Metabolism survey

[annabella71]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any thoughts on the recent survey that says your metabolism basically does not change between the ages of 20 and 60?

I definitely felt a change in my early 40s. I wasn't eating more than usual or doing anything differently, and my weight shot up - I put on a stone in about six months. I can't see any reason for this other than metabolic change. What have your experiences been with metabolism in middle age?

Thanks!

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Welcome back, annabella71

This was posted on Friday healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

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Wishing you all the best

[annabella71 Visitor in reply to moreless]

Thank you!

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to annabella71]

You're welcome

[Dyptique 4lbs]

Haha (slightly hollow laughter,) good question! Speaking personally, I am sure the apparent slowdown in my metabolism (now in early 50s) has a lot to do with the fact that I have definitely been less physically active since my 40s for one reason or another. I haven't been sedentary, but if I look back to my 20s and 30s, I definitely slowed down in all sorts of ways, including going out less. Losing weight is certainly a lot harder now and takes longer to get going than when I was in my 20s, that's for sure - but I can't disentangle the contribution of changes in average caloric expenditure from my basal metabolic rate.

[annabella71 Visitor in reply to Dyptique]

Going out less is definitely a factor. In my twenties I was in and out of the house a lot, going on public transport, seeing friends and staying out late, etc, and in my 40s I became a homebody. But I feel it doesn't quite explain the speed of the spike in my weight in my early 40s. Maybe this study isn't taking into account the hormonal changes that happen as you age, for example, getting a sluggish thyroid.

[Dyptique 4lbs]

Oh God, yes, I'd forgotten thyroid...and I have autoimmune thyroid disease. Good reminder to go and take my thyroxine now. I've also had sudden spikes in weight gain, but read in a paper somewhere or heard on a science podcast (can't remember which) that weight gain is often not gradual and linear, but can be quite a sudden response by the body to longer term caloric excess with a flurry of laying down fat after a long period of no apparent change. All in all, the hormonal changes of middle age (possible thyroid, perimenopause/menopause) and decreases in physical activity probably add up to a perfect storm for weight gain. If you add in the increased likelihood with increasing age of joint injury/disease, general autoimmune issues, ME/fibromyalgia diagnoses and other conditions that decrease our activity level, it's a wonder we ever get off our sofas at all 😝

[Eryl Visitor]

Weight is not about how much you're eating as what you're eating. Foods which raise your blood sugar levels and cause your insulin levels go up and trigger fat storage. Those foods are carbohydrates, foods that contain added sugar, or foods high in starch. like bread and other wheat containing foods because the gluten speeds up the absorption and causes a higher spike in insulin.