When does a woman's metabolism change?

[TheyCallMeRed]

Hey Ladies,

So at around 20 I realized I couldn't eat whatever I wanted and just exercise it off. I've completely re-vamped my diet and was able to lose all the weight I needed. However, I know there is another metabolism change coming (nothing good lasts forever).

For women over 30, who can tell me what to expect and when should I expect it? I want to be prepared, so that I can continue being fit and healthy.

Red

 

[fortyfour]

I think what it comes down to is this.
Up until around 20 (maybe less) women are still growing.

After that we need less food but the reason women put on more weight as they get older is because they become less active. It seems there isn't actually an age or development related change of metabolism. Its only about how active you are and if you are eating an appropriate amount of food ie, enough.

If your metabolism is healthy (ie no thyroid disorder and no diabetes or other metabolism related health issues) its only changes in muscle mass that determines a change in metabolism.

 

[amy1985]

I honestly think it varies. I don't think I've ever had that "youthful metabolism". Even as a child, if I ate bad food, I put on weight, end of story. (I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid at 13 and stopped growing at 14, but I'm talking about when I was 10- and I had a normal thyroid when I was 12, so it wasn't that) I know people my mother's age (early-mid 50's) who still seem to be able to eat whatever the hell they want and not suffer the consequences. But my anecdotal experience is that most people I've known notice a slowdown in their late teens when they stop exercising so much (that may just be a reduction in exercise), and at my age (I'm 25) I'm noticing a lot of people complaining that they're suddenly putting on weight and they don't know why (umm... guys... put down the damn burger and eat some vegetables? - edit to add, no, this isn't me prejudging, this is me watching people eat a lot of crap, go out 4-5 times a week and not eat much in the way of good food the rest of the time either, and wonder why they're getting fat. The same people who've called me fat and unhealthy for years in many cases, when I've never eaten like them ).

I have read, though, that from the age of 25, if women don't exercise to prevent this (I can't remember whether it's just "fitness" or specifically strength training), they lose a pound of muscle every year and replace it with a pound of fat. That's scary stuff. I also get the impression that our metabolisms slow a little every year (as fortyfour says, barring anything like thyroid or other medical conditions, which make it another story entirely).

 

[TheyCallMeRed]

Sweet! Good to know. It'll probably be a blessing in the long run that I've had to deal with this early on, so that I have the tools to stay healthy.

Thanks!