How to increase your metabolism after 40

As we age, our metabolism starts to slow down. Fortunately there are plenty of things you can do to increase your metabolism after you reach 40 and beyond.

But first what is metabolism and why is it important? And why does your metabolism slow down as you get older?

What is metabolism and why is it important?

Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. A slower metabolism means your body will be less efficient at this process, making it easier to gain weight and harder to lose weight. 

The amount of energy you need to run the basic processes which keep us alive such as breathing, repairing our cells and digesting food is called our base metabolic rate. The higher your base metabolic rate, the more calories you’ll consume in these processes, making it easier it is for you to lose weight and avoid putting it on.

Why does it slow down as you get older?

Unfortunately from about age 30 we start to lose muscle mass at around the rate of 3-8% per decade. Studies have shown that women lose it at a much faster rate than men meaning it’s much more of an issue for us. 

Because muscle burns around 3 times more calories than fat, when you lose muscle, your metabolism slows down.  This means you’ll need to consume fewer calories just to stay at the same weight and it will be a lot harder to lose weight. 

In further bad news for women, hormonal changes have an adverse affect on our metabolism. As we enter menopause, the amount of estrogen in our systems starts to decrease.  This increases insulin levels, making us more hungry (which can lead to over eating) and more prone to carrying body fat, especially around our mid sections. 

As we get older, we tend to be less active, which further exacerbates the problem.

What can you do to increase it?

The good news is there are plenty of simple diet and lifestyle changes you can make that will help increase your metabolism.

Do weight training

The best thing you can do for your metabolism is do at least two sessions of strength training every week.   Strength training will increase your muscle mass and as a result your metabolism.  It also has a multitude of other health benefits for women, especially as we age. 

If you find the idea of going to the gym and lifting weights a little daunting, try using resistance bands or doing body weight exercises at home.

Make sure you eat enough protein

Getting enough protein in your diet is also vital if you want to boost your metabolism.   Protein contains the amino acids our bodies need as the building blocks to create muscle tissue.  So if you don’t eat enough protein no matter how much strength training you are doing, you’ll still keep losing muscle mass as you get older.  

Protein also keeps you feeling full longer, making you less likely to overeat, helping you maintain a healthy weight.

Because your body can’t store excess protein, you need to consume adequate amounts every day.

Animal products are complete proteins which means they contain all of the amino acids our bodies need to create muscle tissue.  The best sources of protein are therefore lean meat, poultry, eggs and diary.  Plant based product such as nuts, seeds and legumes are also sources of protein.

Use this guide to help you work out how to get the right amount of protein in your diet.

Do some aerobic exercise

Doing aerobic exercise is a good way to burn calories and increase your metabolism. 

Aim to do about 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. 

It doesn’t have to be in the gym. Try to incorporate some activities which increase your heart rate into your daily activities, like going for a brisk walk or cycling rather than driving short distances or taking the stairs instead of the lifts. Or take up a hobby like tennis, swimming or dancing.

Stay hydrated

Even mild dehydration can have an adverse impact on your metabolism.  Water also plays a part in a lot of other essential body processes. 

Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, more if you consume alcohol or drink a lot of tea or coffee.  If you get bored drinking plain water, spice it up with some sprigs of mint, a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime, cucumber slices, infuse it with some fresh berries or try sparkling water.

Drinking cold water can also have a positive effect on weight management as your body needs to heat up the water to body temperature before it can process it, and has to burn calories to do so.

Avoid diets and eat healthy instead

Dieting is the enemy of your metabolism.  Drastically cutting the amount of calories you consume slows down your metabolic rate as your body goes into starvation mode and uses less energy to protect itself.  Excessive dieting can also result in your body consuming muscle rather than fat, thereby further decreasing your metabolism. 

So while dieting might initially result in short term weight loss, in the long term it’s likely to have the opposite effect.  You are much better off eating healthy rather than dieting.   Along with protein-rich foods, include plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fibre-rich foods.

Eat small meals regularly

Having a big gap between meals can cause your metabolism to drop and can also make you more likely to overeat, both of which can contribute to weight gain.  Eating small meals throughout the day and including healthy snacks rather than a few large meals can help maintain your metabolic rate.  Make sure to include some protein with every meal.

Get plenty of sleep

How much sleep you get can affect your metabolism and overall health.  Not getting enough can cause your body to slow down your metabolism to conserve energy.

Lack of sleep can also affect your hormone balance. It can increase the production of ghrelin, the hormone which increases appetite and promotes fat storage. It can also decrease the production of leptin, the hormone which decreases appetite. This means you are more likely to to overeat and crave sugary, fatty or starchy foods, resulting in weight gain.

Try these tips for getting better quality sleep:

• go to bed and get up at the same time each day
• avoid screen time in the hour or so before bed as blue light can disrupt the production of melatonin. Do something relaxing instead, like reading a book, having a bath, listening to music or a podcast
• avoid stimulants like intense exercise, coffee, alcohol or rich foods late in the evening
• make your bedroom conducive to sleep. Make sure it’s quiet, dark and you have a comfortable mattress. Don’t overdo it on the bed covers, as being too hot can interfere with your sleep.

What’s the role of medical conditions?

Most of the time our metabolism will be a function of our age and the diet and lifestyle choices we make. But there are also some diseases such as an under-active thyroid which can adversely impact your metabolism. If you are eating well and following the other tips above and find you’re still putting on weight or trying to lose weight and not succeeding, seek advice from a doctor or other health professional.

Some medications can also lower your metabolism and make you feel hungrier, leading to weight gain. These include some anti-depressants, steroids and diabetes medications. If you take any of these and you’re struggling with your weight it’s worthwhile talking to your doctor.