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Is it typical for men's metabolism to slow down after 40? I'm 44, and within the past year, have started struggling to keep fat off my abdomen.
Background: Never been overweight, I'm 5'9" and weigh today about 161, have been working out at the gym regularly for 18 years and doing regular cardio for over 20 years. Due to having 3 year old twins, my gym visits are only 3 times a week, but I do average 12-14 miles per week of fast walking (gave up running for walking over a decade ago)
Today's food is typical for me - breakfast is low fat Activia yogurt with 3-4 tblsp. granola and a handfull of blueberries, one egg white scrambled w/one low fat turkey link, snack = handfull of raw almonds, lunch is a 300 or so calorie Healthy Start vegetarian meal with two Wasa (no fat, high fiber) crackers, an orange, and 3 low fat Oreos, afternoon snack of an apple. Dinner will be two veggie hamburger patties, squash cooked in olive oil, three bean salad w/fat free dressing on it, then about a half cup fat free sorbet for dinner. The the bad.... munchies kick in around 8 p.m. so I've been trying a little natural peanut butter on one or two Wasa crackers, or a couple handfulls of those pretzel sticks that are nearly fat free.
For years I weighed 157 or so. But the weight I've put on is right in my abdomen and I can't stand it. I've cut all beer out and only allow myself wine on Friday and Saturday evening, so I don't think I'm drinking enough to put on a "beer belly". I don't get it. I eat no fast food, no fried food. I excercise, and often go to bed hungry.
Its because you walk instead of run. Running burns off a lot more food calories. If you want to avoid joint strain and get your calorie burn back start using a bike or swim. Start lifting to preserve your lean mass now. Its good for the bones and will help give you a little edge with your metabolism if your turn extra calories into lean tissue instead of fat.
Its because you walk instead of run. Running burns off a lot more food calories. If you want to avoid joint strain and get your calorie burn back start using a bike or swim. Start lifting to preserve your lean mass now. Its good for the bones and will help give you a little edge with your metabolism if your turn extra calories into lean tissue instead of fat.
I do lift weights (have been lifting for 18 years without a break) and am quite lean w/muscle everywhere else. The only fat is showing up on my abdomen. I've increased ab workouts as well. I have lower back pain (on and off) ever since I was 20 which prevents the running, so maybe I should buy a bike. Nothing has changed in my workout routine and if anything, diet has improved in the past year, so I'm guessing my metabolism has slowed. I just want to avoid looking like a chubby middle-aged man!
I'm a couple of years ahead of you and was running into the same problem. Read this book and it helped a lot. One thing that I have read in other places is that no matter what you weigh, your belly justs gets bigger as you age. So I have just gotten used to the fact that even though I am in really good shape, I'll never fit into a 32" waist pair of jeans again.
Yes, high intensity interval training has been shown to reduce stomach fat.
As everyone ages, metabolism slows. Up your workout and you should be fine.
By the way, the eating could be better, especially since you say you go to bed hungry.
Is it typical for men's metabolism to slow down after 40? I'm 44, and within the past year, have started struggling to keep fat off my abdomen.
Background: Never been overweight, I'm 5'9" and weigh today about 161, have been working out at the gym regularly for 18 years and doing regular cardio for over 20 years. Due to having 3 year old twins, my gym visits are only 3 times a week, but I do average 12-14 miles per week of fast walking (gave up running for walking over a decade ago)
Today's food is typical for me - breakfast is low fat Activia yogurt with 3-4 tblsp. granola and a handfull of blueberries, one egg white scrambled w/one low fat turkey link, snack = handfull of raw almonds, lunch is a 300 or so calorie Healthy Start vegetarian meal with two Wasa (no fat, high fiber) crackers, an orange, and 3 low fat Oreos, afternoon snack of an apple. Dinner will be two veggie hamburger patties, squash cooked in olive oil, three bean salad w/fat free dressing on it, then about a half cup fat free sorbet for dinner. The the bad.... munchies kick in around 8 p.m. so I've been trying a little natural peanut butter on one or two Wasa crackers, or a couple handfulls of those pretzel sticks that are nearly fat free.
For years I weighed 157 or so. But the weight I've put on is right in my abdomen and I can't stand it. I've cut all beer out and only allow myself wine on Friday and Saturday evening, so I don't think I'm drinking enough to put on a "beer belly". I don't get it. I eat no fast food, no fried food. I excercise, and often go to bed hungry.
First thing I noticed was that you have a lot of sugar in your diet. Granted some of it is natural sugar, but it's still a lot of sugar.
Try having just one fruit a day and sub the rest of them with veggies. Baby carrots, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper strips...etc.
I would say you need a bit more protein as well. If the Veggie burgers are made my morning star you are only getting about 20gms of protein with that meal. The egg white would add about 5gms of protein (being generous) and turkey link about 4.5gms (Jimmy Dean Turkey links have 13gms per 3 links). Your nuts have about 7-10gms. So you are looking at a total intake of about 40gms from lean protein sources. You should have roughly 60gms a day in your diet. Upping the protein may keep the munchies away and you won't be going to bed hungry.
Ab workouts won't prevent a gut (ie you can't isolate fat loss). I suggest that you need to change your routine. If you have kept the same routine for years, then you are more than due for a change. There is also a good chance you aren't pushing yourself anymore. You have become comfortable with what workouts you're doing and haven't felt the need to push harder. Start adding more weight to your strength exercices and increase your speed and/or distance on the cardio.
First thing I noticed was that you have a lot of sugar in your diet. Granted some of it is natural sugar, but it's still a lot of sugar.
Try having just one fruit a day and sub the rest of them with veggies. Baby carrots, sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper strips...etc.
I would say you need a bit more protein as well. If the Veggie burgers are made my morning star you are only getting about 20gms of protein with that meal. The egg white would add about 5gms of protein (being generous) and turkey link about 4.5gms (Jimmy Dean Turkey links have 13gms per 3 links). Your nuts have about 7-10gms. So you are looking at a total intake of about 40gms from lean protein sources. You should have roughly 60gms a day in your diet. Upping the protein may keep the munchies away and you won't be going to bed hungry.
Thanks... great suggestions. I've considered that I don't get enough protein, especially since I'm not much of a meat eater. I do try to incorporate black beans and other beans as much as possible. As for the sugar, I've always had a sweet tooth, so I'm using a lot of restraint on sugar!
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