Health
According to statistics, 80% of women gain weight with age. This is due to natural processes in the female body. And unfortunately, it is more difficult to lose weight after 40 years. The ladies are discouraged and scold themselves for being lazy.
You should not do this, you can't argue with nature. You just need to comprehensively study the problem of excess weight and approach it correctly. Here are some of the factors that prevent you from staying in shape.
The causes of excess weight in women
1. Hormonal failure
In a woman's body, two hormones, progesterone and estradiol (estrogen), inevitably decrease after forty. These substances are responsible for the intensity of metabolic processes and for the ability to give birth. But after 40 years, the level of these hormones falls, which leads to menopause and the onset of menopause. During menopause, estrogen levels drop, leading to weight gain, especially in the abdomen. Low progesterone levels do not directly cause weight gain, but they cause the body to retain more fluids, which increases body volume and weight.
A decrease in testosterone levels with age also leads to weight gain. In women, the content of this male hormone in the blood is already low, and this hormone promotes muscle growth and fat burning.
2. Slowing down metabolism
A study conducted in 2010 tested more than 8,000 people of different ages and found that in adults after 40 years of age, basic metabolism decreases by 3.1-3.3%. This means that the body burns 50-60 fewer kilocalories per day at rest. It seems that this is not too much, but if you do not change the level of physical activity and the usual menu, you can gain three kilograms in a year. The situation is complicated by the use of strict diets, which in most cases do not work.
Read also: 10 simple foods that lower blood pressure
3. Stress
During menopause, women have low resistance to stress and a simultaneous increase in cortisol levels in the blood. Cortisol is a regulator of the body's carbohydrate metabolism, and also takes part in the development of stressful situations.
Since sugar and other simple carbohydrates reduce cortisol levels for a while, one of the effects of increasing this stress hormone is the onset of chronic hunger and an obsessive desire to eat something tasty and sweet – this is how the body tries to “get back to normal”. This ultimately leads to overeating and weight gain.
The problem of excess weight
4. Insulin resistance
Closer to menopause, the body undergoes specific changes that can form resistance (insensitivity) of receptors in tissues to insulin. With insulin resistance, the sensitivity of muscle cells decreases. As a result, glucose's ability to enter muscle cells is impaired, and it accumulates in blood plasma. In response, the pancreas produces even more insulin, and its blood content increases above normal values. As a result, glucose is stored as fat, because fat cells are highly susceptible to insulin, and glucose needs to go somewhere from the blood. A kind of vicious circle is being created.
5. Physical inactivity
It has been scientifically proven that human energy consumption decreases by 10% every 10 years. After 40, women have no time, and often no desire to exercise. There is a very simple pattern: little movement means a lot of fat on the hips, abdomen and waist, and vice versa.
Also read: 10 incredible benefits of walking
6. Taking medication
Weight gain is a side effect of many drugs. Unfortunately, approaching the age of 40, women often already have serious illnesses. Hormonal drugs or drugs that affect the psyche have a particularly strong effect on weight. Antihistamines, causing fatigue and drowsiness, slow down metabolism, reducing calorie consumption. Drugs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, migraines, strokes, arthritis, cancers, and many others can also lead to weight gain.
However, don't despair. The axioms of losing weight remain the same both in youth and in adulthood – a balanced diet, a healthy lifestyle and physical activity. The main thing is not to harm your health by getting involved in a variety of diets.