Statistics say that Americans typically gain, on average, one pound a year. As we get older, we tend to gain more weight around our waistlines, which is the kind of weight gain that is more dangerous for our overall health. Why does this happen, and what can baby boomers do to resist this weight gain?

Why Do We Gain The Extra Weight?

Frank Hu, a Harvard professor of nutrition and health, has written a report analyzing twenty years of data following the health habits of 121,000 men and women. From this study, Hu concluded that the following factors resulted in the most significant weight gains or losses:

• Sleeping either less than six hours or more than eight hours per night was associated with weight gain
• Drinking as little as one extra sweetened drink per day (sugar was the sweetener) resulted in an average gain of an extra pound every four years
• Eating as little as one extra serving of potato chips each day resulted in an average gain of an extra 1.7 pounds every four years
• People who regularly ate nuts were more likely to gain less weight each year
• People who ate processed foods (such as white bread) were more likely to gain weight each year

But Why Does The Weight Gain Start to Increase Around Our Waistlines?

It’s not just that Mother Nature is out to make us less attractive; it’s just the side effect of the hormonal changes we all go through in our 50’s and 60’s. Unfortunately, the hormonal changes we experience cause our bodies to start storing extra fat around our middles. Many people in their 50’s and 60’s start slowing down in regards to exercise, which also leads to weight gain in these areas.

What Can We Do To Fight It?

Interestingly enough, many people begin to naturally lose weight as they hit their 60’s, mostly due to shrinking appetites and a reduced need for sleep. If you remain fit enough to be active in your 60’s you may experience an almost effortless shedding of excess weight, simply because you don’t feel like eating as much and have more energy during the day.

However, if you’re not one of the lucky ones who naturally begin shedding pounds in your 60’s, you may want to try some of the following tactics:

• Exercise twice a day. It may sound excessive, but people who exercise twice a day tend to lose more weight than those who work out once a day. This maybe because you’re revving up your metabolism twice per day, which means you burn more calories throughout the day.
• If you can’t work out twice a day, make your one workout a day really count. Vigorous exercise that utilizes your larger muscles (think: swimming, running) will have more impact than slower-paced, less demanding workouts.
• Lift weights. You’ve heard it before, but this is especially valuable for baby boomers. Lifting weights builds muscle, and muscle burns more calories than fat. However, lifting weights also provides two more benefits—it strengthens your core muscles (which prevents falls and injuries, since a strong core is essential for balance) and increases bone density, which protects you from broken bones if you do fall.
• Take up an active hobby. Most baby boomers are finally free from the obligations of raising a family, which means you finally have time for a hobby or two! Instead of watching more television or taking up a sedentary hobby, deliberately choose to take up at least one new active hobby that will keep you moving. The number of hours you spend watching television is directly correlated to how likely you are to gain weight (and is also correlated to how likely you are to feel depressed).  Make an effort to replace television time with active hobby time and see if you don’t feel better and lose weight at the same time.

Most baby boomers have to deal with weight gain, so don’t get down on yourself for it. Instead take it in stride and make efforts where you can.

About the author:

Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on how to get grants for college and college grants for teachers.