When we try to lose weight over 40 all of us have the same problem: The fat piles up much easier after 40 and is trickier to lose too.

Fat is an important storage medium for energy- and used to be essential for survival. Throughout history, we have relied on our body fat to survive numerous famines and starvation periods.

Since our bodies do store fat so easily, it threatens our ability to achieve permanent weight loss. Let’s understand how fat cells work and why it is so hard for men and women over 40 to lose weight permanently.

Existing fat cells fill up when your body takes in more energy than you spend. And it does not count if you are eating fat or starch or sugar: All extra calories go into fat storage. After the existing fat cells are full, your body grows new fat cells- a process without natural restrictions.

Particularly if you are stressed, building up fat cushions is often comfortable. But the most serious threat to lose weight permanently over 40 is: Existing fat cells won’t be destroyed. It is impossible to shorten the number of fat cells that exist, but you can shrink the amount of fat stored in those cells.

If your fat cells are full, they send a Neuropeptide to your brain called Leptin. While the Leptin level in your blood is high, your brain receives the message that you aren't hungry and don't need to eat. But when your fat cells are empty, the Leptin is missing- and you are getting starved.

Let’s be honest and face the truth: If you need to lose weight permanently over 40, you’ll have to live with a slight feeling of hunger most of the time. This challenges you emotionally, and that is why the psychological science behind permanent weight loss is stressed so extremely - your mind needs ways to deal with this emotional challenge. In order to lose weight permanently, any weight loss program you choose must include psychological advice to be working.

Additionally the distribution of fat shifts with the years for women. Younger women frequently find more fat on the hips and thighs. Women over 40 will frequently acquire fat around the belly, and visceral belly fat is associated to a number of diseases.

Our bodies are equipped with powerful regulation mechanisms. We tend to stay the identical weight, although we do not eat the same amount of calories each day. The body compensates periods of little calorie intake with periods of higher calorie intake- leading to another problem to lose weight permanently over 40:

If you over-eat for a long period of time, your body will adjust to the new weight and will try to sustain that weight. You will constantly feel the need to "feed" the present fat cells. The longer you continue on starving diets, the more extreme your hunger pangs can get.

Acquiring weight is very easy. Eating only 100 calories per day surplus of what your body burns will lead to acquiring approximately 9 lbs (4.5 kg) per year. And these 100 calories are very easy to get. For example, a 12 oz. can of Coca-Cola holds 155 calories, and a Kit Kat Wafer Bar has 218.

To eliminate these 9 lbs you would have to eat nothing for about 2 weeks. Or jog 51 hours, or walk 126 hours.

This all goes to show that if you want to lose weight permanently after 40, small meals and snacks sum up, so be mindful of what you eat.