Find out 6 indisputable factors that will help you avoid the accumulation of subcutaneous fat in old age. Statistics today tell us that every third person on the planet has problems with being overweight. In some developed countries, this indicator looks even worse. Weight gain is influenced by many factors, but today we will talk about why people get fat with age.
Why people get fat with age - the main reasons
Starting from the age of thirty, aging processes are activated in the body. Scientists associate this fact with the natural degradation of all systems that are important for life and determine the work of the whole organism. All the consequences of negative effects on the body begin to manifest themselves precisely after 30 years. This applies to bad habits, genetic predispositions, unhealthy lifestyles, etc.
One of the clear signs of aging is an increase in the number of adipose tissues. Let's take a look at the main reasons why people get fat as they age.
Decrease in muscle mass
Depending on gender and genetic characteristics of the body, after 30 years, a person on average loses 1.5-2 percent of muscle mass. Since in most cases the indicator of the energy value of the diet does not change, muscle mass is gradually replaced by fat. You must remember that for the same weight, the amount of fat is 2.5 times the muscle. As a result, the figure takes on a corpulent appearance.
Changes in the work of the endocrine system
Hormones regulate all processes in our body. Age-related changes after 30 years also affect the endocrine system. As a result, the hormonal background begins to change. In men, the rate of testosterone production decreases every year and this leads to an increase in the amount of adipose tissues. In the female body, the concentration of estrogens increases, which are responsible not only for the functioning of the reproductive system, but also contribute to the rapid accumulation of fat.
Decreased metabolic rate
Metabolic processes slow down with age, and this leads to an increase in the number of adipose tissues. It should also be remembered that the number of muscles is directly related to metabolism - the more muscle mass, the more active metabolic processes are. We have already said above that after 30 years, muscle mass is lost. This is another answer to the question of why people get fat with age.
Psychology
Many people underestimate the importance of psychology in our lives. Meanwhile, the psycho-emotional background is capable of making significant changes in the work of all body systems. It is quite obvious that they are not always positive. Many scientists agree that one of the main reasons for gaining excess weight is stress.
Today it is known for sure that sleep has a great influence on the normal functioning of the endocrine system and the metabolic rate. It is at this time that the body conducts a complete "diagnosis" of all systems and in the presence of violations in their work, is able to fix everything. Athletes are well aware of the importance of sleep patterns, because only at this moment the body is able to fully recover.
No one doubts that stress can easily disrupt sleep patterns. The influence of negative emotions on eating excess food has also been proven. It should be noted that under the influence of frequent stress, a certain eating disorder is formed. This is due not only to the need to provide the body with all the important nutrients, but to irritation of the pleasure centers. Partially they can be neutralized with food that has a high energy value.
As a result, in the absence of sufficient physical activity, all excess calories are converted to fat. Psychologists consider food habits and lifestyle to be an equally important factor in gaining excess weight. For various reasons, each person develops a certain stereotype of behavior in everyday life. All these factors are complex, for example, lack of breakfast, constant heavy dinners, overuse of fast food, etc.
All these bad habits as a result create a vicious circle, from which it is extremely difficult to break out. This suggests that one of the important areas in the fight against obesity is changing habits. However, this is quite difficult to do, because they are formed throughout life. If this is not done, then it will be extremely difficult for you to create the perfect body.
Genetic characteristics of the organism
Genetics is the factor in our life that we do not have the ability to influence. But even with an ideal genetic situation, with age, a person will begin to gain excess weight, because this is how our body works. Scientists have found that in youth, stress contributes to the loss of fat mass. After 30–35 years, the situation changes to the opposite.
Diet nutrition programs
Surely everyone went on a diet at least once in their life. If you do this often, then you yourself provoke the activation of the processes of neolipogenesis. Our body adapts to almost any living conditions. Frequent use of dietary nutrition programs leads to the creation of a special program that allows you to create fat reserves even when using low-calorie nutrition programs. At the same time, the rate of metabolic processes is approximately halved. The fat accumulation process often continues after you quit the diet.
Can you avoid weight gain as you age?
We talked about why people get fat with age, but many people are interested in the question of whether this can be prevented. We hasten to please you - it is possible. However, it is necessary to take a comprehensive approach to solving this problem. To prevent excess weight gain, you should optimize your nutrition program and lead an active lifestyle. Unfortunately, for many people, the concept of "good nutrition" is associated with severe dietary restrictions.
In practice, everything is different and, as mentioned above, strict diets must be avoided. Of course, for weight loss and subsequent maintenance of normal body weight, you cannot do without a specific dietary nutrition program. But you only have to create a small energy deficit so that the body cannot accumulate fat, and the rate of metabolic processes does not fall. In addition, one of the main requirements for the diet is its balance in micro- and macronutrients.
Nutritionists are sure that many people are seriously deficient in protein compounds. Recall that this nutrient performs a lot of functions in the body, from plastic to transport. Many substances in our body are protein structures. When there is a lack of energy, the body first of all begins to destroy muscle tissue.
This is because protein is much easier to break down than fat. These processes in science are called catabolic. When protein breaks down, the body receives the energy it needs. In most cases, nutritionists recommend eating 40-50 percent protein throughout the day. The amount of carbohydrates in the diet should be about 30 percent, and fat should be no more than 20 percent.
Often, people who decide to lose excess weight severely limit the amount of carbohydrates and fats in the diet. This becomes their first mistake. You must remember that the body needs all nutrients. It is carbohydrates that are the fastest source of energy, which is necessary for all processes in our body. Fats also need to be consumed, because membranes of cellular structures are created from them and some hormones are synthesized.
However, it is necessary to correctly limit their amount in the diet. In addition, carbohydrates should enter the body evenly, since their excess can activate the processes of neolipogenesis. It is also worth using mainly complex carbohydrates. They are processed by the body for a long time and are not able to cause a sharp release of insulin. But simple carbohydrates should be completely abandoned, or at least minimized their amount in the diet.
We have already noted the importance of fat. However, in addition to the functions described above, these substances contribute to the fastest and most complete assimilation of protein compounds. In this case, fats should be divided into useful and harmful. The first group includes unsaturated fatty acids, which should be included in your diet in sufficient quantities. In addition to all that has been said, we recommend switching to multiple meals, eating at least four times.
If you already have problems with being overweight, then it may take you a lot of time to regain your slimness figure. However, after achieving this goal, it will be easier to maintain the desired mass. To lose weight, you need to change your eating habits. Here is a short list of the steps to be taken:
- Formulating a balanced diet that can create a slight energy deficit.
- Use a balanced nutritional program.
- Combine strength training with cardio sessions.
The last point should be said in a little more detail. Many girls prefer cardio to maintain a slim figure. This is not entirely correct. No one disputes the fact that cardio can help you burn fat. However, strength training can help tighten muscles.
When losing weight, fat is burned and sagging of the skin may appear. Weight training can help you fix this problem. Let us also recall that the more muscles you have in your body, the more active metabolic processes are, and the risks of increasing fat reserves decrease. Most scientists believe that success in creating the perfect body is almost 70 percent dependent on your nutritional program. Only the remaining 30 are involved in sports. In fact, you can only lose weight thanks to a properly organized diet. Exercise can help you achieve your goals faster. If you correctly combine a balanced diet and exercise, you will be amazed at the results.
In conclusion of today's conversation, I would like to give some useful tips:
- Drink at least one and a half liters of water throughout the day, and preferably two.
- Food should be consumed 4 to 5 times a day, while reducing portion sizes.
- Optimize your dietary energy score according to your level of physical activity.
- Get at least eight hours of sleep every day.
- Ditch simple carbohydrates, replacing them with complex ones.
- Minimize the amount of alcoholic beverages, or rather give up alcohol altogether.
Want to learn more about why people get fat with age and what to do about it? Watch the following video:
