Staying Fit at 40 and Beyond
By Anne Watkins
In health and fitness circles there's a widespread misconception that once you reach a certain age, you're inevitably going to start gaining weight.
The rumor is that after about age 35 our metabolism begins to slow down and our bodies start storing much more fat. If you're 40 or older, maybe you've even used this excuse to ease up on your exercise and let yourself go a little. Maybe you've resigned yourself to this fact of life and have accepted that you're just going to have to gain some weight as you move into your 40s and beyond.
But in reality, the truth is not so simple. Yes, there are some metabolic changes that gradually set in as we age, but they're not as pronounced as many people think.
In fact, metabolic change is only a small part of the picture. It's also lifestyle, diet, family life, work responsibilities and living conditions. All of these factors work together to cause the typical weight gain, but by taking certain steps, it's easy to counter these factors and stay in good shape.
What Happens to Metabolism After 40
Every decade, your metabolism slows down by an average of 5 percent. This means that in order to stay fit, you must exercise 5 percent more each decade and eat 5 percent less -- which is not a huge difference.
If you eat 2,000 calories a day at 30, then at 40 you would need to eat 1,900. If at 30 you exercise 30 minutes per day, then at 40 you would need to exercise 31.5 minutes per day. These are relatively minor adjustments.
There are three things that affect how metabolism changes after 40:
- Genes: Generally, if your parents had trouble staying fit after 40, then you can expect to have to work a little extra when you reach that age. However, this difference would account for no more than two or three percentage points.
- Thyroid functioning: The thyroid is the endocrine gland that plays a large role in regulating your metabolism. Women tend to have more thyroid issues than men, and this accounts for much of the reason why women over 40 have slightly more difficulty staying fit. When the thyroid doesn't function properly, it can cause all of the body's processes to slow down, making it more difficult to exercise and to metabolize food.
- Muscle mass: The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism. As we get past our 30s, we typically begin to lose muscle mass, partly as a result of lifestyle and partly as a result of natural changes. If you're not careful, as you lose muscle mass, fat will move in and greatly reduce the number of calories you burn on a daily basis.
Later on in life, the hormonal changes that cause the 5 percent drop in a person's metabolic rate start to reverse. That's why it's common for people in their late 60s, 70s and 80s to lose much of the weight that they put on during their 40s and 50s.
However, while hormonal changes do play a factor in this trend, experts say that it probably has more to do with diet. For whatever reason, elderly people tend to have a smaller appetite than their middle-aged counterparts, which can amount to a 100 to 200 calorie difference per day -- more than enough to account for a significant weight loss in the long run.
How to Stay Fit After 40
Beyond 40, there's no denying that your body will change. But it doesn't have to be so bad. With a little extra effort, you can stay just as fit, toned and thin as you were in your 20s and 30s.
It's all about having the right state of mind and maintaining a lifestyle that keeps you active. If you're not sure how exactly to do that, keep these things in mind:
- Make fitness a priority: As we get into our 40s, it's understandable that other, seemingly more important concerns tend to push exercise aside. Whether you have kids, a high-pressure job or other responsibilities, exercise becomes the thing that you procrastinate and set aside in favor of "more important" things. But this is a recipe for weight gain. At this time in your life, you need to think of exercise as more important than ever. Treat your five to six weekly exercise sessions as appointments that can't be missed. If it's easier, get it out of the way first thing in the morning.
- Make physical activity part of your lifestyle: As we age, especially if we have a marriage and kids, many of us tend to become more sedentary, which accounts for a huge part of a person's weight gain. If possible, try to live somewhere where it's pleasant to go for walks every day, preferably where there are some hills. Avoid living in places that are so car-centric that pedestrians live in fear. Also, be sure to involve the whole family in weekend outdoor activities that are fun and healthy.
- Keep your muscle: Since muscle plays such a huge role in regulating your metabolism, make sure you don't let your muscle slip away. Yes, you're going to need plenty of cardio, but you might want to place an extra emphasis on your strength training. Even just doing yoga and working with small weights can be enough to keep your muscles going.
- Cut calories: Unfortunately, many people tend to eat more as they get into middle age, when what they should be doing is cutting back. But about 100 calories is all you need to cut, and this is barely noticeable. Just make one of your daily meals smaller, refrain from having an afternoon snack, or even just avoid drinking sodas or other calorie-intensive drinks.