As we age, we can face many kinds of challenges. As women age into their 40s and 50s, there is a tendency to gain weight. It becomes increasingly difficult to lose weight even with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Due to this, women in their 40s are increasingly turning to non-invasive body contouring treatments for the removal of stubborn pockets of fat. But before we jump into that, we spoke to Dr Thean from Ensoul Body Medical Clinic to find out the 4 most common reasons why you may be gaining weight in your 40s.
1. Slowing Metabolism
With each decade, our metabolism slows down. As a result, it renders our go-to diet and exercise routines ineffective.
Some research even suggests that metabolism can decrease by about 5% every decade after 40. This naturally results in your body retaining the extra calories consumed and cannot be burned off as efficiently as before.
2. Genetics
The tendency to gain weight is genetically predisposed in many people. Genetic factors determine how many fat cells people have and where they’re stored.
There are certain parts of your body that you cannot change, and if you look at your parents and relatives, you may notice that they tend to store excess fat in the same specific areas.
3. Postpartum
After childbirth, many women have trouble losing unwanted fat. In the postpartum period, your body undergoes changes to care for a child. For example, you lose nutrients during breastfeeding.
As we put care for ourselves on hold after a baby, it is often difficult to achieve the desired fat loss we are seeking through diet and exercise.
4. Menopause
Perimenopause and menopause are major contributors to weight gain after women reach their 40s.
The loss of Estrogen during menopause affects how weight is distributed throughout the body, and increased weight is associated with changes in blood pressure and cholesterol.
Is Exercising and Dieting Enough for Losing Weight?
You should not start yo-yo dieting in your 40s or follow fad diets as they are not sustainable methods of losing weight. Finding sustainable ways to control fat loss is the best option as we age, instead of exercising for hours every day and counting every calorie we eat.
Non-invasive body contouring treatments For the Fat that won’t Budge
CoolSculpting
Using Cryolipolysis, CoolSculpting (also known as Fat Freezing) uses non-invasive technology to target stubborn pockets of fat. In localized areas of fat, it freezes the fat cells and kills up to 27%* of the fat cells.
As it can target specific areas of the body, this is beneficial for women over 40s who have uncontrolled weight gain or stubborn pockets of fat in specific areas of their bodies that are resistant to any dieting or exercise.
This procedure is an effective and non-invasive method of losing weight since fat is significantly reduced after just a few sessions.
SculpSure
SculpSure, also called Laser Lipolysis, is an alternative method to CoolSculpting that is still healthy and provides a non-invasive solution to reducing fat using lasers that gently warm and destroy fat cells. With laser lipolysis, women in their 40s can remove fat in a comfortable and non-invasive manner, like hair removal with lasers.
SculpSure can effectively treat skin laxity that might come with rapid weight loss. Furthermore, as Dr Thean from Ensoul Medical Clinic has mentioned, our skin tends to loosen and sag as we age due to the gradual loss of collagen and elastin. Therefore, this treatment is also a considerable option for women in their 40s who suffer from skin laxity.
