As we get older, we just pile on the pounds. It's likely that you've already heard about it from family, friends, or the local paper. All in all, a depressing reality, but one that no one can change. That's just how things are.
If you've ever been to a amplifyfitness, you might be able to tell that this article has a slightly different take on the subject.
To begin, let's examine the relationship between aging and weight gain in an effort to determine if it is possible to lose weight at any point in one's life.
Changes in your body's structure are inevitable as you age.
The first thing to realize is that weight gain is a natural part of the aging process, as evidenced by various studies. It was found in a 2014 Czech women's cross-sectional study1 that even though lean body mass (think "muscle") decreased with age, weight gain still occurred due to the increased fat mass.
Even the way the body utilizes different nutrients changes with age, with older subjects using less fat, according to a 19962 study.
Keeping muscle mass as we get older becomes more difficult and is likely to decline[1]. Regular resistance training can counteract this; while aerobic exercise burns calories, it does nothing to keep muscle mass in check.
Why do we put on weight as we age?
There are many unknown factors that contribute to the increased fat gain as we age, but one of the most well-known is the general decrease in resting metabolic rate, which is known to be associated with aging3.
Or, to put it another way, as we age, our metabolism slows down.
The question then becomes, when is it too late to lose weight?
No, that's not going to happen.
Longitudinal Dutch research5 looked into why a troubling pattern had emerged—that weight reduction in old life was linked to an increased risk of. On the surface, that's a fairly bad idea. Does this suggest that a person's risk of death increases if they exercise to reduce weight in their later years?
The study examined these topics and found no association between purposeful weight reduction, such as dieting or exercising, and death, which suggests that the sort of weight loss connected to mortality is likely the outcome of disease.
What weight-loss strategies work best for the elderly?
Spending more time engaging in physical activity appears to be the best solution. To counteract the impacts of age-related weight gain, a 2006 study6 focused on regular runners revealed that running lengths required to rise 4.4 kilometers per week for men and 6.2 kilometers per week for women yearly.
While many older folks go the other way and become less physically active as they age, this has been shown to be a bad idea.
Additionally, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is proven to be much more effective than steady-state cardio when it comes to reducing fat7.
In fact, several of the HIIT advantages, such as reducing insulin resistance and improving fat burning, are expected to be more beneficial for older adults with slower metabolisms. Additional studies have found cellular anti-aging advantages of high intensity interval training (HIIT).
Of fact, many older trainees may not be able to safely or easily run a considerable distance every day, and strong sprint intervals on the side of a hill may not be the best option. Conventional gyms can no longer be found in this location!
We now have fitness equipment including treadmills, elliptical trainers, and exercise bikes.
Starting with lesser weights, include weight training into your workout program to help preserve muscle mass and bone density. Other advantages of weight-bearing and resistance workouts include better sleep, lowered chance of developing other chronic conditions, and a reduced risk of depression, making them an excellent choice for your health. 9
Conclusion
To summarize, aging is associated with increased fat storage due to a variety of causes, including a slowed metabolism. However, this does not rule out the possibility of success for an older learner. A ombination of weight loss and increased activity has been proved to be an effective treatment for a number of age-related ailments, according to the latest research.
HIIT exercise on a stationary bike plus daily jogging on a treadmill might be an effective fat-burning strategy for the over-50 crowd.
