Introduction
Why Your Metabolism Slows Down After 30. I’m a health coach and personal trainer, and I’ve had clients who have struggled to lose weight since they were young adults. But it’s not just newbies who get frustrated with their bodies: People who have been dieting for years and still haven’t found success. This is especially true for those in our 30s, 40s, 50s, etc.
Why is it so hard to lose weight after 30? Well, there are several reasons why our bodies change as we age—some for the better (fewer aches and pains), others not so much (we’re more prone to illness).
In this article, I’ll break down exactly what happens when you hit your third decade on this planet and explain how you can stop fighting your body with every ounce of willpower while also learning how to love yourself…and maybe even start burning fat again!
Metabolism Slows Down.
One of the most common reasons for this is age. The human body burns fewer calories as you age, making it harder to drop pounds.
The reason for this is pretty simple: as we age, our metabolism slows down by about 5% every decade. This is a natural part of the aging process—and it’s not something we can change by eating less or exercising more (although exercise helps).
The good news? There are other reasons why weight loss becomes even more difficult after 30.
Your Hormones Change.
Hormones are chemical messengers that tell your body what to do. They control everything from your moods to your metabolism and directly impact how you lose weight. When you’re younger, your hormones work together to help you maintain a healthy weight, but as you age, they start to change—and those changes can make losing weight more difficult than in your 20s or 30s.
The most important hormone for weight loss is leptin, which signals when you’re full to stop eating before overeating and gaining too much weight. Leptin production decreases with age (as does insulin), making it harder for people over 40 to feel satisfied with their meals and stop eating when they should.
In addition, sleep quality affects hormones like cortisol; lack of sleep makes this hormone more active which leads to increased appetite (or cravings) during the day and reduced energy expenditure at night when it should be slowing down (leading people who experience chronic insomnia into an unhealthy cycle where they eat more food late at night). Hormonal changes due to aging also affect estrogen levels which may explain why women tend not only to gain weight around menopause but also to gain more than men after turning 50 years old.”
You Lose Muscle And Gain Fat.
As you age, your body’s metabolism naturally slows down. This means that you burn fewer calories than you used to. And that means for your weight to stay the same or even go down, you need to eat less and exercise more than before.
If you want to lose weight but aren’t working out regularly, the best way is through diet changes alone. You can’t get rid of inches by exercising alone—you have to combine it with watching what goes into your mouth.
You’re Not Sleeping Well.
If you’re having trouble losing weight after 30, it might be because you’re not getting enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to increased stress, which may contribute to weight gain. Research has shown that people who get less than six hours of sleep each night are more likely to gain weight over time.
It’s important to note that those with a lot of body fat lose less muscle mass as they age and tend not to feel as exhausted from exercise as leaner individuals do. You can help increase the amount of muscle on your body by sleeping for at least seven hours each night and making sure that you’re exercising regularly—including strength training!
You Don’t Feel Well Rested.
You don’t feel well rested.
We all know that sleep is important, but did you know that lack of sleep can directly impact your weight? If you aren’t getting enough shut-eye, staying motivated enough to work out or stick with healthy eating habits is harder. You might even find yourself craving sugary foods to keep your energy up throughout the day. But getting more sleep isn’t as simple as putting in an extra hour or two at night; everyone needs different amounts of rest—the National Sleep Foundation recommends seven hours for adults ages 18–64 and about nine hours for those over 65—and some people need more than others based on factors like age and activity level (e.g., if you’re pregnant or recovering from an injury).
But don’t fret: There are plenty of ways to get more quality zzzs without spending hours in bed every night! Try these expert tips for sleeping better tonight:
Why Your Metabolism Slows Down After 30: You Increase Your Stress Level.
- You increase your stress level.
- Stress is one of the greatest enemies of weight loss, and it’s not a direct cause, but it does increase your likelihood of gaining weight.
- Stress can cause you to eat more, exercise less, and sleep less. If stressed during the day, you’re more likely to reach for takeaway food or comfort foods like chocolate after work instead of making something healthy for dinner that night. The lack of sleep makes us tired and lethargic, so instead of doing short bursts of exercise, we may decide that we don’t have time in our busy schedules for anything but sitting around watching Netflix all evening long—making sure there are no opportunities for any strenuous activity whatsoever!
Stress also causes anxiety and depression, leading people back into their old eating habits because they feel like they have no control over their lives anymore (or maybe they don’t care).
Why Your Metabolism Slows Down After 30: You Lose Perspective.
Losing sight of your goals is one of the biggest reasons it’s so difficult to lose weight after 30. It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities that make up life and forget what drove you to take on that goal in the first place. You may not even realize how much progress you’ve made or how far from where you started.
You may feel like nothing has changed since those days when losing weight meant simply eating less and moving more—but think about it: If nothing has changed, why do clothes still feel tight around your thighs? Why do mirrors show a bigger waistline than they did years ago? And if nothing has changed, why does a bagel seem like such an indulgence now instead of just a normal part of breakfast?
There Are Several Reasons It’s Harder To Lose Weight After 30, But There Are Ways To Overcome Them.
So why is it so hard to lose weight after 30? There are several reasons, but here are the top five:
- Your metabolism slows down
- Hormones change as you age
- You lose muscle and gain fat
- You’re not sleeping well, if at all
- You don’t feel well rested or like you have enough energy for your day-to-day activities
Conclusion
Why Your Metabolism Slows Down After 30. We know that the struggle is real when it comes to weight loss. And while there are many factors at play, we hope these tips have given you some insight into what might be causing your struggles.
If you’re feeling frustrated and ready to try something new, keep in mind that there are many options for people who want to lose weight but struggle with traditional diets and exercise programs like P90X or CrossFit. We recommend exploring them all!
