As the sands of time trickle down, many of us find ourselves grappling with changes in our body shape.
Since we are focusing on reversing changes that come with age here, we will not be discussing the general subject of obesity or being overweight. These conditions can be experienced at any age, and there is an abundant amount of information and support available for those who want to see numbers on the scale decreasing.
Instead, we will explain the age-related process that is much less understood and goes beyond the numbers on the scale. It both worsens the situation for those who have carried extra pounds for a while and confuses those who have never had to worry about their weight or body shape in their younger years.
It’s a common scenario: despite living what we consider a healthy lifestyle, we notice a shift in the way our clothes fit, the emergence of new fat folds, and an overall loss of the once-youthful body contours. Sometimes we also see extra pounds on the scale. Sometimes the weight does not change at all.
So, what’s happening beneath the surface? Understanding the answer to this question can give you a secret key to staying in great shape as years go by.
The primary culprit behind this phenomenon is age-related changes in body composition, i.e. percentage of fat vs percentage of muscle.
The aging process is characterized by an increase in body total fat mass and a decrease in lean mass and bone density, that are independent from fluctuations in weight and body mass index (BMI). The loss of muscle mass starts relatively early – in the third decade of life.
These changes happen gradually but surely with all of us as we age. If you do not do anything to counteract this insidious process, your muscle will slowly deteriorate and, in most cases, be replaced by fat – more and more with each passing year.
Because muscles are approximately 15% denser than fat, a pound of muscle takes up less space in your body than a pound of fat.
The picture below illustrates this difference. It shows 1 pound of fat and 1 pound of muscle next to each other.
Clearly, 10 pounds of muscle on a person would look very different than 10 pounds of fat. The fat would take more space! As a result, the body would become larger and more amorphous looking, even though the number on the scale may not change much.
Whether you will add more fat in later years or not will depend on your nutrition. A small percentage of people in Western countries do not gain fat with age, but they still lose muscle if they don’t do anything to preserve it. This will result in a skinny but still old-looking body.
Is it possible to keep your youthful silhouette well into your later years? Absolutely! But it will take work and discipline. You will need to adopt new ways to think about eating, exercising, and measuring your progress.
We will not go into all the details of building a younger body here, but we will point out all the important elements. Once you understand that improving your body composition is one of the main keys to a more youthful looking body and what it involves, you will be able to find additional information.
Measure your progress correctly
Watching your weight or BMI can be misleading. You will have to watch your fat percentage which reflects your overall body composition.
The easiest way to measure your fat percentage at home is to get a smart scale that uses electric impedance to measure body composition. There are many of them on the market. I use Omron Body Composition Monitor.
The fat percentage number you will see on such a scale may differ slightly from your actual body fat percentage, because this technology is not precise. Don’t worry about it. You still will be able to see the trend when you start working towards improving your body composition.
If you want to have a more precise measurement, find a place where you can do a DEXA body scan – the gold standard in body composition measurements. It usually costs under $100.
Another easy method for tracking your progress is taking your body measurements with a measuring tape or just paying attention to how your clothes fit.
Focus your exercise program on muscle building
Cardio exercises – running, walking, etc. have a lot of benefits and are great for improving your stamina and making your heart and lungs stronger. When it comes to improving your body composition, gaining healthy muscle mass, and strengthening your bones, cardio is not very effective. These goals are better achieved by focusing on resistance training.
Different forms of resistance training include using free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, and your own body weight. It’s a great idea to do at least a few sessions with an experienced personal trainer to learn how to do it properly.
Prioritize protein
Protein provides building blocks for muscle tissue. It is needed for muscle repair, growth, and maintenance. You will have to consume an adequate amount of protein to support muscle protein synthesis and build lean muscle mass. Aim for somewhere between 1.2 and 1.6 grams per kg of your body weigh. If you are significantly overweight, make it per kg of your target body weight.
It is easy to check how much protein different foods have. Just google the name of the food followed by “nutrition data”. To understand the actual amount of protein that your food contains, you may need to weigh it on a simple kitchen scale, like this one.
Watch your calorie intake
Your kitchen scale combined with one of the many free calorie tracking phone apps (such as, for example, MyFitnessPal) will help you to track your calorie intake. You don’t have to do it forever. After 2-3 month you will develop a sense of what you like and need to eat to stay within your calorie range.
Use this BMR calculator to estimate your daily calorie needs based on your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. Stay at 10-20% lower than this number if you need to lose an excess of fat.
You may notice that it is hard to fit in enough protein and stay within your calorie limit. High quality meal replacement and protein shakes may help. I love these meal replacement shakes for their delicious taste and great nutritional profile.
Consider starting a 30-Day Reset
The Isagenix 30-Day Reset is a great, cost-effective, and clinically proven nutritional system that can support your body transformation. I have been using this system myself for many years. I also help others to tailor the standard 30 Day Reset System to specific wellness goals and challenges. Feel free to book a free Zoom or phone consultation with me to learn how the 30-Day Reset can help you achieve your wellness goals.