No matter your age, these 4 common factors can affect weight loss

While losing weight seems to get harder and harder as you get older, despite making healthier choices over the years, there is actually a science behind the struggle.

“Biologically, our basal metabolic rate (the number of calories we burn just by being alive) decreases with age,” says Rebecca Washuta, LDN, nutritionist and coach manager at Noom. “Behaviorally, we generally become more sedentary and less active as we age, which can lead to loss of muscle mass.”

You can’t control how your biology changes as you age, but there is one thing you can do to support your metabolic rate: strength training. “Pound for pound, the metabolic rate of lean muscle is higher than the metabolic rate of fat tissue, which means the more lean muscle tissue you have, the higher your metabolic rate,” says Washuta. “Strength training is the best way to … help reduce the amount of lean muscle tissue you lose and build new muscle tissue.”

This is why adding strength training to a regular training regimen is one of the first things Washuta recommends for people trying to lose weight. After that, you can start to take an inventory of the other factors that affect weight loss – because age is not the only one. Noom – a weight loss program that helps educate people about healthy lifestyle choices – takes these factors into account by adding up age, height, weight, gender, and activity level to calculate plans personalized users.

And while everyone’s journey is different, there are some common obstacles that people trying to lose weight often face. Here, Washuta breaks down four of the most common factors she’s seen affecting users during her years as a coach.

Stress affects everyone differently, but living in a constant state of worry won’t help anyone achieve their goals. “Stress can not only affect your metabolism and raise your blood sugar, but it can also trigger behavior patterns that may not match long-term goals, like reaching for comfort food or skipping the gym,” says Washuta.

Whether it’s starting a meditation practice or taking a break from a stressful work day, finding stress management practices that work for you can help you calmly stay on track.

While losing weight doesn’t necessarily mean cutting out alcohol completely, alcohol is something that is easy to overdo without realizing how many calories you are consuming. “If you make healthy choices throughout the day, but then drink several drinks at night, you could be wasting all your hard work,” Washuta says. “At Noom, we encourage people to log their food and drink (at least initially) so that you get a good idea of ​​how many calories you are consuming daily.”

Achieving your weight loss goal doesn’t require giving up your evening cabernet glass if you like it, but being mindful of your food and drink choices – for all aspects of your diet, not just the alcohol – can help you find a healthy balance.

This one seems pretty obvious, but Washuta isn’t just talking about going to the gym. “Regular exercise is one of the biggest predictors of long-term weight management,” Washuta says. “But that doesn’t mean you have to run 5 miles a day. Find a workout that you enjoy and can fit into your schedule. A happy move is the best kind of movement.”

And really any form of movement matters, as long as you stick to it, whether it’s weekly HIIT workouts, jumping during TV commercials, or parking in the back of the court to increase your steps.

You might think of losing weight as a solo project (it’s pretty personal, after all), but having a team of cheerleaders can actually make a big difference, Washuta says. “At Noom, users receive daily group support and weekly one-on-one support from their coaches, and we work together to identify support systems at home and in their communities,” she says.

Some suggestions for finding your support team: asking your partner to join you in making healthier choices at the grocery store, planning regular virtual workouts with a long-distance friend or just asking a few members of family to help you celebrate your weight. milestones of loss.