Maintaining Wellness
What do we do about it?: Measures to combat a change in metabolism and lifestyle
Why metabolism slows with age
Research shows that losing muscle and being less active are the biggest reasons why your metabolism slows down with age. Compared to these two factors, everything else only has a minor effect.
Muscle mass increases your resting metabolism. However, people lose muscle with age due to being less active, changes in diet and a decrease in hormone production.
Research shows that people become less active with age. Being less active can significantly slow down your metabolism, as it is responsible for 10–30% of your daily calories burned.
Cellular components like the mitochondria and sodium-potassium pumps become less efficient with age. However, the effect on metabolism is still less than muscle loss and activity.
Muscle mass increases your resting metabolism. However, people lose muscle with age due to being less active, changes in diet and a decrease in hormone production.
Research shows that people become less active with age. Being less active can significantly slow down your metabolism, as it is responsible for 10–30% of your daily calories burned.
Cellular components like the mitochondria and sodium-potassium pumps become less efficient with age. However, the effect on metabolism is still less than muscle loss and activity.
How Can You Prevent Your Metabolism Slowing Down With Age?
Although the metabolism typically slows down with age, there are many things you can do fight this. Here are four ways you can combat the effects of aging on your metabolism.
1. Try Resistance Training: Resistance training, or weight lifting, is great for preventing a slowing metabolism. It offers the benefits of exercise while preserving muscle mass — two factors that affect the speed of your metabolism. Studies have shown that resistance training increased Resting Metabolic Rate.
2. Try High-Intensity Interval Training: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help prevent a slowing metabolism. It is a training technique that alternates between intense anaerobic exercise with short periods of rest. HIIT also continues to burn calories long after you finish exercising because your muscles need to use more energy to recover after exercise. Research also shows that HIIT can help your body build and preserve muscle mass with age.
3. Get Plenty of Sleep: Research shows a lack of sleep can slow down your metabolism. One study found that 4 hours of sleep reduced metabolism by 2.6% compared to 10 hours of sleep. It also seems that poor sleep may increase muscle loss.
4. Eat More Protein-Rich Foods: Eating more protein-rich foods can help fight a slowing metabolism. That’s because your body burns more calories while consuming, digesting and absorbing protein-rich foods. In fact, studies have shown that consuming 25–30% of your calories from protein can boost your metabolism by up to 80–100 calories per day, compared to lower protein diets.
1. Try Resistance Training: Resistance training, or weight lifting, is great for preventing a slowing metabolism. It offers the benefits of exercise while preserving muscle mass — two factors that affect the speed of your metabolism. Studies have shown that resistance training increased Resting Metabolic Rate.
2. Try High-Intensity Interval Training: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help prevent a slowing metabolism. It is a training technique that alternates between intense anaerobic exercise with short periods of rest. HIIT also continues to burn calories long after you finish exercising because your muscles need to use more energy to recover after exercise. Research also shows that HIIT can help your body build and preserve muscle mass with age.
3. Get Plenty of Sleep: Research shows a lack of sleep can slow down your metabolism. One study found that 4 hours of sleep reduced metabolism by 2.6% compared to 10 hours of sleep. It also seems that poor sleep may increase muscle loss.
4. Eat More Protein-Rich Foods: Eating more protein-rich foods can help fight a slowing metabolism. That’s because your body burns more calories while consuming, digesting and absorbing protein-rich foods. In fact, studies have shown that consuming 25–30% of your calories from protein can boost your metabolism by up to 80–100 calories per day, compared to lower protein diets.
Lifestyle changes
How to get started and maintain a healthy lifestyle
Make simple changes in everyday life
|