by Ginny Becker

Created on: November 15, 2008   Last Updated: January 13, 2009

Tips To Boost Your Metabolism

If you're finding yourself wondering how to lose the weight that used to slide off so effortlessly, your pesky metabolism may be letting you know about a slow down. We know the importance of having a fast metabolism, but many of us don't really comprehend what this means or how to reclaim the metabolism of our younger days.

A Quick Definition

Metabolism is a collection of chemical reactions in our cells which result in calories (energy) being burnt by the body. If we're alive, we're burning calories. Maybe not as many calories as we'd like, but nonetheless, metabolism is taking place even during simple activities like eating, walking or sleeping.

What the Docs Say

Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that our metabolism slows approximately 2% every decade after the age of 30, due to decreasing muscle mass. We lose as much as 50% of our beloved mass between the ages of 20 - 90 and this is especially pronounced between the ages of 50 - 70.

"The process of metabolism establishes the rate at which we burn our calories and ultimately, how quickly we gain weight or how easily we lose it," says Robert Yanagisawa, MD, director of the Medically Supervised Weight Management Program at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

A slow metabolism means you're burning fewer calories, making weight loss a struggle. If you're already exercising, you may find it difficult to maintain results attained in the past. If you're not currently exercising, stubborn fat may be settling around the stomach and legs. Heredity also plays a role in metabolism and for women, menopause doesn't help the situation.

Get Off The Couch!

Web MD reports that a vastly slowed down metabolism isn't inevitable, but occurs because North Americans tend to become far less physically active over the course of their lives. People who preserve their physical activity levels throughout their lives can expect a 0.3% metabolic decline per decade, which translates to only a 1% to 2% total drop over a person's lifetime. There's a lot you can do, so grab the bull by the horns (or love handles!) and take back the metabolism of your youth.
* The primary way to boost metabolism is through exercise. Use free weights, gym machines or rubber workout bands to incorporate resistance training into your routine. Aim for 20 minutes of cardio 3x per week, always reaching your target heart rate for as long as possible. There are many options for filling your weekly cardio quota indoors or outside, so vary your routine.

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