You don’t have to take an aging metabolism sitting down. By getting up off the couch and moving a bit each day, you can keep your metabolism purring and feel and look younger.
An aging metabolism ranks right up there with saggy skin, gray hair and more defined wrinkles as you age. It slows you down and helps you lose muscle mass – as much as 50% – by the time you hit seventy years of age.
You’ll also burn less calories as your metabolism slows, bringing on the weight gain and other problems associated with too much fat, such as diabetes and heart problems.
Here are 5 great ways to boost your metabolism and fight the aging process:
1 – Eat smaller amounts of food, several times per day – Rather than practicing the “three meals per day” routine, try eating small amounts of food every couple or three hours. This keeps your metabolism working at burning calories and has the added benefit of keeping you filled up so you don’t binge.
2 – Always eat breakfast – Your metabolism is still in the “resting” mode when you wake up, but when you eat breakfast, your metabolism will awaken and burn the calories that would otherwise be stored as fat. Also, you won’t be in danger of over-eating later in the day because you’re too hungry.
3 – Add some aerobic exercises into your regimen – Keeping your metabolism humming along means that you must add some aerobic activity into your daily routine. A few minutes of swimming, brisk walking, biking, dancing or hiking can boost your metabolism and help prevent weight gain.
4 – Restful sleep can fight fatigue – When you don’t get enough slumber or it isn’t a relaxing type of sleep, you may be so tired the next day that you can’t or don’t want to exercise. You may also tend to eat more – and less healthy – food, causing weight gain and a sluggish metabolism.
5 – Add strength training to your exercise regimen – Aerobic exercises are must to rev up an aging metabolism – and so is strength training. Working with weights, resistance bands or other equipment designed to build muscle is important to help fight muscle loss that occurs as you age and to keep your metabolism working properly.
Even if you have medical problems or a disability which keeps you from vigorous exercising or strength training, you can find ways to move as much as possible. Engage in any opportunity to move your arms, legs and torso when you can. Getting up to change the television channel or practicing chair exercises are much preferable to doing nothing.
Medications can also slow down your metabolism. If you suspect that you’re taking a prescription medication which is making you lethargic and you’re gaining unwanted pounds, speak to your health care provider about an alternative medication or natural remedy.
