EXPERTS IN FOCUS - TEAM FITBUG - David McConachie, Certified Personal Trainer

Posted 20 March 2008

I do lots of exercise - gym, walking, swimming, I don't over-eat or over-drink...BUT I'm about half a stone above what I like to be....I put this amount on at Christmas and just can't shift it. Is it because of my age? I'm coming up to 69 but still take great pride in how I look; not necessarily to others, but to myself. Any ideas please?

Maintaining or losing weight will become more of a challenge as you grow older. Most people do gain weight when they age, and in women there is often a shift toward this weight being stored around the abdomen rather than the hips and thighs. However, it is not inevitable and there are things you can do to help maintain your weight more effectively. You may have heard different theories about why this occurs, but in reality, keeping your ideal weight as you age is no different to any other stage of your life. You have to be careful of what you are consuming and keep physically active, but you just have to monitor these a little closer as you get older.

Not only is gaining weight as you age an aesthetic problem to some people, it also enhances your risks of having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and can lead to diabetes, and it is these that also increase your risk of strokes and heart disease. So for your health more than anything, it is important to control your weight as you age.

Why do we gain weight as we age?

There are two basic reasons why this happens;

• 1. we eat more
• 2. we exercise less

There's a tendency to 'enjoy' food a little bit more as you get older, so if you are consuming more calories and not burning the calories through exercise, some of these calories will be stored as fat. People who gain weight with age probably exercise less than they did when they were younger, most likely due to lifestyle factors such as family or work commitments, feeling less energetic, injury or illness, and a decrease in physical ability.

By exercising less, you will burn fewer calories. The ageing process also causes your body composition to shift more towards higher body fat and lower muscle mass, which will slow down the metabolism. As muscle burns more calories than fat, the amount of calories you need for energy will decrease.

Your genetic make up can also put you at risk of gaining weight. If you have noticed that any of your close relatives have gained weight or store body fat on the stomach for example, then this may affect you too!

How can I prevent weight gain, or lose weight as I age?

Aerobic exercise

Frequent walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming and other aerobic activities promote fat burning and improve your metabolism. Aim to be active for at least 30 minutes a day each day. You won't need to start a new exercise program, just try to increase the amount of time you spend doing the activities you like doing, like dancing or cycling. And don't forget your 10,000 steps!

Strength training

At any stage of your life, your body composition goals should be to maximise your muscle mass while maintaining a healthy level of body fat. After the age of 40 you lose about 1-2% of your strength each year and as a result of this people tend to become less active as their normal daily activities become more difficult. Strength training is the answer to preventing this and therefore becomes more important as you age because of the natural decline in muscle mass. Building new muscle will increase your metabolism, and as more calories are burned to maintain muscle tissue, having a higher proportion of muscle means that your will burn more calories, no matter whether you are exercising or resting. Improving your strength will also make daily activities less strenuous and more enjoyable.

Nutrition

It becomes more important to monitor what you are consuming as you age. A useful tool for this is the Fitbug Nutrition Log, where you can clearly see whether the composition of your diet is correct. You may think you are consuming the appropriate number of calories, but unless you are consuming the right proportion of protein, carbohydrates and fats then you are not likely to gain your nutritional requirements and can still gain weight. To lose weight, try modifying your diet by increasing protein to 40%, reducing carbohydrates to 40%, and keeping fats to around 20% of your total calorie intake.

Try to slightly reduce the amount of calories you consume as you get older, which can be achieved with a significant part of your diet containing fruit and veges. Substitute cakes, crisps and other snack foods for apples, bananas and other fruits which also have the sweet taste. Say goodbye to fast food and fatty takeaways, and hello to home cooked meals. Remember not to cut back your calories too much, as this can actually make it harder to shed the pounds because of the negative impact calorie restriction can have on your metabolism.

Choose whole grain foods such as wheat bread, oats and brown rice which will keep you feeling full for longer and contain the nutrients your body requires. If you are feeling hungry, try drinking a glass of water, as often thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day, and more if you are very active. Water should become your best friend if you haven't already met it. It's best to consume fats from good fat sources like nuts and olive oil, which should make up 20-30% of your diet.

Good luck!