was in highschool, training for my 1st 1/2 marathon and have never felt better. It's a mindset... So self prophesy I would say that is true, myth probably, excuse definitely.

VegasFit

I agree with this. For me it's always been calories in/calories out. Of course I am speaking as someone who has no medical conditions. I am definitely in better shape now especially cardiovascular than I was when I was younger.

feisty_bucket

I agree. I believe people commonly think it's harder as they age, because they've fallen off the wagon at some point. Their bad habits catch up gradually and they hit middle-aged being a big mess. And it's difficult to go from fat & weak to fit, sure. Especially without the habits a fit person has.

But that's an effect of a bad starting place rather than anything inherent to middle-age itself.

Kids stay fit typically because of active playing and (hopefully) regulated food intake via parents. In their teens and 20s, they most often stay fit because of ego and trying to find a mate.

After that's wrapped up though, they usually start slacking off and then the problems come on.

Heermandy

It sure seems like it's harder to lose weight and get in shape as I age. I've lost muscle tone and find it tougher to recover. Keep it up! We can lose weight and get fit with perseverance.

fnoblebrown

I've lost weight at 25, and I'm doing it again at 40.

It was ABSOLUTELY easier at 25. It's absurd to think age isn't a factor at all.

HOWEVER - at 40, I also have enough wisdom and experience to overcome the biological hurdles, and scoff at anything that might be used as an excuse to underperform.

It it harder? Yes. Impossible? Not at all - and you shouldn't use it as a crutch.

I've had to adapt my methods a bit, apply more dietary discipline, and workout through bad knees and other injuries that have accumulated over time, but I'm still getting results, and, to be honest, I enjoy the challenge.