Many people blame a sluggish metabolism for the weight gain.
But as it turns out, our metabolism isn't the real culprit when it comes to the weight that seems to creep on with each passing decade.
In fact, age-related weight gain has far more to do with our activity patterns than it does with our metabolism, which barely budges after age 30, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Our metabolism, the term for the calorie-burning process our bodies do naturally, shifts based on the various activities we do throughout the day.
Unfortunately, the rate at which we digest our meals and burn energy can't be altered significantly enough to cause weight loss.
That could involve taking the stairs at work or hitting the gym a few times a week – every little bit counts.
In fact, new research published this spring suggests that to achieve better health and reduce your risk of death from any cause, any kind of movement is better than little or none. »
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