Body Weight For Age

What's the ideal body weight for age? A recent study done on healthy men between the ages of 17 and 90 revealed that body weight increased by 17% every ten years. While this may not seem much, you'll need to remember that this is an accelerating figure - that is, you'll gain weight faster and faster if you don't watch your diet and exercise regimen. But why does it become easier to gain weight (or harder to maintain your weight) when you get older?
?
Less activity means more body weight for age
?
As we age, we find that we're able to deal with smaller amounts of work. This means we settle into a more routinely lifestyle, doing the same things over and over. When we work less, but keep eating the same amount of food (and hence the same amount of calories) when we were younger, we tend to burn fewer calories. This means that an excess number of calories gets stored away as fat, and this fat accumulates into significant weight gain at the end of the year.
?
If you'd like to keep your ideal body weight for age ratio, you'll need to compensate the decreased amount of work with some other form of physical activity. There's a reason why exercise is important even as you go older, since it keeps your metabolism high and keeps those excess calories at bay.
?
Changing the diet can help maintain a good body weight for age ratio
?
Some people also keep a relatively low body weight for age by switching to a diet that's lower in calories, but more nutritionally dense. This means you can also take in less of the bad stuff (food with empty calories, such as donuts and soda), and more of the good stuff (fruit, lean meat, vegetables, and whole grains).
?
Don't make the mistake of simply eating less to keep from gaining weight. This can trick the body into lowering your metabolism so that it uses up fewer calories. As a result, you might end up eating less, but not losing any weight at all. And when you go back to your old diet, your weight will spike, and it'll be much harder to lose those excess pounds again.
?
Hormonal changes can also affect your body weight for age ratio
?
Our bodies also undergo hormonal changes as we age. In men, for instance, there is a steady decrease in the amounts of the sex hormone testosterone as they get older. Less testosterone results in a loss of lean body mass and muscle, which means the calorie-burning capacity of the body decreases? If the diet is maintained, this result in excess calories turned into fat.
?
Women, on the other hand, may experience weight gain after menopause. This is caused by the decrease of the hormone estrogen. It's important for women to switch to a low-calorie, high-nutrition diet and maintain a moderate exercise regimen to maintain their ideal body weight for age ratio as they get older.
?
So, as in all ages of a person's life, it's important to eat a balanced diet and a regular exercise habit to maintain a good, healthy body weight for your age. The earlier you begin, the better you'll fare in life's golden years.

You will find more helpful diet information when you review the best diet plans @ Strip That Fat or read more articles like this @ Trim That Fat This article may be freely distributed without modification and provided that the copyright notice and any author's name's remain intact