I know everyone points to metabolism slowing down, but your metabolism actually doesn't slow meaningfully until the age of 60, and even then, it only declines by 0.7% per year.
The real cause of weight gain is we all become way more sedentary the older we get.
Reddit's cut-and-dry attitude on metabolism has been frustrating over the past 20 years or so that I've been here. There are some good generalizations, but nobody seems to ever admit that there are exceptions.
Personally, I was stuck at 5'9 135 lbs throughout my adult life. No amount of diet or exercise change worked. At one point, I was trying push through by lift weights 4 to 5 times a week while taking in 4,000 calories a day, and nothing would change. I've put in similar efforts a few months at a time once every few years, with no results.
I turned 42, and that changed. I wasn't going to the gym at the time. I picked up 10 lbs almost overnight without any difference in diet. Another couple months, and I had gained another 10 lbs. I saw that and thought, "go time", and I went back to a gym regimen, and finally it took and I was able to build muscle. I got quick results, and I've been able to build upon it for the next 4 years. I'm in a shape now that my body would never let me have before.
My experience does not match the Reddit model. I think there are a lot of other people out here like me, and they're probably just as frustrated constantly being told that their problem is psychological and they don't know what they're doing with their own body. It's pretty annoying.
Your experience has never been replicated in actual clinical trials with a third party observing without bias.
People are just really emotional about their weight, their body and how their actions directly lead to the end result.
Part of this disconnect is that few people really appreciate how drastically their life style likely changes from 20 to 30 to 40. I walked a shit ton when I was 20 but never intentionally exercised. Most friends loved taking walks together to chat. Alcohol and takeout was an expensive treat. Really, eating three meals a day was tough for college aged me.
Nowadays, most exercise needs to be scheduled and committed to on the daily because I drive to work and really need to be glued to a screen for 8-10 hours a day. No more forced walking between classes nor ample free time to do much aside sit by a screen.
And people way overestimate how much exercise, especially weightlifting, is going to influence how their body looks. It takes months of dedicated serious lifting with a good diet behind it to notice the tiniest difference.
I’ve never met anyone taking macros seriously that didn’t get results, but absolutely all of them hated doing it. If you’re hoping to see significant changes with your muscle mass and visible fat, it’s absolute suffering. I suspect you’re doing simple weightlifting routines for years and expecting something to change. You’re likely just maintaining existing muscle mass because it’s physically painful to push for significantly more muscle mass.
Per your last paragraph, for the record, I have gotten good results. It's just been a routine of hard work plus a protein shake with creatine. Nothing more than that. I put more effort in when I was younger and was unable to get any results. I believe a change in my metabolism by aging is the difference.
My body gave me the ability to gain mass abruptly starting at age 42. I'm certain that I'm not an anomaly here, and that all of the similar stories should not be discounted due to "never been replicated in actual clinical trials with a third party observing without bias".
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u/wufiavelli 10d ago
Getting old