5 Reasons It’s Harder to Lose Weight With Age

You never had a problem losing or maintaining your weight before, but now the scale won’t move. It's frustrating, but you're not alone! As we get older, our bodies don't respond the same way to weight loss efforts, and science has some explanations to offer.

“Obesity incidence starts increasing in one’s twenties and peaks at 40 to 59, and then decreases slightly after age 60,” says Craig Primack, MD, an obesity medicine physician at the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center in Arizona.

Not everyone will become overweight as they age, because body weight is highly influenced by a person's genetic makeup, level of physical activity, and food choices, Dr. Primack says. “We sometimes say genetics loads the gun and lifestyle pulls the trigger,” he says. Still, everyone will find it harder to maintain or lose weight with each passing year.

Our muscles, hormones, metabolism, and other body systems are in flux as we get older. (In other words, it’s complicated.) But there are five main factors that may be to blame if your jeans feel tighter these days.

1. You’re Experiencing Age-Related Muscle Loss

“Most people will not adjust calories,” explains Marcio Griebeler, MD, an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “They keep eating the same amount, but because they have less muscle mass to burn those calories and less activity, they end up gaining weight over time.”

2. You’re Undergoing Normal Hormonal Changes

In addition, Griebeler notes, fluctuations in estrogen levels during perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause, may cause fluctuations in mood that make it more difficult to stick to a healthy diet and exercise plan.

“It’s a snowball effect,” Griebeler says. “You start accumulating more fat, have less lean body mass; you burn fewer calories, and that just keeps adding up over time."

3. Your Metabolism Is Slower Than Before

Certain health conditions, such as hypothyroidism or Cushing’s syndrome, which become more prevalent with age, can also affect your metabolism.

4. You’re Busier With Work 

By the time you’ve reached your forties and fifties, your career is likely in full swing — which is great, but brings its own weight loss challenges. For one thing, you may be moving less. You may commute an hour or so to and from work, sit at a desk for eight or more hours a day, and have so much on your plate that there’s no time to go for a walk or exercise during the workday.

5. You’re Experiencing Major Lifestyle Changes

Some of the reasons for weight gain in middle age have nothing to do with what’s happening inside your body and everything to do with the way life changes as people enter their thirties and forties. One of the biggest changes comes when you start a family. Suddenly, the hour you spent at the gym after work is spent with your toddler at home. Later, your child’s after-school time is filled with playdates, homework, and other activities that require your attention. Similarly, around middle-age, you may also be caring for your parents or aging relatives. “You do not seem to have time anymore for yourself,” Primack says. As a result, your diet and exercise intentions might slip, causing a few pounds to creep on.

Fear not! There are specific, effective tactics you can deploy to retake control of your weight.

1. Focus on Healthy Foods

Griebeler advises increasing your fruit and vegetable intake and decreasing the amount of fast food, added sugar, and other processed foods you consume. You'll also want to prioritize whole foods — vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, and fruit — packed with fiber, says Lustgarten. “It will make it easier to control calories. These are high-volume foods — they take up more room in the stomach — and they generally contribute fewer calories to your daily intake,” she explains.

2. Eat Slowly and Enjoy Your Food

When you eat, your body needs a chance to recognize that you’re full. Chew slowly and deliberately – you’ll not only savor and enjoy your food, but it allows more time for your body to feel sated.

3. Stay Well Hydrated

It’s easy to confuse the sensation of thirst for hunger. Stay hydrated with water (rather than with calorie-rich beverages like sodas, fancy coffee drinks, and fruit juices). Unsweetened brewed tea might be another good option. Tea contains catechins, a type of plant compound with powerful antioxidant properties. Catechins can increase metabolism by stimulating the body to break fats down more quickly and burn more calories. The question is whether brewed tea contains enough of these compounds to have an effect on weight loss and the evidence isn’t yet conclusive.

4. Find Solutions for Taming Stress

For many people, stress leads to stress eating, Griebeler says. Do what you need to do to relax, whether it’s with a twice-weekly yoga class or short five-minute meditations throughout the day.

5. Give Your Major Muscle Groups a Workout

That loss of muscle mass you read about earlier? Fight back by adding strength training to your exercise routine. “You want to preserve muscle mass as much as possible,” Griebeler says. “With more muscle, you burn calories more efficiently and you’ll be more active because you have better balance and more stamina.” A good place to start is with the National Institute on Aging’s easy at-home strengthening Go4Life exercise program.

6. Move Your Body More

Try to incorporate a half-hour a day of aerobic exercise — which is anything that gets your heart rate up, such as jogging, walking, biking, or swimming, advises Lustgarten. Can’t put together 30 minutes all at once? Break it up by doing three brisk 10-minute walks over the course of the day. “Short bursts of activity have a cumulative effect and count toward a daily exercise goal,” she says.

You might consider high intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT combines short but intense bursts of movement, typically cardio or compound exercises, with periods of rest. HIIT workouts can potentially burn a high number of calories, which may create a calorie deficit for weight loss. And HIIT keeps your calorie burn high even after your workout – which means you’ll burn more calories in the hours following a HIIT workout than a low- or moderate-intensity one.

7. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

If you don’t wake up feeling energized, you’ll be less active during the day and will burn fewer calories as a result. Primack says to log somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.

Eating right, exercising regularly, practicing stress reduction, and taking care of your mental health are good for you regardless of your weight.

Remember that your body changes as you move through life. It’s important to accept that and work to maintain a healthy body image.

• As you age, maintaining or losing weight can become more challenging due to muscle loss, hormonal changes, and a slowdown in metabolism.
• You can help manage these changes by prioritizing whole, nutrient-dense foods and incorporating regular exercise, including strength training.
• Find ways to control your stress and get adequate sleep, as these factors significantly impact overall health and can influence your weight management efforts.
• If you're experiencing unexpected weight gain or having difficulty with a weight loss plan, consider speaking with a healthcare professional for guidance.