Why Is Weight Loss Difficult In Your 30s?

There are several reasons you might find it difficult to lose weight as a woman over 30. There are many changes in your body and lifestyle as you hit the 30 mark:

·       Muscle mass loss

You begin to lose muscle mass as you age. According to research, your muscle mass experiences a decline between 3% to 8% every decade. This is referred to as "Sarcopenia," a term used to describe the gradual loss of muscle mass as a person ages. People over the age of 30 also experience muscle loss due to age-related medical disorders such as arthritis. These conditions make them less active since they cannot go to the gym or perform easy exercises at home.

As you become older, muscle mass loss should be addressed since it promotes weight gain and impedes weight control attempts. This is because muscles have a faster metabolic rate than fat mass. Thus, your metabolism slows down as you lose lean muscle mass, making it more difficult to lose weight.

·       Slow metabolism

Loss of muscle mass slows your metabolism, the mechanism through which calories are converted into energy. In addition, as you grow older, you tend to become less physically active, which decreases your body's metabolism rate.

·       Busy schedules

A twenty-year-old's lifestyle is somewhat easier than that of someone over 30. There is so much leisure time in your 20s, so you can go to the gym and exercise as much as you want. However, being over 30 comes with a lot of responsibilities you did not have in your 20s.

During your thirties, there are a lot of family and job duties, which makes it impossible to enjoy life as much as you did in your twenties. So, due to hectic schedules, many people find it difficult to lose weight.

While having a full-time job may be a terrific thing as you enter your thirties, forties, and fifties, it can also provide some weight reduction issues. For starters, you're most likely less active. Getting to and from work may take an hour or more each way, and once you're there, you may spend eight or more hours at your desk. This leaves room for little or no physical activities.

·       Hormonal change

Certain hormone levels fluctuate in both men and women as they age, which can be associated with weight gain. During menopause and the years preceding menopause, women experience hormonal changes. During this time, women's estrogen levels drop significantly. A female's body produces estrogen, which regulates the reproductive system. Estrogen levels begin to rise throughout puberty, peak in the 20s and 30s, and decline in menopause. Older women's body fat mass increases and shifts due to this menopausal transition.

It is well known that estrogen is linked to weight gain, but how come? Is estrogen a result of fat, or does fat cause estrogen to be produced?

It is a combination of the two. Estrogen synthesis begins with the growth of fat cells in the body. But on the other hand, elevated amounts of estrogen slow down metabolism, causing the body to accumulate extra fat. This may spiral out of control for many people, leading to rapid weight gain.

Estrogen induces weight gain by preventing the thyroid from functioning properly. In a normal-weight woman, estrogen and thyroid hormones work together in a delicate symbiosis.

However, when a woman's weight increases, her estrogen levels steadily depress her thyroid function, thus lowering her metabolic rate and promoting weight gain.

This article is an excerpt from the book “LOST IT AT 30: A Simple Weight Loss Guide for Women in their 30s, 40s, and Beyond.”