Weight Gain in Adulthood

Question
Hi Laurie,

This may not be a typical kind of weight loss question.

I just wanted to know why is it that some people, me included, were very slim as children / teenagers (I was 5ft 4" and 7 stone at 17 years old) but then just go fatter as they get older?

I am now 12 stone so 5 stone heavier at the same height.  I am 33.  Luckily all my life I've carried my weight well and people think (more often than not) that I'm about 10 to 10 1/2 stone which isn't too bad for my height.

I never thought that what I ate growing up was much different to now.  I didn't really exercise that much and certainly didn't diet.  All I recall in my teens was wanting to steam vegetables and to stop eating red meat.  This I continue to do although I've recently started to eat red meat again.

Do you know why the body changes from child to adult in this way?

Thank you.

Lisa.

Answer
Lisa,

Usually it just boils down to eating more and moving less.

Think about how active you were as a kid: did you have a desk job? NO! Did you plop down, tired, in front of the TV after school or after dinner? Probably not--you may have gone to play (physically) with friends!

Our eating habits change so gradually we don't think they've changed at all... but think about how you eat differently now--do you eat out at restaurants more? snack more? Are you in charge of what you eat, whereas when you were a teenager you relied on what your Mom bought and kept in the house?

If you changed a bit, as little as 50 calories a day (eating this much more or moving this much less) can result in a 5 stone gain over 15 years.

The good news is, you can make a small change now and if you daily go for a 15-minute brisk walk, or decide to cut back on something in your diet (one less slice of bread a day, or changing to fat-free milk) you could lose it back again in time!!

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