Fat Cells: The Weight Loss Threat Over 40

Men and Women over 40 trying to lose weight permanently face an identical problem: Fat accumulates very easily and it is harder to lose after 40 as well.

Fat is an important storage medium for energy- and used to be crucial for survival. Through human history, we've existed many shortages and starvation periods because we could rely on our body fat.

Since our bodies do store fat so easily, it endangers our ability to achieve permanent weight loss. How do fat cells work to make it so hard for men and women over 40 to lose weight permanently?

Existing fat cells fill up when your body takes in more energy than you spend. Eating fat, starchy or sugary foods makes no difference - all extra calories are stored as fat. After the present fat cells are full, your body grows other fat cells- a process without natural limits.

Particularly if you are stressed, building up fat cushions is often comfortable. But the most dangerous threat to lose weight permanently over 40 is: Existing fat cells won't be destroyed. You can reduce the number of fat stored in fat cells, but you cannot reduce the figure of existing fat cells.

If your fat cells are filled, they send a Neuropeptide to your brain called Leptin. While the Leptin level in your blood is high, your brain gets the message that you aren't hungry and don't need to eat. When your body's fat cells become empty, the Leptin is gone - and you become hungry.

Let's be honest and face the truth: If you want to lose weight permanently over 40, you'll have to live with a light feeling of hunger most of the time. This is an emotional challenge and that's why I stress so much the psychological science behind permanent weight loss- your mind needs ways to cope with that emotional challenge. In order to lose weight permanently, any weight loss program you choose must include moral advice to be efficient.

Additionally the distribution of fat shifts with age for women. For young women, it's frequently on the hips and on the tights. For women after 40, it's mostly on the belly- and visceral belly fat is related with numerous diseases.

Our bodies are regulated by strong regulation mechanisms. Although we do not eat the same number of calories every day, our bodies hold their weight for a long time. The body compensates periods of little calorie intake with periods of higher calorie intake- leading to another problem to lose weight permanently over 40:

If you over-eat for a long period of time, your body will adapt to the new weight and will try to hold that weight. You will perpetually feel the need to "feed" the existing fat cells. The longer you stay on starving diets, the more extreme your hunger pangs can grow.

Acquiring weight is very easy. Eating only 100 calories per day in excess of what your body burns will lead to gaining approximately 9 lbs (4.5 kg) per year. It's very easy to get an extra 100 calories. A can of Coca-Cola (12 fl oz) contains already 155 calories. A Kit Kat Wafer Bar has 218 and so on…

To get rid of these 9 lbs you would have to eat nothing for about 2 weeks. Or jog 51 hours, or walk 126 hours.
If you want to lose weight permanently after 40, be conscious of the small meals and snacks. These count too.

You can read another article from Perry at Woman Over 40? Lose Belly Fat Now - The Health and Beauty Hazard

His website is Lose Weight Permanently for Women over 40