When people reach their forties, they tend to start gaining weight. And if you’re someone who cares a lot about how you look, it can be confusing. Knowing why you are getting fatter will help you develop the right weight loss regimen that works for you.
To help you out, we’re looking at the top ten reasons why you’ll gain weight after 40.
-
Lack of sleep
Family responsibilities will peak as you enter your forties. And as a result, you are most likely not sleeping well due to the excessive workload and tension that comes with it.
Lack of proper sleep also plays a role in your weight gain. A hunger hormone called ghrelin released when you suffer from improper sleep. As a result, you will feel more hungry during the day and you will end up eating a lot, which will eventually lead to weight gain.
-
Desk Work
People who have worked at a desk for decades will inevitably gain weight after forty, especially if they have never exercised their body. In addition to a low metabolism which will burn fewer calories and store fat around the stomach, insulin levels will also be high and contribute to weight gain.
-
Quick Eats
If you are someone who is too busy with work, you are most likely not eating right. Instead of chewing and swallowing your food, you may just bite it into small pieces and swallow them. This is the wrong way to eat.
If you practice this for a few years, you will start to gain weight. Undigested food in the intestine destroys it. This will lead to some serious digestive problems and subsequent weight gain problems.
-
Too Much Gut Flora
Your intestines are home to many millions of microorganisms. This includes microbes like fungi, bacteria, viruses, and so on. And while some of these can be beneficial to you, some can be harmful to your body.
The problem starts when there is an excess of ‘bad’ microbes. This will hinder your weight loss efforts as you will most likely stay fat. The easiest way to overcome this problem is to regularly use probiotic supplements. If you can’t, then try consuming fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and so on.
-
Thyroid Problems
The hormones in the thyroid usually reach low levels as a person ages. And this low thyroid level has a negative effect on the body – slows down the metabolic rate. A lower metabolic rate means less properly digested food, which ultimately results in weight gain.
Therefore, you are advised to see a doctor to see if there is an imbalance in the thyroid. If so, you may have to take additional nutrients like selenium, zinc, Vitamin A, etc. to resolve the issue.
-
Excessive pills
People over their forties tend to take too many pills – from prescription drugs, to antibiotics, to painkillers, and so on. Over time, these pills will damage the inner lining of the intestines as well as the functioning of the liver.
As a result, you will gain too much weight. So, consult your doctor and cut down on unnecessary pills for a healthy life.
-
Too Much Poison
By the time you reach forty, you are already exposed to a large number of toxins from the food you eat and the environment in which you live. These toxins are usually stored in fat cells to prevent them from coming in contact with important body organs.
As a result, the body will stick to these cells, causing you to become fat. The only solution is to eat healthy, organic food and use only organic cleaning products at home.
-
Menopause
Women usually experience menopause when they enter their late thirties and early forties. And this can also be a reason to gain weight. Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can ‘get’ done. The only thing you can do is follow a proper diet and do regular exercise to stay fit.
If you’re looking for some proven ways to shed excess pounds, take a look 9 Science Backed Tips To Keep Your Weight In Control.
-
Less Sports
If you have never exercised in your life then it is very likely that you will start gaining weight rapidly once you pass the age of forty. Due to lack of physical activity, excess fat in your body can never be burned.
Instead, it will still accumulate around your waist. And since your metabolism is already low, it’s the lack of exercise that exacerbates the situation and results in rapid weight gain.
-
Heavy Drinker
If you have started drinking alcohol, it can also be a reason for weight gain. On the one hand, alcohol itself may contain excessive amounts of sugar which can cause serious problems with weight management. In addition, alcohol also tends to trigger the need to eat too much.
-
stress
You may be at a critical time in your career where you have the opportunity to rise to the top of the company. But this will also bring too much stress. You will do the extra work to ensure that your boss notices you and rewards you with a better position.
Stressing yourself out this way once you reach forty will easily add a few extra inches around your waist. This happens because cortisol in the body will flood the bloodstream with sugar. Excess sugar will definitely be stored as fat in the body, thus making you gain weight.
The only way to avoid it is to learn stress management techniques to calm yourself whenever you feel too stressed.
