Study Reveals Secret to Avoiding Mid-Life Weight Gain

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Eat less or weigh more — that’s the mantra for avoiding mid-life weight gain for women.

It’s a frustrating notion that you need to scale back your food intake in order to stay at the same weight. But that’s what a three year study of middle-aged women found. Those who made a point of deliberately restricting their calories were much less likely to gain a pound or two a year than those who ate freely. Even if the calorie-restricters occasionally binged, in the long run, they still consumed fewer calories.

The study, which appears in the Jan/Feb issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, suggests that it doesn’t matter if you are slim or overweight at age 40. You are still likely to gain if you don’t learn how to cut calories. That means cutting portions and making healthier substitutions so you can feel full enough even when you eat fewer calories. And, if you’re an emotional eater, it means finding other ways to discharge emotional stress.

One thing that the study doesn’t point out is that people who are most successful at maintaining a normal weight aren’t just restricting calories. They’re exercising regularly. From a health standpoint, keeping a stable weight without exercising can’t really be considered something to celebrate. Exercise is valuable for more than weight control — it’s vital to a healthy heart, brain and body. It lets you eat more so you don’t feel so deprived. Plus, it helps you retain or even build muscles, which gives you more strength and endurance, and lets you burn more calories even at rest.

The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: If you want to avoid gaining weight at mid-life, you have to scale back the number of calories you consume as you get older. This means learning to make healthier food choices and staying active. Exercising regularly can help keep your metabolism going strong and allows you eat more! However, even those of us who are faithful exercisers can still use some help when hunger strikes. Devote time to developing a personal strategy for avoiding weight gain. It’s an uphill battle, for sure, but the health benefits are clear. The less weight you gain, the healthier you’re likely to be.

Tags: Exercise, natural weight loss, weight loss, women