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Fighting 40's Flab
Metabolism is really only a small part of why it’s harder to lose weight after 40. Age AND life tent o conspire against…
It ranks right up there with “the check is in the mail,” “the dog ate my homework,” and “I will never lie to the American people.” Of course, we’re talking about “It isn’t me, it’s my metabolism.”
Well, if you’re over age 40, the oldest cop-out in the book may have some truth to it after all. Yes Virginia, you really can blame it on your metabolism.
But only a little.
Even if you’re sitting or lying down while reading this article, your body is still burning calories; the rate at which it does so is called your resting metabolic rate. As you age, your metabolism tends to decelerate by about 5% for every decade of life past age 40, so that if your resting metabolic rate is, say, 1,200 calories per day at age 40, it will be around 1,140 at age 50.
“At age 40 to maintain your weight, that is to not gain weight, you’re going to have to eat 100 calories less a day, and that has nothing to do with anything other than the natural course of aging. That means your resting metabolic rate,” Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center and associate director of the UPMC Nutrition Center in Pittsburgh, tells WebMD.
But metabolism is really only a small part of the story. Age and life tend to conspire against us in the battle to lose weight over 40, Fernstrom says.
“As we age, our lives become more complicated, whether it’s with children, with work, with aging parents, and so we have less time really to be more physically active and pay attention to what we’re eating. Food is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in large portions that are relatively economical and so food is always around, and we tend to have more mindless eating and cut down on activities,” she says.
Mass Exodus
When it comes to pinning blame on changes in metabolism there are handful of prime suspects, says Pamela Peeke, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, who specializes in nutrition and stress, particularly among adults on the far side of 40.
“Metabolism is based upon three different factors,” Peeke tells WebMD. “The first factor is genetics. We’re good, but we can’t fudge with that yet — give us time, however.
“Number two is thyroid function, and interestingly enough, here’s where we get gender specificity. Women have much greater thyroid issues than men, by a at least 10 to 1, and it’s quite gradual, so women may find that they’re losing some of that metabolic edge during their 40s also because thyroid issues begin to spring up.”
The third factor affecting metabolism, Peeke says, is muscle mass. In the 40s and beyond, “lifestyle changes rather dramatically and it’s sort of a keen grasp of the obvious that everyone’s sitting on their butts. So what’s happening is if you don’t use it, you lose it, and in your 40s you don’t just lose it, it melts.”
Recent research suggests that women on average will lose muscle mass twice as fast as men the same age, and that can make a huge difference in their ability to lose or at least maintain weight, Peeke says. Muscle is far more “metabolically active” than fat, meaning that lean, more muscular people have an easier time burning calories at rest than to people with higher proportions of body fat.
“Let’s say I’ve worked out at the gym and I have a new pound on board, or, for that matter, I take an old muscle mass on me that’s untrained and now I train it and preserve that pound. That muscle mass may now burn between 35 to 50 calories extra a day, versus the same pound of fat, which would burn anywhere from 5-10 calories a day.
“So it’s extremely important to know that muscle is very metabolically active and that you don’t want to lose it. That being said, a typical can man can lose over the course of the age of 30 through the age of 50 anywhere between 5 and 10 pounds of muscle mass. A woman could definitely lose that — that’s a given because she, through repeated dieting and decreased physical activity, will lose that,” Peeke says.
Old Wives’ Tales?
Of course, if you wait long enough, say about 25 years, the weight gains that started to accelerate may begin to reverse themselves, says a researcher who studies metabolism in people in their 70s, 80s, and beyond.
“People tend to gain weight steadily, on average — not everybody — and get more fat and tend to lose lean mass up to about age 65, and then what happens is that there’s a downward trend: Now people start to kind of slowly lose weight — again, not everybody, but the trend is that as you get older — the general population I see is in the 70s and 80s — they tend to lose weight,” says Michi Yukawa, MD, MPH, acting instructor in the department of medicine and the division of gerontology and geriatric medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.
“Why they lose that is the topic of my research. It may be various hormonal changes, metabolic changes, and the fact that they just don’t eat as much as they used to. They lose their appetite, which can be due to a variety of factors, such as stress, loss of spouses and friends, money issues, or many other things.”
But you don’t have to wait for age to take its course, Fernstrom says.
“Even if we do have a small, let’s say, biological sabotage built in, it does not mean everyone is destined to gain weight as they grow older. It’s sort of an old wives’ tale that you’ll gain 30 or 40 pounds as you continue through middle age — it can easily happen, but it’s very easy to offset the change in metabolic rate,” she tells WebMD.
“For most people that’s going to be 100 calories a day approximately, and, you know, you look at 100 calories, if you are overconsuming just that 100 calories, you can gain 10 pounds in a year if you are out of sync 100 calories a day. So you don’t have to have a lot of extra calories to have what I call weight creep.”
Regular exercise is also key to getting metabolism back on your side, Peeke adds.
“The kind of physical activity that people are choosing to do in their 40s is nowhere near as intense as it’s supposed to be. So to get over that metabolic speed bump we ask for an increase in intensity on the part of these happy campers. What does that mean? Instead of walking on the flat, throw in some hills. Ramp up the resistance on your resistance training, or for that matter the resistance on a cross-trainer. It’s all the same.”
How to Eat Fruit
Now, to be completely honest, I am not one to jump on the “Dr. Oz Bandwagon.” I believe in moderation, enjoying life and eating healthy (at least most of the time), along with consistent exercise. Some of what Dr. Oz talks about is what I would consider to be unrealistic for the average person to follow…his plans work and they’re extremely healthy, just not very easy to make a habit or continue for life. However, I was sent this email and I like the information that is contained in it and this IS something that you can incorporate into your healthy lifestyle. Enjoy!
“We all think eating fruit means just buying fruit, cutting it up and popping it into our mouths. It’s not that easy. It’s important to know how and when to eat fruit.
What’s the correct way to eat fruit?
IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUIT AFTER A MEAL! FRUIT SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.
Eating fruit like that plays a major role in detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.
FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.
Let’s say you eat two slices of bread, then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it’s prevented from doing so.
In the meantime, the whole meal rots and ferments, and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach, and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.
Eat your fruit on an empty stomach, or before your meal! You’ve heard people complain: Every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc. This will not happen if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. Fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas. Hence, you bloat!
There’s no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruit becomes alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruit, you have the Secret of Beauty, Longevity, Health, Energy, Happiness and normal weight.
When you need to drink fruit juice drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT the concentrated juice from the cans. Don’t drink juice that has been heated. Don’t eat cooked fruit; you don’t get the nutrients at all. You get only the taste. Cooking destroys all of the vitamins.
Eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit-fast to cleanse your body. Eat fruit and drink fruit juice for just 3 days, and you will be surprised when your friends say how radiant you look! “
KIWI: Tiny but mighty, and a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange!
AN APPLE a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C, thereby helping to lower the risk of colon cancer, heart attack and stroke.
STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits and protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.
EATING 2 - 4 ORANGES a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent and dissolve kidney stones, and reduce the risk of colon cancer.
WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. Also a key source of lycopene, the cancer-fighting oxidant. Also found in watermelon: Vitamin C and Potassium.
GUAVA PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, good for your eyes.”
So now get out there and buy more fruit! This is the season that you can find many, many varieties…
To Your Success,
The CORE Team
614-459-7330
info@corestudiosonline.com
p.s. Our 24 Day Challenge meeting was a success and we have a great group on the challenge. We’ll update you on their successes as they go along. Anyone can do this challenge and if you want to take the first step towards a better you don’t wait…you can start the challenge anytime, anywhere.
p.p.s. Boot Camp class runs every Monday and Wednesday for 6 weeks at 6:15pm at our U.A. CORE studio. This class is designed for all fitness levels.
Take Control of Your Independence!
What is Robbing You Of Your Freedom?
Is it your weight?
Is it lack of energy?
Do you need help controlling your hunger?
Do you want to feel better than you have in years…maybe ever?
Take Back Your Freedom and Take Control of Your Independence!
Join us on July 21st at 6:30pm as we celebrate your independence with the 24 Day Challenge!
This is going to be big…and we want to share it with our most loyal and trusted clients first. The 24 Day Challenge is your chance to finally feel and look better than you have in years, maybe your whole life! It’s that big of a deal…in other words…it’s a big f-n deal!
This is our second invitational for the 24 Day Challenge and the results from our first 24 Day Challenge were nothing short of spectacular…but don’t take my word for it:
“I am on day 7. I do feel good! I have been waking up before my alarm nearly every day; ready to hit the gym. I also weighed myself Sunday…I’m down 6 pounds from my start date.”
“Hey Matt, I have more energy and I don’t have that 2:00pm let down feeling. I’m not sure about how many pounds I’ve lost, since my scales were so different from yours but I do feel like the layer between my skin and muscle feels thinner. I do feel really good, better than I have felt in along time.
“Have I told you lately that I feel great? More focused just like you said. I’m so happy that I decided to do this.”
The 24 Day Challenge is not centered solely around exercise, this is more about nutrition and how nutrition plays such an integral part in getting you quick, lasting results!
Join us July 21st at our Upper Arlington location as we reveal what the 24 Day Challenge is, how it can get you exceptional results and how it can truly change your life.
We’re only allowing a handful of people to join us and we would like you to be there.
You have nothing to lose, but that unwanted weight. Email us today by simply replying “YES! I WANT TO REGAIN MY INDEPENDENCE!” to matt@corestudiosonline.com.
We look forward to seeing you there
Diet Tips When You Quit Smoking
Proven Strategies When YOU Are Ready to Quit
What can help you quit smoking?
Worried about gaining weight if you quit smoking? You’re in good company. Fear of weight gain is one of the biggest reasons smokers are reluctant to quit. For those smokers who do decide it’s time to free themselves from nicotine, worrying about weight gain can add to the stress of quitting, increasing the risk of relapse.
But quitting doesn’t have to lead to weight gain. And even if you do gain a little weight, you can lose it later. It’s important to remember, too, that the health benefits of quitting far outweigh any risks associated with weight gain.
“Some people do gain weight after quitting, but certainly not everyone,” says Scott McIntosh, PhD, associate professor of community and preventive medicine at the University of Rochester in New York and director of the Greater Rochester Area Tobacco Cessation Center.
How to Quit Smoking Without Gaining Weight
McIntosh estimates that only about one-third of quitters gain weight. The average weight gain is about five to eight pounds. “Obviously that’s something many people would rather not see. But by quitting smoking, you can add years to your life — and years of being in good health rather than sick or disabled. Those extra pounds are a small price to pay.”
Here are eight ways to minimize weight gain when you’re trying to kick the habit.
1. Avoid crash diets.
“Quitting is tough enough without adding the stress of extreme dieting,” says Steven Schroeder, MD, director of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center at the University of California, San Francisco. Don’t radically change the way you eat. Instead, wherever practical, make a few small, easy-to-do adjustments. Most of the recommended adjustments are familiar to anyone who has tried to lose weight or keep it off. The same rules apply, after all. People gain weight when they eat more calories than they expend.
2. Keep low-calorie treats handy to pop in your mouth.
Part of the craving for a cigarette comes from the habit of putting something in your mouth. If you reach for sugary or high-fat sweets and snacks instead of a cigarette, calories can add up fast. Make sure you have plenty of low-calorie or zero-calorie alternatives with you at all times, such as sugar-free candies, carrots or celery sticks, slices of sweet pepper, or low-calorie chewing gum. Research shows that very few of us can go on saying “no” to things we want, especially when we’re hungry. Willpower, in other words, is a limited resource. Having all-you-can-eat foods handy will help ensure that you don’t tax your willpower when strong cravings occur.
3. Drink plenty of water.
Drinking water before and during a meal helps keep you hydrated and can make you feel full on fewer calories. Drinking water satisfies the craving for having something to put in your mouth instead of a cigarette. One recent study showed that sipping cold water through a straw triggers the release of dopamine, a feel-good hormone in the brain that may counteract stress.
4. Choose high-fiber foods.
Many studies show that fiber helps blunt appetite and helps make people feel fuller longer after a meal. Insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract without being broken down. Soluble fiber is slowly broken down in the small intestines, where it helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed. High-fiber foods include whole grains, beans, and vegetables.
5. Fill your plate with nutrient-dense foods.
While you’re watching calories, it’s important to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need. In fact, some researchers think nutrient deficiencies may be one reason people overeat. While you’re quitting, choose foods that are nutrient-dense, such as vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains. Avoid foods that pack a lot of calories and not much else, such as sugary treats. Switch from sugary beverages to artificially-sweetened drinks — or better yet, drink sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime. (Or a tasty, energizing Spark!)
6. Switch to smaller plates and glasses.
The bigger the plate, the more we tend to pile onto it, research findings show. And since we typically eat what we serve ourselves, we often overeat without even thinking about it. Research suggests that people using smaller plates and glasses east less and consume fewer calories.
7. Exercise, exercise, exercise.
Physical activity burns calories and offers a welcome distraction from cravings both for nicotine and for food. Exercise also eases stress, which is important while you’re trying to quit smoking. You can ramp up the number of calories you burn either by exercising at greater intensity or increasing the amount of time you exercise. Exercise isn’t a panacea. Even people who are physically active may gain some weight during the first few months of quitting. But evidence suggests it can help people who gain weight eventually lose it and then maintain a healthy weight.
8. Talk to your doctor about smoking cessation aids.
If you’ve been reluctant to quit because you’re worried about gaining weight, talk to your doctor. Studies show that the smoking cessation drug such as Zyban (bupropion), available by prescription, helps many people quit without gaining weight. Other treatments, including nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine patches, may also help reduce weight gain. Your doctor can also refer you to a smoking cessation counseling program that will help improve your odds of quitting without gaining excessive amounts of weight.
Many medical centers have smoking cessation clinics. Telephone quitlines have also proved to be useful. To find a quitline number in your state, log onto North American Quitline Consortium. Or check out one of the many online support groups now available, including MaryQuits.com, the American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking Online, or Quitnet.com.
We all know someone who smokes and the benefits of quitting…pass this message along and help save and improve the quality of life of those around you.
If you need help designing a workout program or someone to hold you accountable during the quitting process contact a CORE representative today at 614-459-7330 or info@corestudiosonline.com
