It’s one of the unfortunate aspects of getting older.  Everything starts to hurt and you gain weight while losing muscle tone.  However, thanks to increased studies as to why we gain weight as we age, tips are starting to emerge as to the best way to fight back against the body’s natural weight gain.  The one key component is exercise.  Duh.  Any time anyone wants to lose weight, they can eat less and move more and do that, but exercise is crucial to good health at old age.

As we get older, muscle mass decreases due to changes in hormone levels, activity levels, and general wear and tear on the body; this causes the muscle tissue not to regenerate as fast as it once did.  Basically, things wear out and they take longer to replace. Since muscles are the main engine of the body when it comes to burning calories, eating the same amount of calories per day leads to increased weight gain.  Exercise helps keep those muscle fibers in good shape, stimulates the body’s hormone production, and can even counteract the joint problems so common with old age.

So, seniors, if you want to feel better and be healthier, it’s time to start getting active!  Just be careful you don’t overdo it; slow and steady is the key.

Image: Neatorama

Tags: aging and weight gain, why we gain weight, gaining weight as we get older, muscle mass, unusual health news, weight gain research, geriatric medicine, how to lose weight, health benefits of exercise

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