Getting old and 10 pounds extra

marzanc

I heard while you’re getting older you gain 10 xtra pound every certain time. Is that true? Can I do something about it?

TavistockToad

No its not true

jemhh

No. People usually gain weight as they age because they become less active but don't downgrade their eating to keep pace with their activity levels.

glassyo

I got old and lost over 100 lbs.

But I'm weird.

MonkeyMel21

While I'm sure it's not true, I have gained exactly 5 lbs each time on my last three renewed driver's licenses. Thankfully I still look great (I actually did try to get back down to the original weight a few years ago and did not like how gaunt it made my face and collar bones).

middlehaitch

The general idea has been, as we age we naturally get more sedentary.

The more sedentary we are the less calories we burn.
On top of that, the more sedentary we are the less muscle we retain. Muscle loss also decreases calorie needs, slightly.

With the above taken into account, one can, over time, gain weight while eating the same calories.

Without being pro-active, the estimate is 50-100cals per decade difference in BMR.

This decline in BMR can be counteracted to a certain extent by ensuring your activity level at 60 is similar to that at 20, or 30.

I was going down the more sedentary as I aged road without even realizing it.
Losing the ~30 lbs I gained, then making sure I was more active, has meant I can maintain at the same weight as I was when younger.

Cheers, h.

AnvilHead

marzanc wrote: »

I heard while you’re getting older you gain 10 xtra pound every certain time. Is that true? Can I do something about it?

At 55, I weigh about 70 pounds less than I did when I was 45, and about 40 pounds less than when I was 35. So I'd have to say it's not true.

Your calorie intake/expenditure determines whether you gain, lose or maintain weight - not your age.

hesn92

it is common to gain weight as you get older but that is more so due it decreased activity and loss of muscle mass. If you have good lifestyle habits like watching what you eat and exercising, it shouldn't be an issue. Of course, I don't know how menopause and hormones play into this.

jjpptt2

People are more apt to gain weight as their overall level of activity decreases and their overall calorie intake (eating) increases. That often times happens as people get older. But make no mistake... it's not getting older that makes people gain weight, it's the calorie/energy balance (or lack there of) that does.

psuLemon

middlehaitch wrote: »

The general idea has been, as we age we naturally get more sedentary.

The more sedentary we are the less calories we burn.
On top of that, the more sedentary we are the less muscle we retain. Muscle loss also decreases calorie needs, slightly.

With the above taken into account, one can, over time, gain weight while eating the same calories.

Without being pro-active, the estimate is 50-100cals per decade difference in BMR.

This decline in BMR can be counteracted to a certain extent by ensuring your activity level at 60 is similar to that at 20, or 30.

I was going down the more sedentary as I aged road without even realizing it.
Losing the ~30 lbs I gained, then making sure I was more active, has meant I can maintain at the same weight as I was when younger.

Cheers, h.

This is pretty much it, but as you can tell, people can take a proactive stance against reductions in activity levels and increasing consumption of foods.

apullum

I weigh 100 pounds less at 35 than I did at 30. That's because I intentionally stayed in a calorie deficit to lose weight.

People of any age who are eating more calories than they burn will gain weight. You can avoid that by tracking your calorie intake and exercise to make sure you're not overeating.

middlehaitch

hesn92 wrote: »

it is common to gain weight as you get older but that is more so due it decreased activity and loss of muscle mass. If you have good lifestyle habits like watching what you eat and exercising, it shouldn't be an issue. Of course, I don't know how menopause and hormones play into this.

Menopause doesn't change ones BMR any faster than at any other time during ones life. It slowly decreases over time.

However, the hormonal changes during menopause can make one more hungry, like the menstual hunger but longer lasting, and this can have an effect on weight gain during menopause.

Fat distribution and storage changes during menopause too,
less subcutaneous, more visceral.

Sleep deprevation, hot flashes, sweats, restlessness, can raise cortisol levels, and increase hunger and/or comfort eating.

I lost during menopause and didn't find it difficult or stressful- I had never lost weight before so have nothing to compare to though.

Cheers, h.

Unknown

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lesdarts180

I lost a lot of weight (from 12 stone to 8) just prior to the menopause, attending weightwatchers and getting the exercise bug. I established good habits and maintained very well for about 15 years. I yo-yo'd a bit but kept it within normal range (size 12 UK).
However it all went to pot when I retired. I lost the routines associated with work/gym/leisure activities. I was 65 when I retired and had developed some arthritis which made some exercises difficult but really it was just down to lethargy.

I had a wake up call a few months ago when a health check revealed I was officially obese (not just "a bit overweight") and my cholesterol had gone up to borderline problematic. I also now have osteoparenia (not sure if I've spelt that properly) so I came back to mfp with a determination to get back in control.
I went back to the gym and started logging food and activity and am now 5 kg less than I was 2 months ago, on the way to a healthy older age.

So no, you don't have to put on weight but it is very easy to gain weight and hard to take it off so keep an eye on it.

elisa123gal

most people get heavier as they get older because they've lived longer and the weight creeps on with years. simple as that.

sijomial

At 58 I'm right in the middle of the weight range I had in my 20's.
Also probably eating more!

When I "sort of" retired my activity level shot up as I wasn't chained to a desk anymore and I exercise more than ever as my main hobby is cycling and I have more time to enjoy it.

Weight only creeps on if you let it. There's a good argument that you should be lighter in your later years as (generally) you will have less muscle mass - more significant for males.
There are of course exceptions to this...

jennifer_417

No. That's just the population average.

pinuplove

This is where I question how you define 'old.' When I was 19, 30 was old. At 25 it got pushed to 40. Now that I'm 39, I've decided no one is old, just well-seasoned

As has been stated, it's all a matter of behavior and habits, with biology coming in a distant 3rd.

kew1952

jemhh wrote: »

No. People usually gain weight as they age because they become less active but don't downgrade their eating to keep pace with their activity levels.

This. I am 66 and have gotten pretty serious about dropping pounds and exercising. Doing it slowly but have dropped 25 pounds over 9 months. My legs are more toned than they have been in years. I think some people...... myself included........ give ourselves permission to gain some weight as we get older, but then it hits you that you are overweight.

JenRlcks

As women progress into menopause, and start producing less estrogen, it is very common to start gaining weight.

Regardless of scientific studies, ITS TRUE.
I know SO MANY women, going through change or who had a hysterectomy at a young age (my story), and suddenly/alarmingly gain weight.

Mind you I sit at a desk all day, am very non active, and eat fairly healthy. But nothing seemed to stop the weight gain, but calorie counting, for the first time in my life, after hormone changes.

kshama2001

My mom is 80 and struggles to stay above Underweight. She is very active.

My OH's mother was not active, and was overweight. She had to go into a nursing home because she lost the strength to do things like go to the bathroom unassisted.

A friend of the family gained 30 pounds or so after going into a nursing home and presumably being less active than when she lived at home.

I met a 92 year old woman at a wake who was not only walking without a walker, but does Senior Olympics. She's in great shape.

VUA21

Nope!!

I recently turned 42, and am in the best shape of my life. 2.8lbs away from being the smallest I have been since I was 15!!

Also....

kshama2001

Let's not forget inspirational octogenarian RBG!

mom23mangos

For me it's true. I weigh 13lbs more than I did in my 20's and 30's. Some of it's muscle and some of it's fat. I'm just OK with being slightly larger. I think a lot of people are like that. They are OK with weighing a little more the older they get.

Doesn't mean it's something that WILL happen or that you have no control over though.

mph323

pinuplove wrote: »

This is where I question how you define 'old.' When I was 19, 30 was old. At 25 it got pushed to 40. Now that I'm 39, I've decided no one is old, just well-seasoned

As has been stated, it's all a matter of behavior and habits, with biology coming in a distant 3rd.

THANK YOU! At 67, every comment that starts with "I notice I'm slowing down as I age", and finishes with "BTW, I'll be 30 next month" is making me feel older than dirt, and feebler by the moment

flippy1234

Weight does creep up on you and it's harder to lose when it's in certain spots. It's just a fact of life...but, you don't have to accept it! I am 54 and one day I said, heck with that, I feel mentally 25 and there is no reason I can't feel that way, so I made some big changes in eating and drinking and I feel better than I have in years! Look better too. You will have frustrations along the way but it's mostly mental and if you are determined, you will get over it, move on and live a great healthy life.

slossia

I’m 65 and used to walk about 10 miles a day when I was 50. Now I’m retired and walk about 18 miles a day, and only weigh 10 lbs more then I did in high school