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How to Speed Up Metabolism in Your 40s

Feb 24, 2011 | By Paula Quinene
How to Speed Up Metabolism in Your 40s
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Slowing down the loss of muscle and bone that begins around age 40 is essential --- and efforts to speed up your metabolism should start at the same time. Muscle and bone tissue require more energy, or calories, than fat tissue to repair and grow. Their cells undergo a greater number of actions to move and stabilize your body, make blood cells, keep you warm and convert the energy in the food you to energy your body can use. The more muscle and bone cells you have, the greater your metabolism.

Step 1

Eat five to six small meals throughout the day, maintaining your blood sugar level and raising your metabolism. Include carbohydrates and protein to fuel your muscles and augment growth. Incorporate foods rich in calcium, iron and magnesium to enhance muscle contraction, energy metabolism, oxygen delivery and bone health.

Step 2

Consume 1,000 mg of calcium in your 40s, regardless of your sex, by consuming a mixture of dairy products or dark leafy veggies, which are rich in calcium. One cup of skim milk or yogurt has 300 mg of calcium. If you are lactose intolerant, consider a mixture of lactose-free foods. One cup of tofu has 516 mg, 1 cup of Chinese cabbage has 478 mg and 1 cup of spinach has 230 mg, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.

Step 3

Take in 8 mg of iron per day if you are a man, or 18 mg if you are a woman. Iron-rich sources of protein include six oysters with 5 mg of iron, a ½ cup of cooked lentils with 3.3 mg of iron and the common raisin bran cereal with 5.7 to 18 mg of iron per serving, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Foods with lower amounts of iron include 3 oz. of beef at 2.32 mg, dark meat chicken at 1.13 mg and 6 oz. of prune juice with 2.28 mg of iron. Choose protein sources with iron if you already eat foods high in fiber, like whole grains, fruits and veggies; choose plant sources of iron if your diet is low in fiber.

Step 4

Include a mixture of almonds, cooked brown rice, spinach and all-bran cereal in your meal plan to get a sufficient amount of magnesium. Men need 420 mg of magnesium, and women need 320 mg. One ounce of almonds contains 78 mg of magnesium, 1 cup of cooked brown rice has 86 mg and a ½ cup of cooked spinach has 78 mg of magnesium.

Step 5

Drink plenty of water to maintain hydration levels during your 40s. As you age, your body needs even more fluids to maintain hydration and metabolism, according to a 2010 article by Douglas Kalman, Ph.D., published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal." Consume a minimum of 16 cups of fluids if you are a man and 11 cups of fluids if you are a woman. Such fluids may come from water or from watery fruits like oranges, apples and pears; sports drinks; and even your coffee. Replace any water lost from an exercise session with water or a sports drink.

Step 6

Engage in a regular program of strength-training to maintain bone health and build muscle mass in your 40s. Complete a resistance workout three days a week utilizing weights heavy enough so you can complete four to six sets of 6 to 12 repetitions per exercise; this is the intensity and volume of training necessary to enhance bone and muscle growth. Incorporate multi-joint exercises such as squats, bench presses, lunges, pushups, pullups and shoulder presses. Strength-training increases the rate of muscle remodeling, increasing your metabolism, according to a 2010 article by Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., published in the "ACSM Fit Society Page."

Tips and Warnings

  • Create your meal plans on a spreadsheet, noting your intake of nutrients.

References

Article reviewed by CPerry Last updated on: Feb 24, 2011

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