People are told that their metabolism will slow as they age, but recent studies indicate that isn’t true. Nor does it appear to be true that women have lower metabolism after menopause. A recent study found that of a group of almost 6,500 people with ages from infancy to elderly people, adults between 20 and 60 had no significant shift in metabolism, with the change being only a decline of about 1% a year after a person turns 60.
The study found that it was more about the shift in lifestyle as people age. With people spending more time being sedentary over the course of the day, their metabolism is slower. There are four ways to help bring your metabolism back to the levels they were when you were in your 20s and 30s.
- Make sure that you are more active over the course of the day, even if you are tired at the end of work. Fat metabolism is slower when you are sedentary, which is what contributes to weight gain. You also need to make sure that you don’t sit still for too long. Break up your sedentary periods with some movement at least once an hour.
- The two most effective ways of exercising to boost your metabolism are strength training and high-intensity interval training. High intensity workouts raise the heart rate to increase the metabolic rate. Strength training increases the amount of muscle you have, which increases your metabolism. By doing both types of training every week, you can increase your metabolism back to where it should be based on how much you moved as a young adult.
- Protein and water are effective for increasing metabolism because they boost the thermic effect of food.
- Ensure you get adequate sleep to allow your mind and body to recover after a full, stressful day. Lack of sleep causes a host of health problems, and about one third of American adults are estimated not to get adequate sleep on a daily basis.
You can read the full article at It’s Not Your Age That’s Slowing Your Metabolism, New Research Says. Here’s What to Do. There is also a short video about the many benefits of increasing your exercise level, including keeping that extra weight from packing on as you age.