Why Does Weight Management Become So Tough as We Age?

Many people notice that it has become harder to look and stay fit as they get older. That if they’re not being mindful of what they’re putting into your mouth, their clothes seem to fit a little tighter.

Some folks also get frustrated because their bodies change—but not in a good way—despite doing some exercise.

And then there are the “lucky” ones who haven’t gained weight… but it’s like their bodies “traded” some of the “good” lean, toned muscle for some of the “not-so-good” unwanted stuff.

And while some folks make some progress toward their fitness goals… they’re not so pleased with how their bodies look in the mirror. Instead of that lean, toned picture they had in their heads, they just see a smaller version of themselves in the mirror.

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The truth is that weight management does get harder as we get older—much harder. Not too long ago, you could cut back on some carbs, junk food, or booze and add in a little exercise (probably didn’t even matter what kind), and whammo! You were leaner, sexier, and more toned.

But as you get older, the formula that used to work isn’t as effective. No one can blame you if you feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle.

Even though it may seem like it, the reality is your body hasn’t betrayed you overnight. Over the years, a number of factors—like occasional stress, occasional struggles with getting enough sleep, not eating as well as you’d have liked and not exercising as often as you should—have teamed up to help you get to where you are today. Simply put, life happens.

We’re too busy, too tired, and too stressed with work, family, social activities, and more to make time to prepare and eat all the right foods in the right amounts day in and day out and consistently stick with a balanced workout routine and incorporate regular structured physical activity.

But the fact is that age-related weight gain, age-related changes in body composition (even without gaining weight), age-related metabolic decline, age-related loss in lean muscle, and age-related you name it are more lifestyle-related than age-related, which may be better described as age-compounded.

The good news is that it’s not too late to improve your health. It’s not too late to enjoy more energy and vitality. It’s not too late to improve your body composition.

It’s not too late to become that lean, toned picture you’ve had in your head. In fact, here are three keys to losing fat (including that extra fat you may have noticed around your midsection) and maintaining (if not building) precious lean muscle—something we like to call quality weight loss:

• Eat a higher-protein diet that emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods and provides an appropriate amount of energy and macronutrients based on your goals and body type. For example, a Mediterranean-style diet that provides about 0.5 – 0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day and contains moderate amounts of healthy carbs and fats is a good starting point for many.
• Exercise regularly. Each week, make sure to include at least 2 – 3 days of weight lifting, emphasizing movements that exercise the major muscle groups (such as squats, presses, and pulling movements). Also, for good cardiorespiratory fitness, include 2 – 3 days of aerobic exercise—either moderate-intensity “cardio” or high-intensity interval training.
• Sit less and move more. The crazy thing is that regular exercise is rarely enough for most people, and the best mantra is to exercise, sit less, and move more. Plus, sitting for long, uninterrupted periods of time is downright dangerous for your health. Shoot for 7,000 – 10,000 steps per day, and set alarms during the day to remind you to break up periods of sitting with mini-movement sessions.

Now, even when you’re nailing all three of those pillars routinely, the reality is you might benefit from a little help. In other words, things may not be going quite as well or quickly as you might imagine. Or, maybe after some initial success, your progress has slowed down.

 If so, and if you’re checking all those boxes off routinely, this is where a body-toning supplement may be quite helpful.^{Footnote †}

What Is the Problem with Some Toning Supplements on the Market?

Supplements for toning—that lean, attractive look you have in your head—are meant to be used as part of a healthy lifestyle (such as those three keys mentioned above) to help support a healthy weight and body composition. Despite many lofty promises, however, not all toning supplements are created equal.

In fact, there are several key problems with many supplements for toning on the market today. You might even have experience with some of them. Maybe you’ve tried a toning supplement that left you feeling nothing but jittery and anxious. Despite eating a balanced diet and working out regularly, maybe you noticed nothing changed—other than your bank account getting smaller.

Here are some of the common problems with certain toning supplements on the market today:

• They contain stimulants. While stimulants can make you “feel” like a supplement is working, that doesn’t always add up to the lean, toned results you had in mind. Even worse, stimulants can be downright dangerous for some folks.
• They are “fairy dusted.” Some body-toning supplements contain ingredients that are supported by evidence. However, they may “shortchange” you by only providing a potentially effective ingredient at an insignificant level—below what the research shows to work. This is often called “fairy dusting,” and companies might do this to tout the potential benefits of an ingredient.
• They contain proprietary blends. Body-toning supplements sometimes feature a proprietary blend, which is a list of ingredients that are part of a metabolism supplement specific to a particular manufacturer. While the company has to list all the ingredients in the blend and its total weight, it is not required to declare the amounts of each individual ingredient in the proprietary blend. In other words, you have no idea of how much (of a stimulant, for example) or how little (of a potentially effective ingredient, for example) you may be putting into your body. While not always the case, proprietary blends are frequently used as a way to “fairy dust” one or more potentially effective ingredients.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid: Targeted Body Composition Support

When it comes to effective supplements for toning, one supplement that really stands out is conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA for short.^† Conjugated linoleic acid is a structurally unique polyunsaturated fatty acid found in only a few dietary sources, including milk, dairy products, and meat from cattle, goats, sheep, and buffaloes, and to a lesser degree, pigs, chickens, and turkeys.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult and impractical to obtain the amount of CLA from foods that research has shown to support a healthy metabolism and body composition. For example, beef contains about 1.7 – 10.8 mg of conjugated linoleic acid per gram of fat. In other words, a 3-ounce sirloin steak would provide roughly 75 mg of conjugated linoleic acid. However, research suggests that more than 20 times that amount may be needed to tap into CLA’s potential weight management benefits.^{Footnote †}

The good news is that conjugated linoleic acid can also be derived naturally from safflower oil. While there are 28 different CLA types (or, isomers), in nature, the most important isomer is cis-9, trans-11 (c9,t11). When it comes to a toning supplement, however, there are two isomers critical for maximum effectiveness and benefits. Both the c9,t11 isomer mentioned and the trans-10, cis-12 (t10,c12) isomer, and both need to be provided in equal amounts to experience the synergistic effects that contribute to provide CLA benefits.^{Footnote †}

Speaking of the benefits of this body-toning supplement, experimental research has shown conjugated linoleic acid may work with the body’s enzymes involved in fat mobilization and storage to help support healthy body composition.^{Footnote †} Numerous randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies have provided evidence that supplementation with CLA, especially when combined with a healthy lifestyle, may help reduce body fat and help increase lean muscle tone.^{Footnote †}

As a further testament to conjugated linoleic acid, four separate systematic reviews with meta-analysis (which represent a fair balance of the scientific research) have provided evidence that supplementing with conjugated linoleic acid may help support healthy body composition when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.^{Footnote †}

What Makes BellyTrim XP an Ideal Supplement for Healthy Body Composition?

As you might imagine, conjugated linoleic acid is the centerpiece of BellyTrim XP, which we truly believe is the most advanced CLA toning supplement on the market today. With its combination of research-backed ingredients, BellyTrim XP may support a healthy weight and body composition when combined with a balanced diet and regular exercise.^{Footnote †}

In addition to CLA, here are the other key ingredients found in BellyTrim XP that help make it a great choice for targeted body composition support:^{Footnote †}

• Lipo-PSO™. This cold-pressed virgin Pomegranate Seed Oil is a rich source of punicic acid, which has been dubbed “Super CLA” and may support a healthy metabolism.
• BioPerine^®. This patented black pepper extract contains a high concentration of Piperine, which has been shown to enhance the absorption of numerous dietary ingredients.^{Footnote †}

You’ll also be pleased to know we carefully designed BellyTrim XP to overcome those very pitfalls common among supplements for toning mentioned above:

• BellyTrim XP is a stimulant-free formula with no added caffeine.
• BellyTrim XP features research-backed ingredients.
• BellyTrim XP provides ingredients at levels that research has shown to be effective.^{Footnote †}
• BellyTrim XP does not contain any proprietary blends.

Simply put, we truly believe BellyTrim XP is a best-in-class toning supplement that can help provide support many people can use when they’re doing their best to check off all the healthy lifestyle boxes. When combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, BellyTrim XP provides nutritional support that promotes a healthy weight and body composition.^{Footnote †}