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Even if 40 is the new 20 (how can that be?), there are certain unwanted things that come with age. Gray hair, wrinkles, and weight gain. Typically, around age 40, many people start to gain weight. There are many reasons for this, but the main culprit is hormones.

As you get older, your hormones change, especially in women. This change in hormones predispose women to put on a few pounds, even when they are not making any changes in their diet or exercise routines. In younger women, menstrual cycle hormones balance out the body. Estrogen is a hormones that makes the body store fat and progesterole maintains lean muscle and engages fat burning by the body naturally. Unfortunately, once you hit 40 the body&undefined;s production of estrogen is more uneven. The levels fluctuate between a lot of this hormone in the body and very minimal amounts. There is also a drop in progesterone in older women, making the balance of these two hormones out of whack. What then happens in the body is a natural tendency to store fat. High estrogen levels also equals fluid retention, meaning that a woman could carry up to 5 pounds of only water weight. Even though it&undefined;s not real fat, it is unwanted weight in mostly the abdomen area that many women do not want. So what can women do about this age related weight gain? You have to be as smart as possible about your diet and exercise habits as well as truthful with yourself. As your hormones fluctuate, metabolism slows down and energy isn&undefined;t as it once was, it is important to really stick to an exercise schedule and decrease the amount of calories you are eating every day.

Many women tend to think that they are eating and exercising the way they always have when usually this isn&undefined;t true. Take an honest look at where you get your calories from every day and figure out how to lower this number while increasing the total amount of calories burned. Swap that latte for a tea and join a new yoga class to work with your age instead of against it. Staying slim after 40 is possible, it just takes some dedication to a healthy lifestyle.