El envejecimiento y el aumento de peso: por qué sucede y cómo evitarlo :: Aging and Weight Gain: Why It Happens and How to Avoid It

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Aging and Weight Gain: Why It Happens and How to Avoid It Posted: 08 Jul 2015 11:56 AM PDT Getting older doesn't mean you have to get heavier. Take control now to avoid age-related weight gain. Gaining weight with each passing year is something many people seem to take for granted. At least, that's the sense I get when I talk to many of my older patients who are reluctant to take care of ever-expanding waistlines. Many of them think that "everybody puts on a few pounds as they age" or they'll point out that "I've gotten this far eating the way that I do – I'm not about to change now!" But aging and weight gain doesn’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. Here's why weight tends to creep up as you get older – and steps you can take keep your weight in check. Why People Gain Weight As They Age Gaining weight as you get older happens for the same reasons it happens at any stage of life – it's a matter of a calorie imbalance. Whenever you eat more calories than your body needs – when your "calories in" are more than your "calories out" – the extra calories get stored away as body fat. With aging, it's the "calories out" side of the equation – the number of calories the body burns each day – that tends to tip the balance. And there are a few reasons for this. You may have heard that as you age, your resting metabolic rate (the number of calories your body burns through every day just to keep your basic processes going) tends to drop. And it does. With every passing decade, the average person's daily burn drops by about 150 calories. This is because your resting metabolic rate is determined, in large part, by how much muscle mass you have relative to the amount of fat you have. Pound-for-pound (or kilo-for-kilo) muscle tissue burns a lot more calories than fat tissue does – and we tend to lose muscle mass as we age. As the amount of muscle tissue drops, then, so does your resting metabolic rate. This loss of muscle mass can be attributed to a few things. First, as people age, their activity levels tend to decrease. They may do less exercise overall, and the intensity level of the exercise might also decline, too. As muscles are used less, and challenged less, it should come as no surprise that there may be some loss of this metabolically active tissue. (To be fair, a small amount of muscle loss may be unavoidable. The body's ability to repair muscle tissue wear and tear does seem to decline with age – even if exercise intensity remains constant). So, when all is said and done, this shift in body composition – the loss of calorie-torching muscle tissue – means that your daily calorie needs drop as a result. And, if there's no change on the "calories in" side of the equation – if you continue to eat as you always have – those extra calories that you're not using are going to get stored away. And you've got a case of slow and steady weight gain on your hands. There's something else at play here, too. As people get older, the quality of the calories they take in sometimes shifts, too – in a way that can work against them. For example, taking in adequate protein is necessary to help maintain muscle mass – and, in fact, older adults may actually have slightly higher protein needs than younger adults do. But as people age, calories that were once spent on lean protein might now be spent on carbohydrates or fats. Several factors might contribute to this shift. Taste changes, financial concerns, or even the lack of desire or energy to prepare meals – all can drive choices more in the direction of starchy, sweet, fatty foods that are easy-to-eat and prepare. Five Tips For Avoiding Age-Related Weight Gain Now that you know why weight gain happens with age, it should be pretty clear what steps you need to take in order to keep your weight in check. Since muscle tissue burns calories at a much more rapid pace than fat does, maintaining muscle mass is clearly one of the most important things you can do. You are capable of building muscle throughout your lifetime, so engage in activities that challenge your muscles so that you build and maintain them. In order to support muscle repair and growth, be sure to include plenty of protein in your diet. Plant sources of protein – peas and beans (especially soy, which is a complete protein) offer healthy and affordable options to meet your daily needs. If you're not in the habit of including plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet, now is the time to start working on it. Vegetables and whole fruits are nutrient dense, which means that they pack a lot of nutrition for relatively few calories. Buy fruits and veggies in season whenever possible – they're often fresher and more affordable. And don't overlook the freezer section of the supermarket. Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, they're super-convenient, and there's no waste. Since every calorie really counts, pay close attention to the extras in your diet. Calories from fats, sweets and alcohol add up quickly, so choose wisely and use them sparingly. Try to be in charge of your diet as much as you can. If cooking is a chore, seek out quick, healthy recipes and always cook extra so you can put food away for another meal. Eating out is fun and convenient, but educate yourself as to the best choices so you don't overdo it. Restaurant portions are often large, and servers may push you to order extras you don't want, so decide ahead of time what you'll eat and commit to it. Susan Bowerman is Director of Nutrition Training at Herbalife. Susan is a Registered Dietitian and a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. Find out more at: http://www.DiscoverHerbalife.com

Ways to Help Prevent the Summer Breakout Blahs Posted: 08 Jul 2015 11:48 AM PDT Our skin experiences transition during the summer months of the year. But there are a few steps that we can all take to help prevent summer breakout blahs. Ahh…the joys of summer. The warm weather, the BBQ's and picnics in the park, lazy days at the beach and OH NO…here comes those dreadful changes in our skin!Looking forward to the warmer weather is one thing, but we all know that with the great weather comes problematic skin for some of us. Our skin definitely experiences a lot of transition during the summer months of the year, as this is the time to reintroduce a whole lot of substances that the skin may have been able to avoid during the colder months. Think sunscreens, bug sprays, salt water, chlorine and excessive sweating to name a few. But there are a few steps that we can all take to deal with these seasonal breakouts and skin sensitivities and, help prevent the summer breakout blahs. Help Prevent the Summer Breakout Blahs Stay Hydrated This is an oldie but goody and one that we all, men and women alike, need to pay attention to. Of course we want to keep our entire body hydrated during the summertime. Drinking plenty of water helps to replenish the water that we continuously lose, especially during the warmer weather. Just think about sweating for a moment. Dehydration can lead to a whole series of issues including fatigue, muscle cramping, headaches and certain skin issues. Unfortunately, the hot weather months can cause excess oil production for some. And this is not good. When our skin turns oily we tend to cleanse it more frequently and even turn to harsher ingredients in an attempt to decrease that oily looking shine. This behavior can strip our skin by removing the healthy, natural and quite necessary oils that we have. And, when this happens, we end up with skin that is dry, prone to breakouts and potentially quite irritated. If your skin seems to produce more oil then usual during the summer then it may be that it is dehydrated. So, drink plenty of fluids, wash your face in warm water every morning and every evening before bedtime. Choose a gentle cleanser formulated for normal to oily skin and be sure to apply your AM and PM moisturizers post cleansing and toning. And don't forget about the importance of SPF during the summer. If your skin is exposed, it is prone to damage. Never leave home without it. Beware of Skin Irritating Germs Of course germs and bacteria are problematic during the summer months. And now is the time to flip on our germ-a-phobe switch and take every precaution we possibly can to help banish the blemish. First and foremost – hands off! Resist the urge to touch your face. Wiping sweat from your brown, touching your skin and picking at a blemish can all make the problem much more serious then it needs to be. So don't do it. Keep hand sanitizer with you at all times to help destroy germs and bacteria. And remember to use it. If you shook someone's hand, use it. If you touched a handrail, use it. If you just pumped gas, road your bike, pushed a shopping cart…use it! The constant transfer of germs and bacteria to your skin will only lead to trouble. Be conscientious. Launder your sheets and pillowcases more frequently. Think about what is crawling around in your bed. Your linens are covered with dead skin cells, bacteria, sweat, traces of makeup, you name it. By changing your linens regularly you are removing all of that debris which has the potential to clog your skin and cause breakouts. Never dry your face with your hand towel. Same rules apply. Change your hand towels frequently and don't use on your face. Be sure to change out of your workout clothes as soon as possible post workout. You don't want to leave those sweaty garments on for long. Can you say BACNE? Be Consistent with Your Skin Care Regimen We may call them the "lazy days of summer" but when it comes to ending the summer breakout blahs, now is not the time to be lax. Stick with your normal skin care routine no matter what. Cleansers, toner, serum, moisturizer, SPF, scrub and mask are more important now than ever before. If you go to bed with the day's perspiration left behind on your skin you will probably experience breakouts. Stay on top of your skin care needs and never go to bed without freshly cleansed and treated skin. Remember Your Hair! With so much focus on the skin you just might forget about what is happening on top of your head. Your hair just may be the culprit causing those Summer Breakout Blahs. Think of your hair as a net that captures everything in its presence; bacteria, chlorine, salt, odors, oils… it's all there. Unfortunately it doesn't just stay there. It can quickly transfer to your skin if it is not properly cleansed and this can ultimately lead to breakouts. Be sure to keep your hair washed and conditioned and, if your hair is long, pull it back into a loose ponytail when you go to bed. This will hopefully keep it off of your face and stop the transfer of non "skin friendly" particles. Body Beware Breakouts don't only happen on the face. The entire body is subject to blemishes and irritation if we aren't cautious. To avoid unnecessary discomfort practice these few quick tips. Keep your clothing loose fitting in the summertime. Clothing that is too tight can lead to chafing, rashes and red and irritated skin. Keep things breathable and loose to avoid discomfort. Watch out for contact acne. Breakouts along your hairline, under work out clothes, headbands or even bra straps can be the result of sweat and bacteria mixed with a bit of friction. Keep your clothing clean! Apply body lotion from head to toe within minutes of getting out of the shower while your skin is still damp for the best hydrating results. Rinse off as soon as possible after swimming in a chlorinated pool or salty ocean For body hair, keep razors fresh and sharp to avoid shaving irritations. Or better yet, look for a moisturizing depilatory cream instead. Apply a soothing aloe infused gel or lotion post shaving. Exfoliate from head to toe to remove dead skin cells from the surface. The process of exfoliation can also help clean our pores from debris, which is only a good thing. Let's banish the Summers Breakout Blahs once and for all and practice these quick and easy tips to keep our skin looking healthy and feeling fabulous. Written by beauty expert, Jacquie Carter. Jacquie is Director of Outer Nutrition at Herbalife. Discover the HerbalifeSKIN line here. Find out more at: http://www.DiscoverHerbalife.com

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