Many people gain weight when they turn 40, especially around the waist. Despite a healthy diet and regular exercise, your metabolism starts to slow down and losing weight often becomes more difficult.
You may have experienced that maintaining a healthy weight was easier when you were younger. There may have been a time when you could eat whatever you wanted, or if you did gain weight, you could simply adjust your diet, increase your exercise, and easily lose the extra pounds.
What Causes Weight Gain After 40?
Age-related weight gain is often due to genetics. For many people, it’s simply a consequence of getting older. While there are many reasons why people gain weight after 40, here are some common biological factors:
1. Hormones
For most people, their hormones begin to change around their mid-30s and into their 40s. These changes, which include less estrogen production in women and less testosterone in men, cause fat to start accumulating in the midsection.
2. Genetics
Many people are genetically predisposed to gaining weight. Scientists have found that specific genes determine the number of fat cells and where they are stored. This is something you can’t really change, and if you look at your parents and relatives, you may notice that there are certain areas where your family members tend to store excess fat.
3. Muscle Loss
Most people start losing muscle mass when they hit their 40s and continue to steadily decline as they age. Researchers believe that the number and size of muscle fibers decrease with age, and the motor units that fire those fibers become less consistent over time. That’s why strength training is often recommended for older adults.
4. Slower Metabolism
A couple of things happen to your metabolism after age 40. First, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) decreases, and second, you expend less energy when you exercise.
Lifestyle Factors That Can Make You More Likely to Gain Weight
In addition to the many age-related reasons why weight gain is common after age 40, there are other factors that play a role. Lifestyle choices, such as what and how much you eat, as well as how often you exercise, are common causes of weight gain. But the good news is that, unlike biology, these lifestyle factors are completely within your control.
1. Unhealthy Eating Habits
If you are experiencing age-related weight gain, try not to panic or obsess about it. While it may be tempting to go on a restrictive fad diet that promises quick weight loss, these diets rarely work in the long term and often lead to weight regain. Instead of focusing on the number on the scale, focus on feeling better from the inside out, starting with following a healthy, balanced diet full of nutrient-dense whole foods. Remember, you really are what you eat.
Many people gain weight in their 40s and beyond due to poor diet and nutrient deficiencies. Studies show that an unhealthy diet, heavily based on processed foods, added sugars, refined carbohydrates, and excessive alcohol, can contribute to weight gain and obesity.
2. Cut back on added sugar and limit refined carbohydrates and processed foods
Current dietary guidelines from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommend eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including colorful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and healthy fats.
3. Excess Calories
Eating more calories than you burn will lead to weight gain. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cutting 500 calories per day to achieve sustainable weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week. On a typical 2,000-calorie diet, this would mean cutting down to about 1,500 calories per day. However, this number will of course vary depending on age and other factors such as gender, weight, height, and physical activity level.
To create a calorie deficit and lose weight, nutritionists recommend counting calories. You can keep a food diary to track your meals and calories. This will tell you how many calories you are consuming each day and provide insight into which foods you may need to cut back on. Sometimes, a little tweaking here and there can help you stay nourished and feel full without feeling deprived.
To figure out how many calories you need to lose or maintain weight, this calorie calculator can give you an estimate of your daily calorie needs.
4. Sitting Too Much
Advances in technology have contributed to the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles. There are many health risks associated with sitting too much, especially heart disease. Sedentary habits in middle age are also linked to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
At the very least, try to get up from your desk at least once an hour to stretch your legs and walk around. A standing desk can be a helpful alternative to sitting for many people. To avoid weight gain, walking a few times a day can help you burn extra calories while minimizing the risks associated with sitting too much. Try using a pedometer or wearable fitness tracker to see how many steps you can get each day.
5. Not enough exercise
Not enough exercise is a common cause of weight gain as people age. Most adults are very busy with many personal and work responsibilities when they reach their 40s. Busy lives often put exercise on the back burner as other issues take priority. Additionally, some people may be dealing with injuries, illnesses, fatigue, stress, anxiety, or mental health issues that prevent them from exercising.
But as you age, your body often needs more exercise to lose and maintain weight. The problem is that your body can’t always handle more strenuous exercise than it did when you were younger, which can leave you more vulnerable to injury and burnout. That’s why it’s important to establish a realistic workout routine that you can build up to over time and maintain long-term.
Exercising enough after 40 helps prevent muscle loss and regulates your body’s metabolism. Building muscle can also help prevent weight gain because it makes your metabolism more active. When you lose muscle, your metabolism slows down.
