Weight Loss After 30

Is Weight loss after 30 any more difficult than weight loss in your 20’s? Is physical decline really inevitable and do you just need to accept that a little extra blubber is just par for the course? Absolutely not, in this article I’ll tell you why your 30’s are as good a time as any to get in the best shape of your life.

In our teens and 20’s we can get away with a lot. We can go out and party at the weekends, eat less than optimal food and stay up late at night and still be in pretty good shape. In general however, as we get into our 30’s the body tends to be a little less forgiving. Why is this the case and, more importantly, does it need to be?

First of all, the good news is this is not inevitable. Yes, statistics show that after 30 years of age our metabolism tends to slow down and our testosterone tends to decline. However these things are preventable. The decline in metabolic rate happens mainly due to one thing – loss of lean muscle mass! At a rate of about .5% per year between the ages of 25 and 60 ,the average sedentary man loses muscle. Remember that muscle is very metabolically expensive. In fact for every 10lbs of muscle you gain, burn an extra 500 calories a day. So by allowing yourself to lose muscle you are slowing your metabolic rate and making it far easier for the fat to creep on and take up residence on your gut. This muscle loss in not an inevitable result of the aging process and you do not need to be a victim of aging! It is simply a result of becoming less active as you get older, so stay active or get active!

Another factor affecting weight loss after 30 is reduction testosterone production. Higher testerone is positively correlated with reduced fat and increased muscle mass. In other words,lower testeosterone is bad news if you like looking good naked. Again this is not totally inevitable, simply ensuring you get enough sleep will help to offset this for example. But the absolute best thing you can do right now to prevent this decline is to begin a proper training program which both burns fat and increases muscle mass, coupled with a diet that promotes higher testosterone.

Here are some tips for optimising your diet and training program for testosterone production and muscle gain and weight loss after 30 and beyond.

1- Select big bang for your buck exercises – The squat, deadlift and bench press have all been shown to increase the release of anabolic hormones. Building your training program around these exercises is a great choice.

2- Don’t fear fat – You absolutely need some saturated fat in the diet. Don’t be afraid to eat plenty of grass fed beef and other red meat as saturated fat is necessary for testosterone production. “What about my cholesterol?” I hear you ask, well that’s for another article but cholesterol is largely genetically determined and the idea that “fat increases cholesterol” is nowhere near as rock solid and scientifically proven as many people think. Bottom line, if your eating terrible, processed food with tonnes of fat in it you are going to have problems. But naturally fatty foods like beef, organic butter, avocados and coconut oil are testosterone enhancing and, if anything, good for your heart!

3- Eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables- Without getting overly scientific, these bad boys (such as broccoli, arugula, kale and cabbage) while not exactly being a taste sensation are good news for your physique. Some studies have shown that in addition to preventing some types of cancer, they also help “mop up” estrogen within the body. Less estrogen equals more free testosterone which once agin means you look better in a speedo (gross oversimplification there but this isn’t a physiology lesson).

So there we have it. Weight loss over 30 is easy when you have a good diet and training plan. Don’t be a victim of the aging process! Your 30’s could be the best years of your life if you only take control of your physique and your health, so start today!