As we get older, our bodies don't respond the same way to weight loss efforts, and science has some explanations to offer. As we age we naturally tend to gain weight, to the tune of 1 to 2 pounds (lb) per year, according to a review by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
"The BMI curve shifts to the right as you age,” Nicklas explains, “meaning higher weight is better in older age.” Those extra pounds buffer against unintended weight loss due to digestive system conditions (or things like dental issues) that prevent people from eating enough.
Changes in total body weight vary for men and women. Men often gain weight until about age 55, and then begin to lose weight later in life. This may be related to a drop in the male sex hormone testosterone. Women usually gain weight until age 65, and then begin to lose weight.
Here's something to ponder as you consider whether to ditch that New Year's resolution to exercise more: Your 20s are your prime weight-gaining years, according to data from the CDC. The charts above are approximations of typical lifetime weight gain, based on CDC data, which is reported in 10-year increments.
As you age, your muscle mass decreases and your fat mass increases. Fat is less metabolically active than muscle—you don't need as many calories to maintain fat as you do to maintain muscle. Hormonal changes can also lead to weight gain.
A combination of things happens as we age. We tend to lose muscle mass, so our abdominal muscles aren't as tight as they once were, and the loss of elastin and collagen in our skin allows gravity to have its way so skin starts to sag. Both can cause the waistline to expand.
Eat at least three times per day. Get plenty of fiber, like leafy green vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Drink plenty of water and add weight-lifting to your exercise routine. Dine on lean meats like chicken, turkey or fish to your meals as your main protein.
Unintentional weight gain occurs when you put on weight without increasing your consumption of food or liquid and without decreasing your activity. This occurs when you're not trying to gain weight. It's often due to fluid retention, abnormal growths, constipation, or pregnancy.
Muscle is denser than fat, and as it is more compact within your body, as you gain muscle mass, you end up looking thinner, no matter your physical weight. So, if you've been doing a lot of strength training lately, it's likely this is the reason that you're looking fantastic but not dropping those numbers.
Doctors recommend most adults keep their BMI between 18 and 24.9. Adults with a BMI over 25 are considered obese. On the other hand, older adults do better if they have a BMI between 25 and 27. Research shows that adults over 65 who are underweight experience more health issues and shorter life expectancy.
Metropolitan tables list ideal body weight ranges for women of different heights and frame sizes. For example, a woman over 60 who is 5 feet 2 inches tall has an ideal body weight range of 108 to 143 pounds, while a 5-foot-6 woman has a desirable weight range of 120 to 159 pounds.
The good news is that weight gain seems to stabilize after the mid-60s, in part because people often eat less when they get older, Hensrud says. Obesity among those older than 60 is about 41 percent, compared with nearly 43 percent for people ages 40 to 59, and 36 percent for those 20 to 39, according to the CDC.
You should step on the scale first thing in the morning. That's when you'll get your most accurate weight because your body has had the overnight hours to digest and process whatever you ate and drank the day before. And you should try to turn that step into a regular part of your routine.
It's possible to gain muscle and reduce body fat without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same, even as you lose inches, a sign that you're moving in the right direction.
Drinking Water Can Make You Burn More Calories
Drinking water increases the amount of calories you burn, which is known as resting energy expenditure ( 4 ). In adults, resting energy expenditure has been shown to increase by 24–30% within 10 minutes of drinking water.
The diet doesn't have enough calories
Eating too little — say, 1,000 calories a day — can prevent you from losing weight, too. "When you don't eat enough, your body is starving and it's not going to lose any extra weight" because it needs those energy stores to keep you alive, Fakhoury said.
Caffeine acts as a stimulant by blocking the effects of adenosine, a chemical in your brain that makes you sleepy ( 11 ). This may be helpful if you need an extra jolt of energy. However, if consumed later in the day, coffee may interfere with your sleep patterns. In turn, this can lead to weight gain.
The speed that your body burns energy for its everyday functions is called your metabolic rate. For most people, this doesn't start to slow down until around the age of 60, but it does change if your weight changes.
It is estimated that your metabolism slows down 5% every decade after you turn 40. This can occur because of the loss of muscle (or sarcopenia) which plays a crucial part in maintaining your metabolism. Consequently, as you age you may not be able to maintain the same dietary behaviors without gaining weight.
Many women also notice an increase in belly fat as they get older — even if they aren't gaining weight. This is likely due to a decreasing level of estrogen, which appears to influence where fat is distributed in the body.
Changes in total body weight vary for men and women. Men often gain weight until about age 55, and then begin to lose weight later in life. This may be related to a drop in the male sex hormone testosterone. Women usually gain weight until age 65, and then begin to lose weight.
It is a progressive loss of lean muscles as you get older, particularly in your arms and legs. Loss of muscle mass is an inevitable part of ageing, but the loss of too much muscle results in a condition known as sarcopenia, which literally means 'poverty of the flesh. '
As soon as you bend down, the muscles in your body that do the bending also act to pull up the lower half of your body. So this reduces the pressure your body places on the scales, and make you appear to weigh less.