Is Age Responsible for a Slowing Metabolism?
I recently came across an article entitled “It’s not your age that’s slowing your metabolism, new research says. Here’s what to do.” The piece posits that slowing metabolism is due less to age than to lifestyle.
Metabolic rate is the rate at which the body burns calories in order to perform necessary functions. We may be aware that behaviors influence metabolism (e.g., weight lifting), but there still seems to be a general sense that slowing metabolism is a dreaded development of middle age and beyond, and there is little we can do to offset it.
A recent study was released involving a population of more than 6,500 people spanning a wide age range. After examining the data, researchers concluded that metabolism is stable from age 20 to 60. At that point, metabolism indeed starts to decline, but only at a rate of less than 1% per year.
There are certainly realities of aging, but I wonder how we as a society may have come to feel powerless over a slowing metabolism. We may overlook the fact that as we age, our lifestyle behaviors tend to change as well. Facing increased demands of life and an increasingly digital age, we become more sedentary. Our sleep quality becomes poorer. We eat more low-quality convenience foods.
What if we targeted these lifestyle behaviors? The articles goes on to cite several strategies for improving our metabolic rate:
Engage in physical activity throughout the day. Inactivity may be the factor most responsible for a slowing metabolism. Blocks of exercise are fantastic, but we’re still undermining our progress if we exercise for, say, 30 minutes, but then sit most of the rest of the day. Consider how, in addition to the exercise guidelines, you can also weave more activity into your day from beginning to end. Even just standing up and moving around for a few minutes per hour can make a difference.
Consider the kind of exercise you’re doing. All forms of exercise are beneficial, but some tend to impact metabolic rate more than others. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is one of the most impactful. Strength training also improves metabolic rate.
Consume plenty of protein and water. Digesting food actually increases metabolism for a short time after eating because the body requires caloric energy for digestion. This process is known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). This isn’t to say we should eat excessively in order to boost metabolism, but protein in particular causes the largest rise in TEF. I’m not outlining how much protein people should consume, as different populations may have different needs. (Please consult your physician.) As an advocate of whole plant foods, I instead emphasize the quality of the protein. Plant-based foods provide ample protein and a whole host of other benefits. The Cleveland Clinic provides a list of plant-based protein sources here:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/13-of-the-best-vegetarian-and-vegan-protein-sources/
Drinking water, cold water in particular, may also help metabolic rate.
4. Get quality sleep. This is one with which many people struggle. Sometimes a sleep disorder may be to blame. Sleep disorders are serious and should be evaluated by a physician. When it simply comes down to the choice about staying up late, however, I find that many people either want more time to work or more time to unwind. If you’re a regular night owl, consider examining the reasons you delay going to bed. Write them out to help you organize your thoughts. Is there a creative way to meet those needs during the daytime or with the support of others?
Making so many changes at once can feel overwhelming. It’s better to take smaller, more manageable steps and feel a sense of accomplishment, than to aspire to more than you can realistically take on, and then feel defeated. If you’d like to improve your metabolic rate, consider which strategies currently fit best into your life, and when a good time would be to start taking those steps. You can do it!