Linda asks, “How do I boost metabolism as I age?”
Aging does naturally slow the body’s metabolic function if you don’t make conscious efforts to boost your metabolism through proper nutrition and sufficient physical activity. I see this happen to my personal training Santa Monica clients all the time.
If you’re not getting enough nutrients from food as you age, your body will go into a catabolic state, eating its own muscle tissue for fuel. This may be happening even as you’re gaining fat, because you may be meeting or exceeding your caloric needs without satisfying your need for nutrients.
In a catabolic state, the body is losing muscle, and therefore losing its ability to metabolize calories efficiently. This results in significantly more stored body fat as you age. And if you’re taking in more calories than you can metabolize, your circulation, blood sugar, and hormone levels will also be affected, resulting in decreased health and happiness.
Developing and maintaining healthy muscle is the foundation of revving up your metabolism as you age. At rest, muscle burns 6 calories per pound each day, while fat burns only 2 calories per pound. During exercise, muscle burns 30-50 calories per pound per day, while fat still burns just 2 calories per pound when active. That means that an active 140lb woman with 50% muscle can metabolize over 3,000 calories per day.
If you want better health, more energy, and a leaner body, there are ways to maintain a robust metabolism well into middle age and beyond. Watch the video below for my top tips to keep your metabolism kicking, and if you want to beat the clock with a workout personalized just for you, contact Advanced Athletics today.