It's no coincidence that the older you get the harder it is to keep those excess pounds from creeping up. Even if you aren't eating any more calories or exercising any less than you did in your younger years, you will inevitably gain weight unless you adjust accordingly. As you age, not only does your metabolism decrease but you lose muscles mass much faster and easier than the younger set. Sadly, that is why teens can seem to gobble down french fries and ice cream sundaes without ever gaining an ounce, but try that in your 30's or 40's and you'd soon be busting out of your jeans!

The key to warding off those pounds as you age is to combat muscle loss through strength training. Continue the calorie burning cardio and be extra diligent with your diet, but unless you do resistance exercises your muscle mass will decrease at an alarming rate. Because muscle burns significantly more calories per pound than fat, the more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn at rest, during the day, and subsequently your basal caloric needs will be higher than someone who weighs just as much as you but has less muscle and more fat.

If you haven't already implemented a weight regime to your exercise routine, it's never too late to start. By building up muscle and then continuing the exercises you will keep tone and slow the effects of aging on your metabolism. Start with doing 10-15 reps using a weight that is difficult for you to complete each exercise correctly by the last 3 or 4 reps. Build yourself up to eventually doing three sets of each exercise and do the routine three times a week with at least one day of rest between workouts. Pick at least one exercise that targets each major muscle group: arms, shoulders, back, legs, and core (which includes your abs, obliques, pelvic region, and lower back). By doing consistent weight training in addition to your cardio routine, you will help keep that svelte figure you've worked so hard to obtain even as you age.