by Jeff Siegel
You don't have to be middle-aged to start noticing middle-aged spread, a fact that many men in their late 20s realize too late. But it also means you don't have to be middle-aged to start attacking that gut.
Looked in the mirror lately? Don't like what you see? Afraid your body is starting to look like a globe, with your waist as the equator?
Well, don't panic. What's happening to you is not unusual, and, better yet, it can be fixed. Middle-aged spread may be as common as hair loss among men who are getting older, but that doesn't mean it's an insurmountable obstacle.
Is it genetic?
"Much of it is genetic," says Pam Kreppel, MS, RD, a dietitian at Nassau County Medical Center in East Meadow, Long Island. "As they get older, men gain weight in the upper body, concentrated in the middle the abdomen, the torso, the chest. The 'hang-over-the- belt' weight. But that doesn't mean you can't do something about it."
Fewer calories and less physical activity
It can happen as early as the late 20s or as late as the mid-40s. The weight gain is a function of a couple of things. First, a reduction in the number of calories the body needs, and second, lifestyle changes that usually include less physical activity.
"This typically starts in the late 30s and early 40s, when many men have more (sedentary) responsibilities," says Kreppel. "They have a house and children and a job, and physical activity is just not a priority. So they eat a lot of fast food and don't make time for formal exercise, and they start to gain weight."
It's even possible to do the math. As a general rule, say the experts, the body needs 2% fewer calories per decade beginning with the third decade. That means that if you weigh 175 pounds and consume 2000 calories a day, you'll only need 1800 calories a day by your mid-30s. If you don't eat 200 calories less or burn 200 extra calories in exercise, you'll add 1/2 pound a week. That's 13 pounds in six months, and it explains why those pants that used to be baggy don't fit even though you didn't do anything differently.
You don\t need to eat as much
"This is especially a problem for ex-athletes, but the principle is true for everyone," says Rosanne Ventimiglio, ATC, an athletic trainer at Henry Ford's Center for Athletic Medicine in Detroit. "You get used to eating a certain way, and then you don't need to eat that much, but you still do. That's where the extra weight comes in."
Time to change
Most men don't gain that much the average is six pounds in your mid-30s but that's little consolation when you can't get the zipper closed.
"It's quite a surprise to a lot of men, says Kreppel, "and it requires a lot more attention than they realize. It also requires a lot of discipline, and the sad part is that too many guys just don't have the willpower to make the changes they need to make." But it's not impossible to lose your gut, as long as you are willing to work at it. The key is to attack your flab in its most vulnerable spots your diet and your lifestyle.
Looking at your diet
Consider these points in approaching what you eat and how to cut back (and keep in mind that you should always consult a professional before beginning any drastic change in diet, be it your health care provider or a registered dietitian).
How many calories do you need to maintain your weight?
This depends on your age, how much exercise you get, what you want to weigh, and any health considerations you might have.
How many calories do you really consume?
Keep a food log for three days, and write down what you eat at each meal. That will not only give you a calorie total, but will give you an idea about where to cut back. You will undoubtedly be surprised to find out how many bags of potato chips you eat or how those cans of light beer add up.
Come up with a sensible meal plan to meet your caloric goal.
Crash dieting won't work, say the experts, because it's a short-term fix for a long-term problem. What's better is to eat 1800 calories (if your goal is 1800 calories) in a proportion of 60% carbohydrates, 25% fats and 15% protein. Says Ventimiglio: "The important thing is to keep calories in mind. It doesn't make any difference if you cut your fat down if you increase your total calories. You won't lose any weight."
Looking at exercise
Consider these points in calculating how much you need to exercise (and keep in mind that you should, again, consult a professional before beginning any exercise program):
No need to spend hours at the gym- You don't need to be cut and buffed for exercise to pay off. Recent research indicates that an activity as simple as walking briskly three times a week is as effective as almost any kind of aerobic workout. The days of no-pain, no-gain are as outdated as disco.
Be active in your daily life- The more you exercise, the higher your metabolism, and the more calories your body burns. If you park the car an extra half-mile from the office, you can burn an extra 200-300 calories walking back and forth. Best yet, your body will start to increase the numbers of calories it needs.
Sit-ups won't do the trick- Sit-ups by themselves are not the solution. Ventimiglio recommends a general aerobic workout, which will increase metabolism and burn calories.
More muscle burns more calories- By lifting weights and performing other weight-bearing exercises, you can increase the percentage of your body mass that is lean muscle, and thus the number of calories that you burn all day. Lean muscle burns more calories than fat, all day and night even when you are not exercising!
Don't expect miracles- Depending on how much of your belly hangs over your belt, it's going to take two to three months before the weight starts to go away. Many men, faced with what seem to be minimal results, give up just before the changes really start.
Remember that the effort requires patience, will power and discipline, but it's not insurmountable. Most of the time, the changes in diet and exercise that it requires aren't mind-boggling and don't force you into a lifetime of sit-ups.
Related information
For more on weight management, see our Weight Management Center Includes information about physical activity, weight control, and interactive calorie calculators.