Aging comes with a multitude of problems — aching joints, anxiety, increasingly limited movements, diminishing social circles, and memory loss, among others. Some of these aging concerns cannot be avoided but some, like becoming slack and overweight can be prevented. One of the most useful questions that you should start asking when your body begins to show signs of aging is how to increase metabolism after 40.
Unlike immersing yourself on diets that teach you how to lose weight fast or, how to lose belly fat, this guide will show you how to get down to the bottom of your aging-related weight gain by listing tips to increase metabolism. There are two ways that should be employed together to improve weight management after 40 and it involves you taking better hold of your diet and physical activities.
The First Way: Metabolism Diet Plan
This strategy involves your eating habits. It includes incorporating metabolism boosting foods in your diet, key principles of dieting, and recommendation as to the best diet for women over 40. Here is your six-point diet plan:
1. Eat Enough. You don’t have to starve yourself to lose weight. An average built woman over 40 will need about 1,800 calories everyday to support the body’s normal functioning and to stay healthy. Women who starve themselves to lose weight end up becoming disappointed. On the first few weeks of undergoing crash diets, you may notice a slimmer waistline and more defined cheekbones. Weight lost at the start will most probably just be excess water and not stored fats. Starving yourself actually forces your body to shift to a starvation mode. Your metabolism slows down to store more fats which your body can access when you starve yourself again.
2. Rev Up In The Morning. It’s always a good idea to start the day with a full meal. When it comes to what goes into your breakfast, you should consider what foods boost your metabolism and make sure to incorporate these into your first meal of the day. Breakfast jumpstarts your system and dictates how your metabolism functions all the way through the evening. Your breakfast should include a little bit of everything: carbs, protein, fats, fruits, and veggies.
3. Take at least a cup of tea or coffee daily. The caffeine in coffee and the catechins in tea are natural metabolism boosters that give your system a significant boost, causing up to 8 to 12 per cent jump in metabolic efficiency. This gives you a significant calorie cut just by drinking a single cup.
4. Fight Fat With Fiber. Fiber from foods that increase metabolism are topped by leafy greens, oats, whole grain, corn, pineapples, pomelos, bananas and strawberries. Incorporating these foods in your daily diet help flush away toxins from your system too, enhancing your general health in the process. Since you can only take so much good food, sometimes it might also make sense to use fiber supplements so you can get more fiber from every small serving.
5. Eat More Organic Food. Toxins that may be present in food, including chemicals from pesticides, synthetic food additives, and artificial preservatives can all cause your body’s otherwise normal functioning to become compromised. These toxins clog up your system, causing processes, including your metabolism to slow down and, you to gain weight. Simply shifting to more organic choices will not guarantee you won’t get exposed to these toxins but, it will likely be present in much lesser concentrations.
6. Always Include Protein. One of the most natural ways to boost metabolism is eating just enough protein to facilitate higher rates of fat burn. Derive your protein from healthier sources that includes lean meat, tree nuts and beans. Protein helps prevent muscle loss, promotes faster fat burn, and add more muscle mass.
The Second Way: Exercise To Increase Metabolism
Losing weight after 40 also requires you to sweat it out. Keep your metabolism up and your belly flat by moving around more. Working out 3 to 4 times weekly remains to be one of the best ways to boost metabolism. Listed below are the Top 5 exercises to increase metabolism:
1. Burpees. Go down to the floor on all fours, arms stretched out to support your upper body and toes up to support your lower legs. In one move, bring your legs up to fold on your chest without moving your arms. Then, pull your body up to standing position and jump with your arms stretched up. Do this swiftly and in several repetitions. Even this works as a great metabolism booster for men.
2. Mountain climbers. Go down on fours. Bring your right leg up to your waist then back. Bring your left leg up to your waist and back. Perform the movements repeatedly. Increases the rate to increase fat burn.
3. Lunges. Still wondering how can you change the speed of your metabolism? One of the most well-known exercises to keep thighs lean can also help you shed off excess weight. To perform this workout, bend your right leg forward while your left leg is kneeling against the floor. Go back to standing position then shift leg position. Do these for several reps.
4. Squat Jumps. Instead of the usual jumping jacks, start with feet slightly apart. From a standing position, squat as low as you can then, jump vertically. As you do so, raise your arms from your behind all the way over your head.
5. Step Up Your Workout. Go out of your comfort zone. In fact, it is the only way that you can build more muscle. Cross train and jazz up your workout every so often to your workout interesting and your muscles challenged. Swim, hike, bike, paddle or, go rock climbing. Lead an active lifestyle to keep off unwanted fats.
Conclusion
Beyond weight loss, your health is on the line if you’re over 40 and overweight. Inability to manage your ideal weight can easily lead to lifelong disease that endanger your life and limb. Stop asking, “How can I increase my metabolism permanently?” Now you know that when it comes to adult weight management, commitment and consistency to a healthy diet and regular exercise are key.
