Tips to Help Boost your Metabolism as You Age
The word metabolism often comes up when we talk about weight loss. As we get older, our metabolisms slow down. Some of this is out of our control and due to factors like hormonal shifts in menopause. In discussions about weight loss, a slow metabolism is often used to explain seemingly unexplained weight gain and ways to speed up metabolism are seen as the easy answers to achieving weight loss goals. Although metabolism plays a role in both weight loss and weight gain, there is a lot of misinformation floating around out there.
Metabolism for Weight loss: How you Burn Calories
Although the underlying chemical processes are complex, the formula is simple. When you burn more calories than you take in, you lose weight. When you take in more than you burn, you gain weight.
Why Does Metabolism Slow with Age?
There are a few reasons we tend to gain weight as we age. For one, we tend to be less active than we once were. By no fault of our own, we also lose muscle mass as we get older. And muscle burns more calories than fat. In other words, the more muscle you have on your body, the higher your metabolism. So, when that muscle mass dwindles, so does the number of calories we burn.
With that being said, there are some things you can do to speed up metabolism, even if you’re in middle age. Here are a few of the best metabolism boosters for women:
Make protein the star. Protein is a vital macronutrient for your body. When it comes to metabolism, it helps boost your metabolic rate, so your body burns more calories. In addition, protein reduces levels of the hormones that make you feel hungry and increases levels of the hormone that makes you feel full. The result: you eat fewer calories.1
Drink H2O. There are so many reasons you should drink plenty of water. But did you know water is one of the best metabolism boosters? In one study, 50 participants with excess weight drank two cups of water 30 minutes before each meal without changing anything else about their diets and lost weight.2
When you drink water, your body goes through thermogenesis (heat production) to process it, especially when the water is cold, which gives your metabolism a boost. 3
Strength train. Regular strength training workouts like the Curves Circuit and MyCurves On Demand are great for increasing metabolism for weight loss. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, so the more muscle you build, the more calories you will burn, and the faster you will lose weight.4
Don’t overdo your calorie deficit. If your goal is to speed up your metabolism, you can go down the wrong path if you cut too many calories from your weight loss eating plan. Although a calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss, eating too few calories can slow your metabolic rate, making weight loss all that much harder. The best way to drop pounds with a weight loss eating plan is by consuming a balanced diet with all the essential nutrients and eating small, frequent meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism going strong.5
Turn to the Curves Nutrition and Weight Management Program. We’ve been in the weight loss business for decades, and we know how to help members increase their metabolism, even after age 50. Curves ladies’ gym is a leader in women’s health and fitness, helping women get fit, build strength, and live happier and healthier lives. Curves Nutrition and Weight Management Program will give you the healthy eating guidance you need to lose weight and have the energy to get through the Curves Circuit and the rest of your busy day.
The Curves women’s gym workout is convenient, combining strength training and cardio plus stretching – all in just 30 minutes – to strengthen your whole body. For more information about Curves and the full body workouts the Curves Circuit provides, visit ‘Why Curves’.
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