Like most seniors, you are probably fighting to keep from gaining weight as you grow older.  Most seniors are baffled why this happens even when they have not changed their eating habits or diet.  The answer most likely has to do with your metabolic rate — a higher metabolic rate simply means that you burn calories at a faster rate, even when you are resting.  The reverse is true — if your metabolic rate declines, your body may not be burning up the food that you have consumed.  Unfortunately, weight management is simply mathematics when it comes to caloric intake and expense!

A new study has shown that by lowering your carb intake, you can correspondingly increase your metabolic rate.  A recently published scientific research “Effects of a low carbohydrate diet on energy expenditure during weight loss maintenance: randomized trial” in The BMJ (one of the world’s oldest medical journals previously known as the British Medical Journal) this month came to the following conclusion:

• A low carbohydrate diet could increase energy expenditure during weight loss maintenance, and

• This metabolic effect could improve the effectiveness of obesity treatment

What is interesting about the study is this effect is independent of body weight – meaning that someone who weighs more or weighs less can equally benefit from a reduction in carbs when in comes to weigh loss.

What does it mean for me?  Here is how this new research can make a difference.  Typically, most weight loss plan is focused on caloric intake and exercise.  But this study adds a third component – that the composition of what you eat matters especially when it comes to carbs.

Weight loss is often a yo-yo journey and it seems that the results often plateaus after a period of time.  Unfortunately, this is because your metabolic rate also declines with weight loss – and makes regaining the weight previously lost easier.  Sounds discouraging!

This study suggests this is also related to your insulin levels.  If you consume more carbs, you increase your body’s glycemic load resulting in higher levels of insulin.  This apparently slows down your metabolic process of burning calories resulting in more excess energy being converted to fat and stored in your body.  If you are able to somehow reduce the glycemic load by lowering carb intake, you can increase then your metabolic rate.  One way of reducing your glycemic load is to consume carbs with lower glycemic index such as brown rice, oatmeal and wholemeal bread – and reduce processed carbs such as refined sugar or flour.

Could this be the key to your successful weight management strategy?