Does Your Metabolism Slow With Age?

It’s no secret that everyone moves at different speeds. From kids who seem to be bundles of uncontrollable energy up to older adults who take things more slowly, we all have our own pace. But even in that range, some people seem to have more or less energy than others. Regardless of where you started, you’ve probably found the rhythm of your life has slowed down over time. So does metabolism slow with age and if so, at what age does your metabolism slow down? Is there anything you can do about it?

This blog post will look at metabolism and aging and show you ways you can try to boost your metabolism.

You and Your Metabolism

Metabolic rate is a term used to describe all the chemical reactions and processes in your body that turn food into energy. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body uses/burns to do basic (basal) life-sustaining functions like circulating your blood, digestion, breathing, maintaining a stable body temperature, and cell growth and repair. Your BMR uses up 60-75% of the calories you burn every 24 hours.

As you age, your body starts to store more fat and loses muscle due to hormone shifts and becoming less physically active. You begin losing muscle mass in your 30s, and that loss speeds up after you turn 50. This is also when your metabolism begins to slow down. Metabolism, protein and muscle are connected, so when muscle mass decreases, so does metabolism.

What is Metabolic Age?

Your chronological age is easy to track because we all celebrate our birthday every year. Chronological age is one way to gauge your fitness level compared to your peers. Your metabolic age is your BMR compared to others in your age group. If your metabolic age is the same as your chronological age, then you’re similar to people in your age group. If your metabolic age is lower than your chronological age, that means you have the metabolism of a younger person. However, if your metabolic age is higher, you may want to take a look at your dietary habits and exercise routine.

You can estimate your BMR, but calculating your real metabolic age is complex. If you’re interested in determining your metabolic age, you should talk to your doctor, dietitian, personal trainer or other fitness expert.

Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

• Exercise: You can boost your metabolism by doing more aerobic or cardio exercises like walking, swimming/water aerobics, biking, jogging, dancing, or racquet sports such as tennis, badminton or pickleball.
• Build muscle mass: To boost your metabolism, try strength training using resistance bands and lifting weights or doing body-weight exercises like pushups.
• Eat healthy: Try to eat a balanced diet that’s made up of primarily whole foods like fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. You should limit fast food, sugar and heavily processed foods like frozen pasta dishes and pizzas, and processed meats like sausages and deli meats. Also be on the lookout for foods that contain lots of sugar and salt.
• Downsize your portions: Learning to adjust your diet to your body’s lower calorie needs is a gradual process. Start by trimming 100 to 200 calories from your daily diet and adjust as needed from there. You’d be surprised to see what a big difference such a small change can make.
• Stay well hydrated: It’s easy to confuse the sensation of thirst for hunger. Staying hydrated with water rather than high-calorie beverages, like sodas and fruit juices can also ramp up your metabolism and increase the breakdown of fat.
• Get enough sleep: Since shut-eye and metabolism are connected, getting better sleep helps your body burn more calories and use nutrients more efficiently.

Enjoy Total Body Wellness

At FellowshipLIFE, we’re committed to helping you meet your health and wellness goals including boosting your metabolism with a variety of fitness classes. Plus, our five-star dining experience, features fresh produce, freshly made soups, and a menu free of prepared convenience foods. To come see our community and everything we have to offer for yourself, contact us here.