Metabolism slows with age. It's an unpleasant yet undeniable truth. As explained by Johns Hopkins Health Alerts, metabolism starts slowing after age 30, and is due to loss of muscle mass. The rate of muscles loss and the subsequent slowing of the metabolism increase after 50. In women, metabolism slows in particular after menopause. Despite all this, there are active steps that you can take to increase your metabolic rate at any age.
Step 1
Eat properly. While it is tempting to skip breakfast, it may actually backfire. Breakfast transitions your body from a resting state to an active one, where you burn calories. If you skip it, your body tends to store any food you'll eat later as fat, instead of burning it for energy. Going hungry will also increase the chance that you'll eat too much later on in the day.
Eat smaller meals than usual, and eat more frequently than three times a day. It will keep your body busy burning calories and will give you a feeling of satiety. Eat low fat protein, from any source you like. You need to use more calories to burn proteins than to burn carbohydrates or fats.
Step 2
Increase your muscle mass by doing weight training. You should work on all the major muscle groups, and do so for about 45 minutes, three times a week. According to Sheri Barke, a dietician on the faculty of UCLA Extension's Fitness Certificate Program, you can recover a decade of lost muscle mass after only two months of weight training.
Step 3
Do aerobic exercise. Sixty minutes of moderately high intensity workout, about five days a week, will keep your metabolic rate high, as well as help you lose weight. Aerobic exercises include walking uphill, running and biking. An intensive dance class is another option. Do something you enjoy--you'll be more likely to stick to it.
Step 4
Fidget. Move around constantly during the day, as you're sitting in a chair working or watching TV. Fidgeting a little adds up to a significant calorie loss at the end of day, and keeps your metabolism active.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep active your entire life. If you stop exercising for a while, don't beat yourself up over it--just get up and start working at it again.
- If you've been sedentary, see your doctor before you start a new exercise program. If you can't seem to lose weight despite being active and eating properly, schedule an appointment with your doctor to see if there's some medical cause.
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