How to Boost Your Metabolism and Lose Weight At Any Age
Feeling like your metabolism isn't what it used to be? You're not alone.
As we age, our metabolism tends to slow down, making it harder to maintain or lose weight.
But don't panic! I am here to help 😁
With the right strategies, you can give your metabolism a kickstart and shed those extra pounds, no matter your age.
Understanding Metabolism
Before diving into the tips, let's get a grasp on what metabolism actually is.
Your metabolism is a series of chemical processes in your body that convert the food you eat into energy. This energy is essential for everything your body does, from breathing to running a marathon. The rate at which your body burns calories for energy is your metabolic rate.
Several factors influence this rate, including age, muscle mass, and physical activity.
Interestingly, recent research suggests that metabolism doesn't start to slow down significantly until after age 50.
Before this, weight gain is often more related to our lifestyles.
Sedentary habits, long periods of sitting, and less physical activity in general contribute to a slower metabolism. We basically just don’t move as much as we did when we were in our college days due to lifestyle changes.
Therefore, staying active throughout the day, such as taking regular walks and breaking up long sitting periods, is crucial for maintaining a healthy metabolic rate.
Tips to Boost Your Metabolism
Stay Active and Lift Weights
Building muscle is key. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, even at rest.
Incorporate strength training exercises, like lifting weights or doing body-weight exercises, at least two to three times a week.
Everyone knows I favour weight training over cardio and this is the main reason why.
I have nothing against cardio as it’s great for heart health, but walking helps heart health too so I lean towards that as it’s easier on your joints, and just easier in general, and I like easy 🤷🏼♀️😂
Eat Enough Protein
Protein has a higher thermic effect compared to fats and carbohydrates, meaning your body uses more energy to digest it.
Include protein in every meal to boost your metabolism.
Think lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
These days there are a tonne of protein snacks and protein added foods around too for us to choose from.
Stay Hydrated
Ah water, often overlooked by all but yet so many benefits!
Water is essential for a well-functioning metabolism.
Even mild dehydration can slow down your metabolic rate… Sad times I know.
So try to aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
If you hate water you could have green tea (see benefits of that below) or maybe some flavoured water/fruit water/cordial drinks. Anything like that is better than nothing.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is so underrated for weight loss, it is HUGE.
There are multiple studies to show chronic lack of sleep causes weight gain.
Basically because it throws your hunger hormones out of whack and you eat more.
Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
If you find it hard to sleep then establish a relaxing bedtime routine and keep your sleep environment cool and dark.
Personally I found black out blinds to be a game changer for me.
Eat Small, Frequent Meals?
They used to say to eat small meals often over the period of the day to ‘stoke the metabolic fire’, meh, technically this meal timing has been proved that it doesn't matter.
You do want to spread your protein out as the muscle can only absorb so much at one time but you can eat whenever you like and still get results.
The only thing is when you skip meals it generally leads to overeating later as you’re so hungry by the time you go to eat and end up eating everything in sight - or maybe that's just me 👀 😂
Spice Up Your Meals
Weirdly spicy foods can help to boost your metabolism - particularly those containing capsaicin (found in chilli peppers).
So if you’re brave enough add some heat to your meals with a pinch of cayenne or hot sauce.
Does Green Tea or Coffee Help?
Both green tea and coffee contain compounds that can help boost your metabolism.
Green tea is rich in catechins, while coffee contains caffeine.
However, I did read a study that said you’d need about 8 litres of green tea a day to basically have an impact on your metabolism so this is doubtful to work, but it is full of good antioxidants so there's that.
Green tea reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols.
Antioxidants are substances that fight free radicals, damaging compounds in the body that change cells, damage DNA, and even cause cell death. So anything with high antioxidants is a winner to me regardless!
Moving onto Caffeine, which, yes, is pretty much a given that it does speed up your metabolism.
Would I recommend it? No.
This is what they use in large doses in fat burning pills and it can give you heart issues - not ideal.
Many many years ago when I was fat in my 20’s I took some fat burners, desperate times lead to desperate measures. What can I say…. 😬
Anyway I could feel my heart going about 100 miles an hour when I was even doing a light weight workout - so I stopped taking those pretty fast lol.
My old flat mate was on a MASSIVE amount of them and he could only sleep 3 hours a night - basically as he was absolutely wired on caffeine pills.
It took him years to recover when he finally came off them as he realised it wasn't a sustainable solution and started to get heart arrhythmia in his 30’s. (An arrhythmia is an abnormality of the heart's rhythm. It may beat too slowly, too quickly, or irregularly. These abnormalities range from a minor inconvenience or discomfort to a potentially fatal problem aka a heart attack.)
However some small shots of coffee are never going to do you much harm, large doses of caffeine are not recommended though for the reasons mentioned and it also messes up your sleep.
Conclusion: Time, the Irreplaceable Currency
Boosting your metabolism and losing weight at any age is entirely possible with the right approach. Heck my clients are in the best shape of their lives well into their 50’s and 60’s.
You just need the right approach, so incorporate strength training, stay active, and make sure to get enough rest.
Remember, consistency is key. By making these lifestyle changes, you'll not only boost your metabolism but also improve your overall health and well-being.
Ready to take the next step towards a healthier you? Start incorporating these tips today and watch your metabolism rev up!
Need some more support? You know where I am 😉
Book in for a free call here
Always remember that strategy is your friend.
Until next week friends!
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