Losing weight is harder as we get older

Every Monday evening I teach a couple of classes at the Holiday Inn in Leicester. I have been teaching my classes there since 1986 and around 15 or so of my members have been coming to me since then and some of those women are now well into their seventies.

What I find so rewarding is that this special band of folk are fit and able, and their bodies are serving them well plus they have good figures. For many of them, this class is the only real exercise they do all week yet even that one class has made a significant difference to their health and wellbeing because along with the weekly exercise, they have lost weight and kept it at a healthy level. And that is crucial.

There is no doubt that if we want to live a long and healthy life, we need to keep our weight in check. Being slim makes a dramatic difference to our health at any age, but never more so than when we get older because our joints as well as our heart will suffer if we don’t. But losing weight when we are older is tough because our metabolic rate slows down with age.

The rate at which we burn calories (our metabolic rate) starts slowing down when we hit 30! Past the age of 60 it slows down significantly added to which we are usually less active in our daily lives so the risk of an increase in weight for many older folk is high. But we can do a lot to help ourselves.

As we get older our body tends to lose muscle strength (because we don’t use them as much as when we are younger, plus an older body isn’t as efficient at maintaining muscle tissue)and the body is more inclined to lay down fat. This is bad news all round! However, if we eat a low fat diet that is moderate in its portions we can lose weight or at least stop ourselves from gaining it. Then if we add physical activity, we can dramatically help ourselves by burning more calories as well as keeping out muscles strong and prevent muscle wastage. Strength workouts such as muscle toning exercises or using light weights will really help to maintain muscle and bone strength. Aerobic exercise (anything that makes you slightly out of breath and warm) will burn extra calories and also fat. By doing a combination of both, even if it is only once a week, will make a difference and if you cannot get to a class, working out to one of my DVDs will work wonders. I always include aerobics and toning in all my programmes so even one DVD will fulfil your needs.

So if you are young and reading this, try and get your weight to a healthy level while it is easier to do so and then maintain a healthy lifestyle into later life. If you are older, start taking action now so that you are investing into your old age. I love the saying ‘exercise is like a savings account. The more you invest the greater the dividends’.

Check out our website for details of my DVDs and our Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness classes. We are here to help you.