How to prevent middle-age weight gain – exercise, eat right, get enough sleep … and start now

Besides not getting enough exercise and healthy foods, there other challenges we face in midlife that might affect our ability to maintain a healthy weight
Muscle loss and hormonal changes are a part of ageing, but we can prevent weight gain if we have ‘a disciplined regime, built around diet, fitness and sleep’

Wellness

Sasha Gonzales

Published: 6:15pm, 18 Apr 2021

Why you can trust SCMP

After she turned 40, Eunice Su-Ai realised that keeping fit was not as easy as it was before. In her 20s, she took part in triathlons, ran 12km (7.5 miles) every weekend, and hiked and climbed mountains regularly.

Now, at 46, she says that recovering from strenuous exercise is harder and she doesn’t have the same energy she used to have.

The freelance executive coach and trainer makes it a point to stay active, pounding the nature trails where she lives in Singapore, cycling every week and doing strength-training exercises at her local gym, Red Dot Fitness.

“I tell people that I exercise to stay healthy, but the truth is that I love eating and indulge in all kinds of food – even unhealthy ones – so I exercise mainly to keep the excess [weight] at bay,” says Su-Ai. “I’m blessed to have a fast metabolism, but at this age I can’t just eat whatever I want and expect to stay in shape without working out.”

Su-Ai works in the executive coaching and training industry. Photo: Wilfred Low

For many of us, keeping trim feels like a huge effort as we enter our 40s and 50s. Besides not getting enough physical activity, eating too many unhealthy foods and eating when stressed or depressed, there other challenges we face in midlife that might affect our ability to maintain a healthy weight.

“Muscle loss is a big one – this occurs at a rate of one per cent per year after the age of 40,” says Dr Vincent Lau, doctor-in-charge at Matilda Clinic in Central on Hong Kong Island. “Muscle mass is the main calorie-burning engine in our body.

Age-related muscle loss: why it happens and what you can do to combat it

“Muscle loss, in turn, results in a decline in our basal metabolic rate, which means that we burn fewer calories during periods of rest. So, even if we don’t consume as many calories as we used to, we still end up with a surplus of calories. These extra calories are stored in the body as fat.”

Hormonal changes also result in muscle loss and a reduced basal metabolic rate, thereby influencing our ability to stay trim, Lau adds.

Hormonal changes are a natural part of ageing, but they are also associated with certain medical conditions such as hypothyroidism (where your thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones) and polycystic ovary syndrome (a condition which affects ovulation). Post-menopausal women, in particular, tend to experience weight gain around their abdomen because of reduced levels of oestrogen, a sex hormone.

Carrying extra kilos during middle age can have long-term health consequences. Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States, analysed two studies to find out how weight gain from the age of 20 into the middle-age years impacted health outcomes in later life.

Vincent Lau is the doctor-in-charge at Matilda Clinic in Central on Hong Kong Island. Photo: Matilda Clinic

They discovered that every 5kg (11lb) of weight gain was associated with an increased risk of all-cause deaths by around 10 per cent and of cardiovascular disease death by 20 per cent among those who were overweight at middle adulthood.

They also found that people who gained weight in early adulthood and became overweight at middle age had a significantly increased risk of obesity-related cancer later in life. This review appeared in medical journal Jama Network Open in December 2019.

If you’re a woman, here’s another reason to watch your weight in middle age: researchers at University College London found that belly fat in older women is linked to a 39 per cent higher risk of dementia within 15 years, compared with those who have a normal waist circumference. These findings were published in June 2020 in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Su-Ai makes it a point to stay active, pounding the nature trails where she lives in Singapore, cycling every week, and doing strength-training exercises at her local gym, Red Dot Fitness. Photo: Wilfred Low

“Middle-age weight gain is avoidable, so long as you adapt your lifestyle to the natural changes that occur as we age, such as hormonal fluctuations and a slowing metabolic rate,” says Ivan Corsi, founder and director of Hong Kong’s Athletic Club – Personal Training. “A disciplined regime, built around diet, fitness and sleep, can help.”

Although he agrees that ageing impacts the body, Corsi rejects the view that ageing and weight gain are always linked. “Gaining weight as you age is due to not adapting your lifestyle to ageing. You shouldn’t be held hostage to a slowing metabolic rate or hormonal changes.”

A retrospective study, published in November 2020 in the journal Clinical Endocrinology, revealed that age is no barrier to losing weight. Researchers from Britain found that obese patients over the age of 60 can lose an equivalent amount of weight as younger people using only lifestyle changes, such as dietary modifications and additional physical activity.

Ivan Corsi is the founder and director of Hong Kong’s Athletic Club – Personal Training. Photo: Athletic Club – Personal Training

Su-Ai admits to binge eating when sad, restless or anxious, and has on a few occasions been tempted to skip the gym. But she says that, despite the odd struggle, her efforts to keep her weight in check have been worth it.

“I always feel amazing after I work out,” she says. “When I started at the gym about a year ago, I had no idea what to do with the barbells and medicine balls, but as time went on – even through our online classes during our stay-at-home order – I improved. As for my diet, it’s hard to eat healthily, especially in a food paradise like Singapore, but I do try, and when I eat I go slow and have small portions.”

Even if you’re already middle-aged, it’s not too late to make positive lifestyle changes to start seeing a difference in your weight and health.

Karen Chong is a dietitian at Matilda International Hospital in Hong Kong. Photo: Matilda International Hospital

Karen Chong, a dietitian at Matilda International Hospital in Hong Kong, recommends strength training two or three times a week and 30 minutes of brisk walking, swimming or other cardiovascular exercises daily; choosing unprocessed foods such as whole grains, lean protein, fruit and vegetables over processed or fattening ones; consuming smaller portions of food; using healthier cooking methods like steaming; limiting your alcohol and sugar intake; managing stress; and getting sufficient sleep.

Corsi says that any adjustments you make should be realistic and sustainable. Avoid diet fads, he says, and don’t implement radical changes that you won’t be able to maintain.

If you’re still some years away from middle age, don’t delay losing weight or getting into better shape – it can help extend your life.

Despite the odd struggle, Su-Ai says her efforts to keep her weight in check have been worth it. Photo: Wilfred Low

A Boston University School of Public Health study, published in 2020 in Jama Network Open, found that changes in weight between early adulthood and midlife might have important consequences for one’s risk of premature death.

The researchers reported that participants whose body mass index (BMI) went from the “obese” range in young adulthood down to the “overweight” range in middle age halved their risk of dying during the study period, compared to those whose BMIs stayed in the “obese” range. Even a small amount of weight loss now when you’re young can help when you’re older.

“I exercise not just to stay fit and trim but also to build and strengthen muscle, balance my hormones and stave off serious health conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis,” says Su-Ai.

“Exercise also sharpens my focus, gives me mental clarity and makes me feel good. I’m a big-time food lover but I find that the healthier I feel overall, the less I crave sweet and processed foods and the better I eat. What I’m doing now will affect my quality of life for the next 40 years or more, so I keep at it.”