For so many years we believed that we gain weight “with time rather than because of cutlets”, meaning that the older we get (especially, women after menopause), the slower our metabolism becomes. This turned out to be untrue.
The Science journal has recently published the result of an international study that was conducted in 29 countries and completely busted the myth about growing bellies and butts. It also showed the doctors are wrong in saying age matters when you are no longer 25 and that weight gain is inevitable.
So, what do scientists say about the age of 25? They measured the metabolic rate in people from 8 days of age to 95 years. Yes, their metabolism was different. The fastest it is when you are from a few days old to a year (because the child grows and develops rapidly). From one year old to 20 years, it starts to slow down by 3% per year, and then (this is the most interesting thing!) it remains the same from 20 to 60 years old. The same! It is from 60 to 90 years that it begins to really slow down.
This is explained by the fact that after 60 years of age people move little, have chronic diseases, and many of them develop a condition such as a sarcopenia – a decrease in muscle tissue, as well as its replacement with adipose tissue. Fat cells require less energy than muscle cells, but people are already accustomed to buns, pancakes, and cakes.
So what happens?
As children and adolescents, we lead a more or less active life, but then we have years and decades of sitting, busyness and complete “giving up” of any movement.
Move. Move more and more every day. Walk, run, dance, exercise, bike, swim and do it every day, day after day. Then there will be good health, fewer chances for disease and immobilization.
If you are overweight, start simple and small, gradually increasing the duration of the load. If your knees hurt, you load your hands; if your hands hurt, you load your legs. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl. But don’t sit still. And eat accordingly.
This is actually a wonderful study. It gives confidence in one’s own strength but leaves no chance for excuses. So move every day!
