Metabolism and body composition over 70

Question
I'M 71,+IT SEEMS IT'S MUCH HARDER TO LOSE WEIGHT EVEN THOUGH
I EXERCISE 3 TIMES A WEEK +WATCH MY DIET.
ANY TIPS?  WHY IS IT HARDER NOW TO LOSE WEIGHT?
THANKS

Answer
Dear Larry,

A general answer is, because as we age, we move less, less intensively, and our metabolism slows down. Why this happens and what can be done I wrote on several occasions, you might want to read about energy balance and aging:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Nutrition-Dieting-939/2010/12/Aging-energy-balance.ht...

Now, it's not how much you weigh that matters as you age, it's how much body fat you have and how this fat is distributed -- it tends to accumulate around your middle. One concrete common reason for more difficult weight loss is so called metabolic syndrome and wider waist line is probably the most important sign.

Now, exercises are different in intensity and types. Research showed that if there's not enough intensity in your exercise, the metabolic syndrome just wouldn't go away. Read more about it here:

The best exercise type to fight metabolic syndrome
http://agelessbrain.com/2010/04/the-best-exercise-type-to-fight-metabolic-syndro...

Endurance training to improve metabolic profile
http://agelessbrain.com/2010/04/endurance-training-to-improve-metabolic-profile/

Also, read the articles in age-related category:
http://agelessbrain.com/category/basics/age-protection/

Hope it helps,

Tanya Zilberter  

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