It shouldn’t surprise us that our bodies change as we move through life, but it does sometimes. We’re not the same at age 10 as we are at 20, right? And after 40, we go through some transitions that can make it easier to gain unwanted fat and harder to lose it.
That’s natural. Nothing to worry about. It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It also definitely doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it.
We lose muscle mass starting in our 30s unless we practice resistance training (with weights, body weight, resistance bands, etc.) Muscle burns more calories than fat, but too many of us avoid weight training because we’re worried about getting puffy muscles. (Don’t worry. It won’t happen!)
Our metabolism slows down, so we don’t burn as much fuel as we used to.
Hormone levels change; think about women after menopause.
Some people naturally slip into more sedentary lives with the demands of work and family.
Basic stuff, right?
Well, the solutions are basic, too. You need to make some modifications in your lifestyle compared to when you were in your 20s That means eating right, getting plenty of rest, exercising regularly, avoiding too much alcohol, etc.
Most importantly, love yourself and your body for where you are now, regardless of what that looks like. We can’t go back and be 20 again. But we can live our best lives and stay healthy as we mature.
If you’re struggling with this, I’d love to help.
