Why Does Losing Weight Get More Difficult as I Age?

You may have dieted in the past. It was never easy, but perhaps you were successful enough to keep the pounds off until now, or perhaps you cycled through one diet after another until you found one that gave you the desired result.

Now that you’re near or over 50, it seems harder than ever to lose weight; why should that be? It turns out it’s not your imagination. There are a number of factors conspiring against you.

The factors are varied and include arthritis, which can affect stamina, mobility, and balance; sleep and stress issues; dwindling muscle mass; a slower metabolism, and declining levels of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone.

At Revive Health Clinic, our expert team ensures you receive treatment for any underlying health issues that contribute to your weight problems and uses a medically managed weight loss program that may include appetite suppressants and the new GLP-1 agonist medications, such as semaglutide.

We’re also passionate about educating our patients about how and why their bodies work the way they do, so we’re taking this opportunity to address a common problem: why losing weight is more difficult as you get older.

Factors inhibiting weight loss as you age

We mentioned a number of factors above. Now, let’s talk about each one individually.

Arthritis and degenerative conditions

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common of the 100+ types of arthritis. It’s the wear-and-tear kind that becomes more prominent as you age, typically beginning in the late 40s to mid-50s. About 60% of people living with OA are women.

According to the World Health Organization, OA is a significant contributor to years lived with disability for musculoskeletal conditions, and it’s more prevalent in older people (about 70% are over 55).

OA symptoms include joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and trouble moving the affected joint. Due to restricted movement, muscles often lose strength, and people are less likely to be physically active.

A key component of weight loss is physical exercise, so if you’re unable to do much, it makes losing the weight that much harder.

Sleep issues

Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as young adults, but many tend to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier than they did when they were younger.

Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in adults aged 60 and older. People with insomnia have trouble falling asleep and/or staying asleep, and the problem can last for days, months, and even years.

Sleep affects almost every part of the body, including things like metabolism, immune function, mood, and disease resistance. Research shows that a chronic lack of sleep or getting poor quality sleep increases the risk of a number of health problems like high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity.

Slower metabolism

Your metabolism refers to all the biochemical reactions that go on in the body, one of which is converting food and drink into usable energy. Your body uses that energy for vital functions like breathing, brain power, digestion, and muscle contractions, among many others.

The rate at which your metabolism burns calories to keep your body going is called the metabolic rate. The rate is unique to every person, determined by a combination of genetics, age, muscle mass, and activity level.

A slow metabolic rate means your body needs fewer calories to operate and doesn’t convert food into energy as efficiently. Research has proved metabolism slows with age, though it happens later in life than most people think.

When you’re in the 20- to 60-year-old range, your metabolic rate stays fairly consistent. A 2021 study published in the journal Science found that metabolic rate only begins to decrease after age 60, by about 0.7% each year.

The bottom line is that if you continue to consume the same amount of food as when you were younger but aren’t able to exercise as long or as hard because of arthritis or another condition, your weight will go up, and it will be harder to lose the extra pounds you put on.

Two of the major ways to combat the metabolic slowdown are strength training and eating enough high-quality protein.

Decreased hormone levels

The decrease in estrogen and progesterone that comes with menopause, along with aging, triggers metabolic changes in the body. One change is a decrease in muscle mass, which means you burn fewer calories and accumulate fat. Genetics, lack of sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle are involved, too.

It’s a vicious cycle. We lose muscle tone and accumulate fat just as our metabolism is slowing down, contributing to additional weight gain. It’s a hard — but not impossible — cycle to break.

If you’re having a hard time losing weight, Revive Health Clinic in Lady Lake, Florida, can help. To schedule a consultation, call our office at 352-290-0896 or book online with us today.