“Obesity incidence starts increasing in one's twenties and peaks at 40 to 59, and then decreases slightly after age 60,” says Craig Primack, MD, an obesity medicine physician at the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center in Arizona.
As you age, your muscle mass decreases and your fat mass increases. Fat is less metabolically active than muscle—you don't need as many calories to maintain fat as you do to maintain muscle. Hormonal changes can also lead to weight gain.
Study shows that younger people and women are more likely to put on extra pounds. A study that examined the long-term weight gain of more than 13,800 U.S. adults found that on average, people gained about 17 pounds between their twenties and thirties.
The finding of the study suggests that people in middle age certainly gain weight and it is harder for them to lose it, but slow metabolism is not the real reason behind it. It was revealed that from the 20s to the 50s the energy expenditure is the most stable.
Typically from the age of 40, testosterone levels drop. As testosterone is responsible for regulating fat distribution, muscle strength and muscle mass, less testosterone can make it harder to burn calories. Both men and women produce less growth hormone from middle age, another hormone involved in regulating body fat.
Women find it easiest to diet at 25 years old – while 30 is when they are most likely to put on weight, according to a survey. Research found that, by the time they are 40, women have lost an average of 3st, with eight diets in their twenties and six during their thirties.
Well, the body's "metabolism speeds up" in the cold months. Pooja Malhotra said that the body burns more calories to maintain body temperature in winter. So, if you remain physically active and eat mindfully, "winter is the best time to lose weight."
Summer is considered to be the best season for weight loss. This is because during winters, availability of comfort foods and cold climate might deviate us from our goals but summer foods and a happier weather help us stay energetic and get going all day long.
"There's a broad spectrum of metabolisms and hormonal balances among people, but generally, men store fat in the abdominal area, and women store fat in their hips and legs," Gonzalez-Lomas told Menshealth.com. It all comes down to two things you can't really control: genetics and hormones.
During your early 20s, skin is experiencing its first major transformations. This is the golden age for your skin's health and appearance because collagen production is thriving — AKA why your face looks so glossy and bouncy all the time.
Yes your face will continue to change throughout your 20s and 30s. I'm 25 years old and though I'm heavier than I was at 18, my face is much more defined! The baby fat naturally fades away on the face. While every person ages differently, many patients begin to notice signs of facial volume loss starting in their 20s.
Despite it all, not every change you'll face in your mid-twenties is negative. Whether you've been rocking curves since puberty or have noticed more curves as of late, the body will likely go through some visible changes around this age–and yes, that's a good thing.
Muscle is denser than fat, and as it is more compact within your body, as you gain muscle mass, you end up looking thinner, no matter your physical weight. So, if you've been doing a lot of strength training lately, it's likely this is the reason that you're looking fantastic but not dropping those numbers.
Everybody is different, and various factors play a role in determining each person's ideal weight. These factors can be biological, such as age, height, and natal sex, but mental factors can be just as important. An individual may define their ideal weight as the one with which they feel the most comfortable.
One of the main reasons that undereating can lead to weight gain is because consuming too few calories can cause your resting metabolic rate to slow down. This means you may burn fewer calories throughout the day.
The truth is, this strategy can backfire. People think that by skipping food intake, they'll lose weight. But what you really need to be concerned about overall is total daily calorie intake. The problem is that when we go without food, fat-storing enzymes increase and metabolism decreases as a means of preservation.
Losing weight in your 30s may be more challenging than when you were younger, but it's not impossible. It's important to have patience and make mindful, nutritious choices. This includes eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, and making sure to get your body moving.
While sweating doesn't burn fat, the internal cooling process is a sign that you're burning calories. “The main reason we sweat during a workout is the energy we're expending is generating internal body heat,” Novak says. So if you're working out hard enough to sweat, you're burning calories in the process.
"Your body works hard to keep you warm by producing its own heat, and that's the way you end up burning calories without trying. It may not be noticeable, but in winter you are more likely to lose weight naturally," says dietician Garima Goyal.
No matter what your age, you can improve your fitness.
If it's been a long time since you've exercised and you're feeling less than fit, you might think that it's too late to make a change. But you're wrong. You can improve your fitness at any age.
Epidemiologists have observed that the average person typically puts on 1 to 2 pounds a year from early adulthood through middle age. The CDC's numbers show that much of the increase is concentrated in the 20s, for men and women.
Weight gain is common as we age. As you move through your 20s on to your 30s, you may notice subtle changes in your waistline, and an increasing tendency to gain weight. We should however be mindful that metabolic rate does change as we get older because of the decline in our muscle mass.