Keeping Metabolism Strong as we Age
The science behind metabolism and how to boost yours to lose weight.
What Exactly is Metabolism?
We all know people that eat a ton and remain stick thin. And we know people that eat like birds and gain weight. Your metabolism or metabolic rate is the reason. It sets the speed of calorie expenditure, or number of calories you burn.
Metabolism is all components you need to live. Technically, it’s all of your body’s chemical reactions. These chemical reactions determine how much energy (how many calories) you need per day. For weight loss, and general health, you want a strong metabolism.
Metabolism Components
Metabolic rate is broken down into several different rates: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) + Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) + Thermic Effect of Exercise (TEE).
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): Calories expended to keep you alive. These are calories burnt while you’re sleeping, breathing, while your heart is pumping, brain is working and body is warm.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The number of calories burned while your body is digesting and processing food. (About 10% of total energy expenditure).
Thermic Effect of Exercise (TEE): Calories burned during exercise.
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): Calories burned via activities other than exercise, like fidgeting, changing posture, standing, and walking around.
Other Contributing Factors:
- Age (you burn less as you age)
- Muscle Mass (burn more with more muscle)
- Body size (burn more the larger you are)
- Climate (burn more in colder weather)
- Activity level (burn more with more movement)
- Hormones (ie. sluggish thyroid burn less)
- Eat too little (slows caloric burn)
Research shows that being less active and losing muscle has the greatest negative effect on your metabolism.
Can You Speed up Your Metabolism to Lose Weight?
YES you can. There are numerous things you can do to boost your metabolism. The keys? Moving more and adding muscle.
- Stay Active + Add Extra Movement to the Day
Daily walk, walking desk, workout class scheduled, take the stairs, add a high-intensity workout to your routine, strength train. All of these have been proven to keep metabolism strong. - Add Muscle
We know that as we age, we lose muscle. In fact, we lose 3–8% of muscle during each decade after the age of 30. And we know that increasing muscle significantly increases calories burned. Strength training aids in keeping muscle, which in turns, boosts our metabolism. And it’s never too late to start. - Add More Protein
Protein helps to build that muscle. Protein also takes a lot of calories to digest (increasing TEF) by 20-30%. - Eat Enough
Metabolism needs fuel. That means you need to eat enough to keep your metabolism running strong. Not eating enough is a common reason for stalled weight loss. Too much calorie restriction decreases your metabolic rate. - Drink More Water
Lots of good research on how increasing water increases calories burned. It’s called water-induced thermogenesis. Drinking cold water has an even greater effect than warm water, as this requires your body to warm it up to body temperature. Sixteen ounces of cold water increases your calories burned by 5-30%. - Drink a Little Caffeine
Coffee or green tea. Studies show they can give your metabolism a boost (3-11%). Both also have very strong antioxidant qualities. - Watch Your Sleep
Good sleep equates to a strong metabolic rate. Inadequate quality or quantity of sleep slows your metabolism by 8% in just 5 week’s time. - Keep Your Hormones in Check
Thyroid is the big player here (as you go through perimenopause and your sex hormones drop, metabolism can slow), but cortisol and melatonin can also adversely impact metabolism via sleep interruption.
Your metabolism does slow down as you age, but there are definitely lifestyle choices you can make to combat a slowing metabolism. Don’t fret, but get busy and you’ll feel the boost of metabolic strength.
Metabolism and Natural Weight Loss
We take metabolism into consideration when we choose a daily caloric expenditure goal. And then keep an eye on that calorie goal as you lose weight to make sure you’re supported, eating enough, but not too much. As you lose, it does change the caloric goal.
Metabolism + Longevity
Keeping one eye towards general strength assists how you move through the world with confidence. We know that age-related decline in metabolism is real. But, we also know that you can slow the decline if you are adding muscle and keeping activity levels strong. These lifestyle activities counter weigh the automatic decline in metabolic rate.
Our Natural Weight Loss Program’s low and slow philosophy allows you to create your new habits and then solidify them over time as you lose pounds. When you’ve completed the weight loss piece, you’ve also created the lifestyle piece, seamlessly. Works like a charm and we’re proud of it.
Reach out and see if our programs are right for you. Schedule a complimentary consultation with a holistic nutritionist.