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With Age, Your Body Changes It Shape

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 January 2005, 21:00 CST

Q. I am a 57-year-old female who is conscious of what she eats. I also walk and lift light weights on a pretty regular basis. Though my weight has stayed the same, my waist has gotten bigger. My pants and skirts fit tight, and I'm not sure what else I should be doing. What do you suggest?

A. I'm glad to see that you still find value in exercising regularly as well as being mindful of your nutrition selections.

As we age, it's natural for our body composition to shift. During the aging process, our bodies tend to lose muscle mass and increase fat if we are inactive. Gravity also comes into play, no matter how active we are. For women, we tend to notice fat shifting into the abdominal region; this probably explains why your clothing fits differently.

Though it's true that regular exercise can slow down the aging process, it's important to evaluate your workout to make sure it's still challenging your body.

Additionally, make sure that your nutrition continues to be well balanced. Complacency is often the culprit in slow and steady weight gain, simply because we become so comfortable with our routines that we don't feel the need to change anything.

No matter what your age, you should continue to "play around" with your workout and offer your body new and interesting exercises.

Only by offering your body new things will your body step up to the plate and respond by maintaining a healthy composition.

So here are a few tips that might be just what you need to get back into your skirts and slacks comfortably.

First, see a doctor to make sure there's no medical reason that you are gaining around the middle.

Have your strength training program evaluated by a fitness professional. Make sure you are lifting the appropriate amount of weight and that you have a nice variety of exercises for various body parts. In other words, you don't want to keep doing the same thing day after day, week after week.

If you've been walking the same distance at the same pace, it's probably time to kick it up a bit. (Check this with your doc first, too.) You can begin by either increasing your intensity level (walking faster) or increasing your distance (walking farther). Also, check into alternative cardiovascular exercises such as swimming or biking.

Record what you eat for a week or too and have a dietitian review it. You may find that foods you thought were healthy are not helping you at all when it comes to maintaining a lean body. A couple of appointments may be necessary.

Look at races and events in your area. It's great to have incentives and set goals to help keep your activities interesting and challenging.

Good luck and keep up the great work!

Trainer tip: The number of obese U.S. citizens age 65 and older rose from 18 percent in 1980 to 36 percent in 2002. During this same period, the percentage of overweight seniors rose from 55 percent in 1980 to 73 percent in 2002. Federal agencies estimate that these numbers will increase in health-care costs by $30 to $40 billion dollars per year. Visit www.agingstats.gov for more information.

- Nicki Anderson is a certified personal trainer, author and owner of Reality Fitness in Naperville. Contact her at RealityFitness1@@aol.com or see www.real-life-weight-loss.com.

Source: Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.

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