Does aging really contribute to weight gain/loss of muscle?

[xene19]

32 F here. I lost a considerable amount of weight during lockdown and managed to keep it off UNTIL I turned 32 in September. Not much has changed in my daily routine. My diet has stayed the same and I exercise just as much, but I am chunkier and not as lean.

Maybe I’ve hit a plateau. I’ve heard that “muscle weighs more than fat” is a myth. Is this aging? Do I need to count calories again? Lift heavier? I feel like I’m injury prone so I take my sweet time with progressive overload. I just want to feel like myself again.

Might be important to note I’ve gotten bloodwork done and everything was normal. Cortisol was elevated but doc said nothing to worry about. I also do a ton of heated HIIT classes with weights. I hear these high intensity workouts aren’t good but I haven’t done enough research.

 

[mikeb34]

@xene19 My experience at age 56:

• training methodology is the number one variable. The body does not make or retain muscle without need. As you get older this dynamic shifts further to the "prove it first" side of the dial. Resistance training with high level of engagement effort is a requirement.
• the body needs more protein to trigger the same amount of muscle synthesis compared to a younger you. Some recent studies suggest this is not the case - I disagree.
• age does not contribute to weight gain, but if you are losing muscle and eating like you aren't, you're going to increase fat % even at the same bodyweight. Many older people eat less to maintain fat:lean mass, but this is a slow race to becoming a stick figure, at best.

 

[pasteldreamrose]

@mikeb34 OP this is really good advice!!

 

[kim5398]

@mikeb34 This is a good post.

 

[anthony1013]

@mikeb34 My experience at 54(m):

=>Diet becomes more and more important when getting older

=>I have not noticed any difference in strength - stamina and overall health when eating more or less protein

=>Eating less meat and whole foods makes me more awake

=>You need to eat less when aging

 

[smm]

@xene19 Muscle doesn't "weigh more" than fat. 1 lb is 1 lb, no matter the contents.

Muscle is more dense than fat. It takes up less space in your body; this is why a lean person at 135 will look smaller than a fatter person at 135.

But as others have said, there are many reasons that contribute to fat loss besides just age. Especially for women. Various studies have shown that weight can fluctuate anywhere from .5 - 4 lbs per day, just due to hormones.

Stay consistent sis. You got this.

 

[lidalulu]

@xene19 at your age, age is not an issue.

 

[shadowenoch]

@lidalulu When does age become an issue? 40?

 

[nathan2018]

@shadowenoch For metabolism, the research suggests over 60

 

[dawn16]

@shadowenoch 44 here. I want to say yes to 40, but it’s complicated.

After about an 8 year hiatus from weights (still always jogged, biked, snowboarded and hike) I’ve been working out with weights again since 40. And I’ve been doing it with more focus and regularity than when I was younger, so it is kinda hard to say. The catch might be that sleep is way more important than ever. I can get 5 hours and almost feel each and every exact spot that has not properly recovered. I work harder than ever to get 7hrs, but 8 or 8.5 can make that much more difference. If I get 5 or less on multiple nights in a week, life is hell.

 

[cph]

@xene19 Personally, I was leaning towards age being my issue, a thyroid problem, or birth control. When my blood work came back normal, I decided I would fully dedicate myself to a weight loss program to prove that something was wrong; I cut out alcohol completely and the weight came off. I felt like such an idiot. Last year I lost 26 pounds from diet and some cycling over 7 months, gained 16-20 back in 3 months, but I wouldn’t have said my lifestyle changed. What I’ve learned, it’s the things we think we’re doing occasionally, but are adding up that are getting in our way. Cooking with more oil, eating more beef/pork than chicken, ordering out twice a week vs. one, craft beer instead of light beer/using a bigger wine glass, using more coffee creamer daily/having a second cup with creamer.

On another note- I’ve done weight loss with HIIT (with weights) and was my lowest weight, but skinny fat. I did it with strength training and cycling and my build was a lot better. Currently 36F, 5’2, and I’ve decided that age is not a factor, but where I live and what my spouse is doing can have a big impact on my lifestyle.

 

[xene19]

@cph Honestly this is my issue — I tell myself not to over-restrict so I end up adding more granola to my Greek yogurt in the morning, more creamer in my coffee, extra croutons with my salad, etc. It truly adds up over time.

I’ve never been a drinker so I don’t have to cut that out, but my fiancé is a SUCKER for eating out. I’m his go-to when he wants to try a new restaurant in our city and idk how to say no.

 

[cph]

@xene19 Legitimately tracking will do wonders for you, and even just 100-200 calories/day over a year makes a huge difference when you’re on the lower end already. This can look like eating a hamburger instead of a cheeseburger, or veggies instead of a starch, 1 less soda a day.

I discussed my goals with my husband and he committed to only eating out once a week or less- with me (he eats out every Wed with friends). When we do eat out, I usually eat healthier during the day and then only eat my main, no sides, only water. If I’m feeling extra committed, I’ll go for salad or a chicken dish.

 

[matt21]

@cph tracking is the #1 way to manage weight! There's even been studies where people lose weight simply by starting to track what they eat, without making any "formal" changes to their diet. just the act of being conscious about what you consume in a routine and organized manner causes people to think about the unconscious snacking or calorie creep.

 

[kyrie_eleison]

@xene19 At 32, you are still in your prime. Society has warped our very perception of what “old” is. So, no, nothing you’re experiencing has anything to do with your age.

If you are seeing weight loss but feel like you aren’t building any muscle, it’s likely you either aren’t eating enough protein or you aren’t lifting heavy enough/not progressively overloading properly. It could be a combination of the two. If you aren’t running a structured strength program, then I would bet my bottom dollar that your training is the biggest problem.

What’s your current exercise program, calories, protein, etc?

 

[xene19]

@kyrie_eleison I eat intuitively. I don’t count calories right now — it works for me because restricting will send me into a binge. I try to get at least 100g of protein a day but it’s been difficult.

As far as exercising, I do 3-4 60 min HIIT classes a week. These classes include weights. On my “chill” days, I use very light weights. On regular days, I use heavies.

I also lift heavy at the gym once a week. I’m going to increase to 3x a week and do less HIIT classes.

On off days, I hop on my walking pad for 30-90 mins, depending on how busy I am.

I just see way more fat all around but the scale has gone down if anything. Way less definition.

 

[kyrie_eleison]

@xene19 Yeah, you’re melting away muscle and fat all the same with this routine. HIIT with weights is not strength training. Even if the weights are heavy. Lifting 1x/week is not going to do anything.

If you want to see muscle definition you need a structured strength training program that runs 3+ days per week with the exercises repeated and arranged in an intentional way. This allows you to regularly progressively overload your weights. And this is how we build strength.

No progressive overload, no gains. No structure, no gains. Going to 3 or 4 classes a week is great for your cardiovascular (and probably mental) health and I am not saying that’s worthless. But if your goal is muscle definition then you need to change your approach. Which it sounds like you’ve already decided to do.

I love Stronger by the Day as programs go, FWIW.

 

[xene19]

@kyrie_eleison That’s the thing — HIIT classes are a must for my mental health so it’s been difficult to eliminate them. I just need to cut down and increase my time at the gym. This is what I needed to hear, thank you!

 

[kyrie_eleison]

@xene19 I think I could have written your post and all your comments myself 5-6 years ago. I found a small local gym that had hybrid HIIT/strength group classes that I fell in love with. As I had never been into fitness before, this opened up a whole new world for me! I loved the community and seeing the same faces every day; I also loved seeing how far I could push myself and feeling absolutely spent by the time I walked out of there.

But a few years in, I was taking more and more classes and seeing absolutely zero results. I really wanted to look “like I worked out,” and I didn’t — I mostly looked skinny fat. That was so frustrating. I read a lot of posts like this one and decided to reduce my class schedule to 1x per week and replace my other workouts with heavy weight lifting (I did the standard Reddit fitness wiki program to start).

Now I’ve come out the other side and I can tell you that regimented strength training has given me everything I ever wanted and more in terms of my physique.

I think the key for the mental health piece of the pie is figuring out what those HIIT classes give you that’s so valuable to you, and then find those things elsewhere.

For me, keeping up with some kind of fast paced cardio was important to my mental health, so I took up outdoor cycling. Started out just taking little 5 mile rides to the ice cream shop with my husband. I’m a bit of a fanatic about it now and rack up 70+ miles per week in the summer. It’s so much more fun than my HIIT classes it’s not even a contest.

The community aspect of classes was also beneficial to me. Luckily I feel like I have that at the gym, too! I see a lot of familiar faces every time I go and it’s become a place I now feel very comfortable and welcomed in. If that’s not the case at your gym or if you choose to work out at home, maybe you can consider looking for that sense of community elsewhere — hobbies, volunteering, etc.

You got this

 

[dhkrause]

@xene19 You sound like me when I was running 15 miles per week and weight training. I went and saw a trainer who said I am not eating enough calories. He increased them by 300 cals per day and the fat melted off me in 2-3 weeks.