Is age really a factor or an excuse?

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chatnel
chatnel Posts: 688 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So my diet has stayed the same and been on here awhilel so I know what I should and should not be eating/excercising etc but now I am getting into my thirties my weight has slowly been going up for no reason. I have gained an extra 10% within the last year.

And trying to lose it now is alot harder than in my twenties, I seem to work my butt off to lose 1 kilo and then gained it back after having one bad meal or a few drinks, it is so frustrating. In my twenties would just have to say the word diet and the weight would come off.

So my question is, is this common as you get older or is there something wrong with me?
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Replies

  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
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    I'm 39 and mine has been coming off at a fair pace with me doing little to no exercise. Our metabolism does slow some as we age but it is most likely your inaccurate logging that is causing your current issues. Weigh and log everything, stick to your calorie goals and you will lose weight.

    ETA:
    To verify your calorie goals:
    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    The two calculators above are the generally accepted around here. Use both and take an average of the two and then pull off the percentage that you want to use to maintain a deficit. :)
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
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    In my experience, age is not much of a factor. I probably lose a little slower than when I was a teenager, but about the same as when I was in my twenties. I have lots of friends in every age group and they all seem to lose at about the same rate and complain about the same issues. Weight loss is a slow tedious process, so be patient.
  • lesteidel
    lesteidel Posts: 229 Member
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    Yes it is a factor.

    You need less calories as you get older, and you also tend to move less than you did when you were younger. It's not an excuse and it can be done, but it takes me longer to lose now than it did five years ago.
  • lemon629
    lemon629 Posts: 501 Member
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    I don't think age alone is a big factor for me. When I am focused, I lose as easily as I did in my 20s. (I am 43.) The main difference for me is that it is more difficult to stay focused. I am not as active as I was then-- no longer wait tables, no longer walk all over a college campus, no longer walk three blocks up a very steep hill to catch the city bus, etc. Plus now in a professional environment I am constantly inundated with food. If I'm not careful, I eat too much and frankly if I'm not focused I even eat when I'm not hungry. I didn't have to deal with issues like that twenty years ago.
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
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    Yes, age is probably one of the biggest factors. Younger people can work out longer and harder and recover quicker. Younger people can also eat more and generally have a better metabolism.

    People in their 40's and 50's can still be as strong and active as someone in their 20s, but recover time is multiplied exponentially. A longer recovery time means less time spent working out and more time spent...recovering. Someone in their 20s can realistically be completely recovered from a long day working and being active on beer and only a few hours of sleep.
  • chatnel
    chatnel Posts: 688 Member
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    I look back at my diet when i was 20, hot chips, pizza, ice cream, carbs and was like half the size I am now. Guess sitting in front of computer and driving everywhere is having more of an effect that I first thought.
  • Siobhan108
    Siobhan108 Posts: 80 Member
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    Trust me it gets a lot harder when you pass 65 !
  • capperboy
    capperboy Posts: 99 Member
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    In my case as I aged my lifestyle and work life become more sedentary I have also found that increased financial security (kids left home) means that more money available for activities that centre around pleasure and this includes food and drink. The plus side I now have more time for exercise.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,655 Member
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    Age is a factor, but not an excuse. At 50, I'm still in better shape and more fit than many males half my age.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • manda1978
    manda1978 Posts: 525 Member
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    yes I think age is a factor, just means you need to be more aware and diligent.

    I'm 36 and in the best shape of my life, however I train 6 days a week and monitor my nutrition closely.
  • Shaky44
    Shaky44 Posts: 214 Member
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    Take the example of a 5'10", 200 lb man who gets 1-3 hours of light exercise per week. At age 25, he will burn 2791 calories per day. At age 35, he will burn 2698 calories per day. It's only 93 calories per day, but over the course of a year it adds up to just under 34,000 calories: the equivalent of over 9 lbs.

    Add to that issue that a 35 year old is not as likely to have a job that requires physical exertion or as much free time to go to the gym and it's no secret why you're going to gain weight unless you eat less as you grow older.
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
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    To a person that doesn't eat right or exercise, I think it does matter. The weight gain is compounding too. The more you weigh, the lazier you end up getting. The additional weight causing damage to hip and knee joints doesn't help either. Speaking from personal experience. I'm 45, it's not an excuse for me.
  • 1pandabear
    1pandabear Posts: 336 Member
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    My doctor said due to hormonal changes, everyone loses muscle mass with age, but he also says that is why we need to do weight bearing exercise especially as we age. Muscle mass requires more calories to maintain than fat; therefore as we lose muscle mass, our bodies require fewer calories, meaning generally we need to eat less as we age. Age is not an excuse, it's something to deal with using our knowledge of how age affects us.
  • Omar_USAF
    Omar_USAF Posts: 27 Member
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    If you were half the size you are now, you'd disappear :noway:
  • Jrowens2013
    Jrowens2013 Posts: 8 Member
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    If you believe in science, it's a factor, not an excuse. Our metabolisms slow as we age, which means if we do exactly the same thing we always did, we'd still weigh more, the older we get (to put it, unscientifically).
  • OverDoIt
    OverDoIt Posts: 332 Member
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    If you have had a 10% change then work 15% harder. Age is a number, plain and simple. Do not ever let a name or number define you. I can guarantee you are much more than just a name and number.
  • bonoeuf
    bonoeuf Posts: 58 Member
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    I don't believe in science, so can I use it as an excuse?
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
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    There's no question it's harder for me now at 46 than it was even 5 years ago. I never had to count calories before. Training for running events always had a dramatic effect. This last time, it just didn't. I lost 10 lbs and that was it. But, I started eating less and exercising more often and it's coming off now. Realizing how hard it is to drop the weight this time, I'm going to be real darn reluctant to let it get ahead of me again. Can't imagine what it will be like in another 10 years.
  • waxwingdesign
    waxwingdesign Posts: 17 Member
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    I believe it is a factor. When I was in my 20's all I had to do to lose 5 pounds was skip lunch. Now that I'm 44 it's taken me 2 months of hard slog and 1350 calories a day to lose 5 lbs and it's hard to keep it off. But, once you come to terms with that and realize you can't just eat everything you want because you used to be able to and you'd like to keep doing it that way, then it gets easier... hang in there and keep trying...
  • kezzola
    kezzola Posts: 65 Member
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    Yep, I'm in my 60's and things have certainly slowed down in the weight loss department.

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