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Ah... another great asset to being a woman, weight gain… for no apparent reason. Women have so much more to battle than our bulge, HORMONES! As women age, each decade after the age of 30, a woman can bank on her metabolic rate slowing down about five percent. That can translate into a five to ten pound weight gain every ten years and it has nothing to do with eating too many truffles! We get to gain weight just because we’re getting older. After the age of forty, each year, an inactive gal loses a ˝ pound of muscle and gains 1.5 pounds of fat. Why do we gain weight? Because our metabolism slows down.
Why does our metabolism slow down? Hormones. As we get older, the female hormone, estrogen decreases, testosterone decreases and cortisol increases. The shift in hormones reak havoc in our body and causes our metabolic rate to decrease. Bone density and muscle mass also go decline as we age, but this is something we can do something about. By exercising, we can increase muscle mass and maintain bone density.
You may not be able to stop the hormones from shifting but by maintaining your muscle mass, you may be able to limit the amount of testosterone that is lost. Another fact, you simply can NOT eat the same amount of foods as you age. Make an effort to reduce refined carbohydrates and saturated fats. Fill up on leafy vegetables and fruits. Eat lean protein like chicken, fish or turkey at each meal. Keep your metabolic rate up by eating just the right amount of food to satisfy your hunger but not completely fill you up. Eating every few hours will keep the metabolism burning high and keep those extra pounds at bay.
Good luck!
Tags: Marcie Fraser Nutrition & Diet
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