Inspira Health Network

Many factors play into whether your efforts to maintain a healthy weight will be successful. You have a friend who can seemingly eat anything and never gain an ounce, while you can't eat dessert more than twice a week without seeing the numbers on the scale rise. Sound familiar? Here are three reasons why losing weight can be harder for certain individuals: No. 1: Your Metabolism Resting metabolism slows down with age due to a decrease in muscle. In general, people with less muscle mass burn fewer calories, because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. One way to fight back against this inevitable decline is to start weight training. No. 2: Your Genes It's an unfair reality that for some, genes can increase the risk of obesity. Genes may cause someone to overeat or not feel motivated to exercise, or they could influence how the body uses stored fat for energy. The good news is that a 2016 study published in The BMJ found that people with obesity genes lost weight as successfully as people without them when put on weight-loss programs. No. 3: Your Brain Researchers have learned that sugars and fats can have the same effect on our brains' pleasure centers as addictive drugs. That's why certain sugary, fatty foods are so hard to resist. Other types of emotional eating, driven by exhaustion, stress, depression and even shame, can lead to bingeing — and those feelings don't often drive us to healthy snacks. "It can be difficult to combat emotional eating," said Diana Alvarado, R.D.N., C.D.E., dietitian at Inspira Health Network. "However, you can become more aware of when and why you do it by being mindful of what's driving you to eat. Also, it sounds simple, but get plenty of sleep. That allows you to better manage stress and fatigue, and we know that people who don't get adequate sleep are more likely to gain weight." Do you need help shedding stubborn pounds? Visit InspiraHealthNetwork.org/ Weight-Management to learn how we can help. Losing Weight Later in Life Age-related weight gain may feel unavoidable. As we get older, metabolism slows and we begin to lose calorie-burning muscle mass. Women going through menopause have the added challenge of hormonal changes. Drops in estrogen can change how the body stores fat, and women in this phase of life might gain more abdominal fat, which is associated with heart problems and other obesity-related diseases. However, there's no need to despair. Older adults, just like their younger peers, can lose weight with a healthy diet. Research published in Menopause, The Journal of The North American Menopause Society, found that a low-fat diet of whole grains and fresh produce helped women maintain their weight and even lose up to 22 pounds, over the course of a year. A side benefit? Women eating the healthier diet also reported fewer menopause-related symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats. OF WEIGHT GAIN ???? The ys Late Winter 2018 7 Inspira Health Network Family & Friends + You

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