Does Age Play a Factor in Losing Weight

[QueenLoc]

I have noticed that as I get older losing weight has become more of a challenge.  Meaning that I have to tweak my normal routines.  Now I know that the body needs change doing the same thing will not work but doing a lot of different things has helped and made me stronger.  Can anyone else attest to this, I would love to hear your feedback and some of your routines.

[Heybales]

Base metabolism does slow down as we age - it's why the formula's for it take age into consideration.

So base burn is less. Not a huge change though - just ran calc's on 25 to 50 yr old woman same height/weight - 125 less daily.

People in general also become more sedentary as they age, either with less to do or hiring some things out, or children do it, or less physical work, ect.

So daily burn is less.

Then exercise can easily become not as intense.

So less exercise burn.

Not sure what you mean the body needs change - true it will not keep improving if you don't increase the work load (intensity, speed, pace, weight on the bar, ect) - but if you stop making things harder it will maintain what it's got.

And it will keep burning what it needs - it's not like your age changes the rules of thermodynamics and the amount of energy needed to accomplish a certain amount of work.

The only difference between 2 people with same height, weight, stride length running a mile, and 1 is 25 and one is 50, would be possible form efficiency improvements by the 50 yr from experience - it's not like gravity changed for the 50 yr old and it takes less energy to propel their same weight the same distance.

So doing the same thing can work to keep you maintaining in whatever you are doing, if no other variables change.

But if you weigh 20 lbs less walking the same pace same distance - you'll burn less, it'll be less of a workout for cardiovascular system then it was 20 lbs heavier - so that is losing fitness.

Or gym classes where you can only move so fast to the beat of the music, weigh less then same effect.

Now in that case you could also have started out very uncoordinated and taken awhile to get good at movements - less effort.

That can happen as you age, more experience and skill and start out efficient compared to younger taking awhile.

Now the other big reason that has been shown in studies that makes it harder to lose fat weight again as you age - people do it extreme and lose muscle mass, upwards of 20% commonly seen in average dieting person. Next time around - that makes it harder. Next time again - worse yet.

Only difference I've noticed taking off winter 10 lbs while I was lifting - is the mental attitude - willing to make and stick to the needed changes is harder.

Once done though, what's expected does occur.

Except when injured. That does seem to happen more. Sadly the experience to not get injured should be there too. Or the recovery not as fast.

That can hold me up longer now.