The word “metabolism” actually has a couple of meanings these days: one that is literal or scientific in nature, and another that is more colloquial.
Literally defined, metabolism refers to the many processes and chemical reactions that make your body function properly.
But more often than not, when people talk about “metabolism”, they mean the number of calories your body burns on a daily basis. The other term for this would be your “metabolic rate”.
Call it what you will…how fast you burn calories has a major effect on things like:
- How much (and what) you should eat.
- How hard or easy it is to lose weight.
- How much energy you have throughout the day.
You probably know people with a “high” metabolism. They never seem to put on weight, and they often have a lot of energy. It also may seem like they can eat anything they want.
For some people, high metabolism is a product of their genetic makeup. And…to be honest…that’s where it starts for all of us.
But it doesn’t have to end with genetics. There are things anyone can do to boost their metabolism, thereby gaining the health benefits a strong metabolism can provide.
Here are seven tips to get you started:
- Get Off the Couch
- Eat More Protein
- Muscle Up Your Workouts
- Add More Spice to Your Life
- Get More Sleep
- Stress
- Too much screen time before bed
- Reduced production of melatonin and other important hormones
- Drink Coffee (or Tea)
- Hormone Health
Sitting is bad for your health. In fact, it’s been called “the new smoking”.
Why? Because when you spend hours each day sitting, your metabolism slows down. Way down.
Try getting up for 10 minutes every hour. Other options include using a standing desk, or a walking treadmill.
Your body uses energy to digest food. This is what’s known as the thermic effect.
Some foods…like carbohydrates…don’t make your body use much energy during digestion. Protein, on the other hand, requires your body to use a lot of energy while being digested.
Digesting protein, in fact, increases your metabolic rate up to three times as much as carbohydrates.
Protein also keeps you feeling full for longer, so you’re less likely to overeat.
And…protein supports muscle health…which also helps to keep your metabolism boosted.
Muscle burns more calories than fat (even when you’re sleeping)…so add more resistance exercises to your workout routine.
You should still do cardio 3-5 times per week to strengthen your cardiovascular system. But adding weights to your routine will help to increase muscle mass, and therefore your metabolism.
If you’re a fan of spicy foods…we have good news for you! Spicy foods are good for your metabolism.
Capsaicin…the substance that gives spicy peppers their heat…can actually increase your metabolic rate.
Lack of sleep has been tied to a reduction in metabolism, as well as an increased risk for being overweight.
Adults need a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep per night so their bodies have a chance to rest and rebuild.
But as people get older, their ability to get enough sleep can be limited by many factors, including:
A lack of sleep also increases the production of ghrelin (the hormone that makes you feel hungry) and reduces the production of leptin (the hormone that makes you feel full).
The caffeine in coffee and tea (especially green tea) does more than keep you awake. It also revs up your metabolism.
Studies show that drinking coffee or green tea can increase fat burning by up to 30%.
Maintaining properly balanced hormones is critical to maintaining a healthy metabolism as you get older.
Testosterone levels in both men and women decline with age. Among other things, this reduces lean muscle mass, which can result in a reduced metabolic rate.
Estrogen loss experienced by women during menopause results in lower levels of estradiol…the form of estrogen that regulates weight management and metabolism.
Thyroid is another hormone that becomes deficient in adults as they get older. Meanwhile, thyroid has everything to do with regulation of metabolism. Specifically, people who are deficient in thyroid will tend to have a sluggish metabolism.
Increased levels of cortisol (a.k.a. the “stress hormone”) can suppress your metabolism if you’re under long-term stress.
Declining melatonin production as you get older makes it harder to get quality sleep…which (as noted above) can reduce your metabolic rate.
And age-related changes in the appetite hormones ghrelin and leptin can influence your body’s ability to regulate appetite, which can ultimately impact metabolism.
Are You Slowing Down?
With age, any or all of these factors can slow your metabolism, causing weight gain and making it harder to stay active and healthy.
At Renew Youth we can help you discover the root causes of your metabolic slowdown. And we can provide effective solutions for getting your metabolism revved up again.
Let’s get started! Give us a call us at 800-859-7511 or use our contact form to set up your free 30-minute consultation.