We all have learned that our metabolism gets slower with age. As a young adult, it is easy to take your fast metabolism for granted and not care too much about how to keep your metabolism strong. However, our basal metabolic rate (BMR), the amount of energy our body uses when we rest, slows down when we get older, making it harder for us to burn calories and lose weight.
Your metabolism really starts to decrease in your 30s and 40s according to The Vitamin Shoppe. So how do you increase metabolism after 40? Well, you can increase your metabolism as you age by embracing a healthy lifestyle. Read on to learn how to keep your metabolism high as you get older.
How to Increase Metabolism
The best way to maintain your fast metabolism is by developing healthy eating habits and exercising. Here are some specific ways on how to increase metabolism to lose weight and stay fit as you age:
1. Stay Hydrated
A great way to keep your metabolism high is by drinking lots of water throughout the day. It is generally recommended that women drink 11.5 cups of water per day and men drink 15.5 cups of water per day. According to Healthline, people who drink water more than other drinks lose weight easier and faster. Even just 0.5 liters of water can increase your metabolism by 10-30% for approximately an hour.
Drinking water can also help you eat less. Healthline states a study found that people who drank half a liter of water before their meal lost 44% more weight than the people who didn’t drink water.
2. Consume Enough Protein:
At any age, protein is necessary for our bodies to function properly. Excess protein is especially important for individuals trying to figure out how to keep metabolism high. Protein is hard to digest, making you burn more calories and boosting your metabolism. It also prevents you from overeating by keeping you full for a longer period of time.
Protein also keeps your metabolism from slowing down because it reduces muscle loss and keeps your metabolic rate higher.
3. Strength Train:
Figuring out ways on how to increase metabolism after 40 years old can be daunting. But weight training is actually a great way to keep your metabolism high. It may seem like it is too late to start getting into strength training, but I am here to tell you that you can always begin now!
Building muscle helps increase metabolism and will allow you to burn more calories per day, even when you rest. The more muscle you have, the higher your BMR because it requires calories to maintain muscle.
If you aren’t sure where to start, SloaneSquad has daily workout routines that include strength training to ease you into it!
4. Get Enough Sleep:
When we think about how to keep metabolism high, sleep probably isn’t the first thing we think about. However, sleep is a major component of ensuring a fast metabolism because it is when our body processes and breaks down glucose into energy. Without adequate sleep, we are at risk of high blood sugar or even potentially obesity.
Think of sleep as nutrition for the brain. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep to avoid food cravings and weight gain.
I understand how difficult it is to figure out ways to increase your metabolism as you age. With a variety of weight loss and strength training regimens, nutrition plans, and one on one coaching, you can make a consistent healthy lifestyle a reality! My SloaneSquad App can help you wit this process – join today!