Weight Gain and Aging: Fact or Myth?

Although many adults think extra weight comes with age, it’s a myth that getting older automatically means you’ll gain extra pounds, feel less energetic or be less active! Here’s why:

Many adults notice that they are starting to slow down around age 40, due to gradual changes in metabolism and hormones. These changes are slow, leaving ample time to adjust. Even the loss of muscle is only about 1% per year when people become less active. These gradual changes result in a slow decrease in our ability to burn calories, so more calories can be stored as fat.

The Real Cause: Lack of Adjustment

If we made small adjustments along the way, these metabolic changes would be manageable. In other words, it’s possible to maintain a healthy weight and excellent health as we age. But many people do not anticipate the changes or make the right choices or adjustments, resulting in increasing weight and decreasing energy. Too many people with weight issues choose the wrong foods and drinks, choices that form the real basis for declining health!

The proliferation of convenience and fast foods is a key factor. Grocery aisles are packed with processed snack foods, refined-flour breads and sugared beverages. Chips (corn and potato), pretzels, flavored crackers, snack cakes, cookies, candy, and sodas are all part of this problem. These refined-carbohydrate foods metabolize quickly, causing blood sugar to spike. We release insulin to lower the blood sugar. Weight goes up and energy goes down.

Like a roller coaster, these processed foods (including other white foods: white potatoes, rice, soft pasta) cause energy to spike and drop all day! What’s worse, the salty, sugary, fatty-carb products (they are hardly foods) create cravings for more, and the downward cycle continues.

Carb Addiction?

Recently, more health experts (including Dr. Oz) have acknowledged that these refined-carb foods are addictive. When processed foods cause blood sugar to spike, they increase serotonin, a “feel good” neurotransmitter. We release insulin to bring that spike down and it’s a feeling of withdrawal as we feel the drop of energy. Other brain chemicals like dopamine, a pleasure/reward chemical, may also play a role in craving for these salty/fatty snacks and carbs. And unfortunately, we often turn to these unhealthy products when stressed, even as these foods cause additional stress and imbalances in the brain and hormonal systems!

Therefore, the key to the challenges of weight gain, energy loss and health is adjusting to the incremental changes in metabolism and muscle mass as we get older. This can apply to younger people as well!

A Culture of Myth?

To not understand these problems and their easy solutions is to believe in myths. But what if it was part of our culture that these simple adjustments were understood? What if, as we age, we made the small, easy changes to maintain our health and vitality? How would our lives be different?

What if we saw our parents, friends or family choosing more nutritionally balanced foods (nuts, whole fruits, lean proteins and fish, veggies, etc.) that help to maintain stable blood sugar, along with consistent activity and fitness? They would remain more trim and fit with age, with better energy and vitality! They would look younger then their years.

And think of this: If our culture was more proactive, we could prevent the suffering and premature deaths of millions, keeping families together longer (diabetes alone can take 5-10 years off life expectancy and millions have it!).

There are also some helpful supplements (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, omega-3 fats, libido and hormone replacements, etc.) that can support our energy, health and vitality as we age, and they make sensible additions to a health and longevity program.

Imagine putting all the elements together and remaining active and playful into your 70s and 80s! It is within each of us to live that way. If you’re alive, it's never too late!

The future you desire is in your hands!

Some helpful links:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=addicted-to-fat-eating

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110704151438.htm

http://quickstartyourhealth.wordpress.com/

© 2011 by S. Carney/Quick Start Your Health