Solutions for when there's more around the middle
Q. Maybe I just don't want to grow old gracefully, but here is my question: I am a 52-year-old woman in pretty good shape, and I have a very good diet. I exercise regularly but not as much as I did before 50. I have noticed weight gain around the middle that is very bothersome to me. Is this just part of getting old? I can't improve my diet much more and am frustrated at this midsection bulge. Any suggestions? Nothing has really changed except the shape of my body. Any advice you can give would be appreciated.
T.S., San Diego, Calif.
A. There is a natural decline in the amount of energy (calories) the body requires as we get older. This, along with the typical decrease in activity that takes place, tends to impact the shape of our bodies. The slowdown in calorie burning is gradual, and it represents more of a problem for those who continue to ingest equal or more daily calories as the years go by.
The body needs energy to operate, and there are three basic categories. First and foremost is the resting metabolic rate. These calories represent the energy needed to keep the body alive but inactive. This is our caloric "cost of living," and it represents about 60 percent to 75 percent of daily caloric requirement.
Next is the energy used for physical activity. For the average person, this is about 15 percent to 30 percent of the calories we need. Finally, we have the thermic effect of food, which is the energy burned as a direct result of eating. It represents about 5 percent to 10 percent of our daily calories. Weight remains stable as long as we consume the number of calories our bodies require.
An older body, however, will burn fewer calories than a comparable younger body, even if both ate the same and had the same level of physical activity. A study in the February 2005 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the decline associated with aging is not solely a function of the fact that we tend to lose lean body mass (muscle, organ weight and bone) as we age.
It's best to remain active, as this will help slow down the slowdown. Staying active not only burns the calories while you are moving, but it also helps your body continue to burn calories when you are inactive. (Think of the difference between an eight-cylinder engine and a four-cylinder engine idling at a stoplight.)
Studies in the February 2006 Journal of Physiology and the August 2007 issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology discuss how the TEF component of the daily calorie requirement is greater in those who have regular exercise habits.
I do my best to enjoy healthful foods and stay in shape, but I have noticed that there is a bit more of me as the years go by. I recently added 15 minutes of aerobic time to my three-times-a-week exercise sessions to help keep my weight steady.
We need to keep up activity and find a way to make it a fixed part of our routines. There should be an element of aerobic as well as resistance exercises.
• Ed Blonz, Ph.D., is the author of "the "Your Personal Nutritionist" book series. Write him at "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Newspaper Enterprise Association, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016 or ed@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.