Age?
It’s true that your metabolism does slow down with age, BUT it’s less than you imagine it to be. Starting at age 25 the average person’s metabolism declines between 5% and 10% per decade. The good news is that such a drop in metabolism only occurs because North Americans tend to become FAR less physically active over the course of their lives. People who maintain their physical activity levels throughout their lifetime only see a .3% metabolic decline per decade which results in a 1% to 2% decline over a person’s lifetime as apposed to a 20% to 40% drop.
Gender?
There are relatively small metabolic differences between men and women. On average, women's total energy expenditure, which is the number of calories burned for metabolic needs, including breathing, blood circulation, digestion and physical activity, is around 5 to 10 percent lower than men's. The reduced energy expenditure can be partly explained by body composition.
Muscle?
Beyond the increase in metabolism during muscle-building exercise, muscle improves quality of life and has benefits far beyond the aesthetic aspect.
Studies have estimated that for each pound of muscle that you add to your body, you burn an additional 35 to 50 calories per day. So, an extra 10 pounds of muscle will burn approximately 350 to 500 calories a day, or an extra pound of fat every 7 to 10 days, without making any other changes. In another study, researchers found that regular weight training boosts basal metabolic rate by about 15%. This is because muscle is 'metabolically active ' and burns more calories than other body tissue even when you're not moving.
What Can You Do About It?
Hit The Weights
Adding 5 to 10 lbs of lean muscle mass with increase the number of calories you burn by 175 to 500 calories each and every day even if you lay in bed all day and do nothing!
HIIT
High Intensity Interval Training will increase the number of calories burned during the workout in a shorter period of time and you’ll burn another 100 to 200 calories while sitting on the couch. HIIT Burns 3x the calories moderate cardiovascular training does. Think about a sprinter’s and a marathoner’s body…
Sleep
You burn the highest percentage of fat while sleeping. Without proper sleep your body can’t repair muscle tissue or perform the basic functions of daily life as needed. Lack of sleep will also decrease the number of calories burned the following day, so not only is your body unable to rest and recover but it is playing catch up the next day.
Eat Often
Notice that it doesn’t say eat a lot, eat often, there is a HUGE difference. Eating every 2 to 3 hours feeds muscle and starves fat. Research from Georgia State University shows that people who eat every 2 to 3 hours have less body fat and faster metabolism than those who eat only 2 or 3 meals per day.
…And Intelligently
Frequent eating is not mindless snacking on empty calorie foods. It should be a mini meal including a serving of fruit or vegetable with a healthy source of protein, egg, chicken, or nuts. Increasing high fiber foods, vegetables is one of the most effective ways to increase your metabolism. Your body can not digest fiber but will try it’s hardest to break it down any ways, which increases your metabolism. Vegetables also provide vital nutrients to your body while maintaining a low calorie count. Next time you go to the grocery store shop the peripherals where the veggies, fruits, unprocessed proteins are kept, purchase a combination of 7 fruits and vegetables and eat one each day. The following week purchase a combination of 14 fruits and vegetables, 2 a day and so on until you are eating a fruit or vegetable at every meal.
The Hype
While there is some truth to every supplement and weight loss aid out there your efforts will yield better results if you concentrate on the basics. Too many of these supplements lack conclusive studies, contain potentially harmful substances and… well if you want my lecture on supplements you can contact me at training.momentum@gmail.com.
Go Fish
Omega-3 fatty acids are found only in fish oil and increase heart health, decrease overall cholesterol, and give up to a 400 calorie burn boost to your metabolism.
Move More
Never sit when you can stand, or stand still when you can walk. Thanks to desk jobs, family commitments, and a great lineup of must-see TV shows, most of us move less at ages 30, 40, and beyond than we did during our teens and twenties, Berardi says. Regular periods of movement -- whether it’s a trip to the office water cooler or a stroll around the block after lunch -- nudges a sluggish metabolism into gear, lifting your spirits and obliterating excess fat. Park your car an extra block away, walk to the grocery store or park your car at the back of the lot, when the phone rings stand up when you answer it. We are a hurry up and sit society so fight it, walk when you can, take the stairs, every bit counts at the end of the day and your body will thank you.
"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." ~Jim Rohn~
