Why We Gain Weight As We Age

Why is it that despite sticking to the same diet that kept us thin when we were younger, we now have a body that is fat and overweight? Yet seemingly we haven't changed much in our diet? What has gone wrong?

The answer lies in our metabolism. Metabolism is the way in which muscles use up calories or energy. Up to 80% of calories are burned by muscular activity. For the majority of people the most active use of muscles is between the age of 2 - 35 years old. This is when we are most interested in and motivated to perform various athletic endeavours like tennis, basketball, football, ice hockey etc. Post 35 and the muscular activity dwindles due to various factors, like lack of interest in sports, work commitments, stress, injury or medical conditons and raising a family.

Many people can attest to the fact that they have significant weight gain in their 30's although some may find themselves there a lot earlier. But why is it that we gain a lot of weight even though our diet may be quite healthy? This answer lies with our activity and our ability to burn calories. As we use our muscles less and less, we lose muscle capacity. At first it is just shrinkage of the muscle fiber. Later we start to lose muscle cells.

Coupled with this is the fact that when we place strain on our muscles through physical activity, we burn more calories because the muscle needs them for growth and also for energy. A double whammy of sorts. When we stop being so physical we do not require the calories for either muscle growth or energy, and therefore the body turns those calories to fat, for later use in case you require energy in the future. Losing your muscle cells is a result of your body recognizing the fact that you do not need your muscle power for strenuous activity and therefore discards the unnecessary muscle tissue. That is why we lose our muscle tone, and pack on the fat.

So it is pretty easy to see why we can put on a lot of weight as we age. Fortunately this trend can be reversed. The simple fact is we can reverse this by adding exercise, (especially weight bearing exercise), and following a calorie restricted diet plan to bring our weight in check and toning our bodies and getting back into shape.

Are you a victim of weight gain as you get older. Read some testimonials of people who have reversed this trend here!

Get Your Metabolic Motor Running

Metabolic rate. You hear it all the time. But what does it mean?

Metabolic rate is essentially the speed at which we use energy and burn calories, or the rate at which your body's motor is running.
"Basal metabolism" is the metabolic rate or caloric expenditure needed to maintain basal body functions such as your heart beating, breathing, muscle tone, etc. It's the rate your "motor" would run even if you stayed in bed and did nothing all day.
Basal metabolism can account for up to 75 percent of the calories burned daily basis and is a minimum of 1200 calories for the majority of people, but can more than 2000 in others. This is dependant mostly on sex, weight and height.
The good news is that there are a number of ways that you can really boost up your metabolism. The more you're able to incorporate into your life, the more you'll boost the number of calories burned in a day. If you can be more efficient at burning calories, the easier it becomes dropping those extra pounds you want to get rid of.
So to get your motor running follow these tips to rev up your metabolic motor.

1. Always eat breakfast. Skipping breakfast sends the message to your body that you're "starving" because you haven't had food in 8 or more hours. As a protective mechanism, your metabolism slows down. Food fuels your metabolism.
2. Never eat less than 1,200 calories (5016 kJ) per day. Fewer calories are usually not enough to support your basal metabolism, so they slow your metabolism.
3. Snack frequently. Carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, and grains fuel your metabolism. Also, snacking prevents you from becoming too hungry. The hungrier you are, the less control you have over what - and how much - you eat.
4. Eat more carbohydrates (food from plants), and less fat (food from animals and other food with added fat). Carbohydrates boost your metabolism and have fewer calories per gram than fat.
5. Do some type of aerobic exercise -- walking, jogging, swimming, stationary cycling, aerobic dancing, etc. - on a daily basis and preferably in the morning. Our bodies were designed to be active on a daily basis, not just once or twice a week. When we are, our metabolism soars. In addition to your regular aerobic exercise, take a brisk 10 to 15 minute walk at lunch or in the evening. This serves to boost your metabolism even more.
6. Tone your muscles with weight training three days per week. Toned muscles send your metabolism through the roof.
7. Look for situations to be active. Park as far from the shop as you can rather than looking for the closest parking spot. Use the stairs rather than the lift. Look for the "hard" way to do things.
8. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol depresses your metabolism and stimulates your appetite.
9. Avoid quick fixes. People who try quick-fix weight loss usually end up devastating their metabolism. There are NO quick fixes.
10. Get started today. You'll feel better and your metabolism will be in super-charged shape.