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Posted: 3/18/2023 1:50:36 PM EDT
[#18]
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It starts earlier than 40 (although people who maintain high levels of physical activity, can hold it off longer).
The metabolism just naturally begins to slow as we age. We also naturally store more visceral fat as we age, which is why all the skinfold bodyfat calculations are age dependent.
The exact same skinfold measurements, means a higher bodyfat percentage for a 30 year old, than a 20 year old. On average, the same skinfold measurements = ~1% higher bodyfat for every 5 years past 20. The same measurements that work out to ~15% bodyfat for a 20 year old, work out to ~22% for someone my age.
Beyond 20, it takes increasing care and effort to not keep getting fatter. Up to my early 30s, I could eat like crap, and not worry about even getting above 10% BF, between my metabolism and the fact that I engaged in a lot of physical activity.
You're right about that 40 mark, though. Even while maintaining high levels of physical activity, I realized past 40, that I had to be much more careful of my diet. Gone were the days when I could eat fast food for a week, and finish off a family sized box of chocolate chip cookies in 2 days, without seeing changes in my skinfold measurements. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes ![Discussion Forums](/images/2016/spacer.gif) Quote HistoryQuoted:Quoted:Quoted:Quoted:Why do people equate getting old to getting fat...like it's just something you can't avoid? You can't avoid getting old, but that doesn't mean you need to get fat on the way there. Moving less? Eat less. I know numerous people in their 60s and 70s who aren't fat. The one thing they all have in common is that they eat significantly less than the ones who ARE fat, and the ones who can, stay more active (even if it's simple things like going on daily walks, or gardening). People can choose to make the effort, or make excuses. One is easier than the other. I'm convinced that at a certain point around 40 years old, you need to make a very adult choice and stop sticking sweet things in your mouth except for special occasions. You aren't a kid anymore, that cupcake is going mostly into storage, even if you are pretty active. Time to be a grown up and drink black coffee and stop putting sugar on your cereal. Lots of people actually start snacking more in middle age though...grazing is a terrible habit, it's what makes cattle fat. It starts earlier than 40 (although people who maintain high levels of physical activity, can hold it off longer). The metabolism just naturally begins to slow as we age. We also naturally store more visceral fat as we age, which is why all the skinfold bodyfat calculations are age dependent. The exact same skinfold measurements, means a higher bodyfat percentage for a 30 year old, than a 20 year old. On average, the same skinfold measurements = ~1% higher bodyfat for every 5 years past 20. The same measurements that work out to ~15% bodyfat for a 20 year old, work out to ~22% for someone my age. Beyond 20, it takes increasing care and effort to not keep getting fatter. Up to my early 30s, I could eat like crap, and not worry about even getting above 10% BF, between my metabolism and the fact that I engaged in a lot of physical activity. You're right about that 40 mark, though. Even while maintaining high levels of physical activity, I realized past 40, that I had to be much more careful of my diet. Gone were the days when I could eat fast food for a week, and finish off a family sized box of chocolate chip cookies in 2 days, without seeing changes in my skinfold measurements. I love sweets, but I try to limit them. I'll still eat a cookie before a workout or slam a gatorade every now and then on a really hot day after work, but I purposefully avoid desserts or grazing by just not buying the shit. I found out around age 30 that I can't just eat a whole chocolate cake anymore and feel okay afterwards. It's similar to how I would feel if I had a few beers in the morning and then stopped, that shitty afternoon sleepy hangover feeling. My mother in law thinks I'm insane. We do supper there every Thursday and she always does dessert. Sometimes I'll take a whole helping, but most of the time I'll just take one spoonful of ice cream, or like half a brownie. A little taste is adequate, if I was still hungry I'll just go get some more supper from the kitchen. I usually do pancakes or waffles on Sunday morning for the kids, and I try to fill up on eggs so that I only want one pancake instead of a stack of 5.
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