Many women believe that once they turn fifty they are destined to be fat. While it is true that your metabolism does slow down as you age, increasing your activity and concentrating on your nutrition can help keep those extra pounds away. You may not be able to eat everything you want (something I never could do at any age!) but by making some adjustments to your daily routine you will be able to boost your metabolism and stay slimmer.
follow along with me...
- EAT AT LEAST 5 TIMES A DAY. Think of your metabolism as a moving train. If you consistently give the train fuel, it will keep going at a constant rate. But if you don’t fuel the train when its needed, the train will start to slow down. Many middle-aged women think that starving themselves during the day will help them lose weight but just the opposite is true. Not eating causes your blood sugar to spike, generating excess insulin in your blood which leads to your body storing fat. Eating small, portion controlled meals every 3-4 hours is crucial to keeping your metabolism high.
- ADD SPICE TO YOUR LIFE. Not only do spices give your food flavor, they can also increase your metabolism. The best spices to boost your metabolism are cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric, ginger, and cumin. These are all considered to be thermogenic foods. Cinnamon helps to control insulin levels, speeds up your metabolism, and suppresses your appetite. It’s delicious added to oatmeal or coffee. Cayenne comes from capsaicin which is known to make the body produce heat and burn calories. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory benefits and helps break down fat especially in the waist area. Ginger is excellent for gastrointestinal relief, is an anti-inflammatory and an immune booster. Cumin contains iron which is vital to your metabolism and reduces your blood sugar levels. Why not give these spices a try? Not only will they enhance the taste of your foods, they will speed up your metabolism!
- DRINK GREEN TEA AND COFFEE. Green tea and coffee contain caffeine which boosts your metabolism and increases fat burning. Caffeine also helps to give you energy and improves your memory. Green tea also has powerful antioxidants that fight illness. The key is to not overdo your consumption of these beverages because too much caffeine can have a negative impact on your body. Opinions on how much to have every day vary greatly so I would suggest you use your own judgement on how much to consume.
- PACK IN THE PROTEIN. There are many good reasons for women over fifty to eat a protein rich diet. Protein builds muscle and the more muscle you have the faster your metabolism will be. Muscle likes to be fed so if you are muscular you can eat more and still maintain your weight. Additionally, it takes the body more calories to burn protein than it does fat or carbohydrates. I aim for about 100 grams of protein every day.
- STAY HYDRATED. Being dehydrated can actually slow your metabolism down. Studies have shown that drinking about 6-8 ounce glasses of cold water daily burns about fifty calories, enough to shed five pounds in a year.
- GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP. Even though we might not realize it, sleep deprivation can take a toll on our metabolism. There are two hormones that play a big part in regulating your appetite — ghrelin, which increases your appetite, and leptin, which has the opposite affect. Lack of sleep will cause an increase of ghrelin and a decrease of leptin. When you don’t get good sleep, your metabolism will not function properly and you will feel sluggish and probably put on some weight. Don’t you feel differently after a good night’s sleep? I know I do! I’m not saying getting a full eight hours of sleep for one night will help you lose 15 pounds, but if your sleep improves you may see some weight loss.
- EXERCISE CONSISTENTLY. All movement is beneficial but the two best metabolism boosting workout methods are High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Resistance Training (RT). HIIT is a cardio session that alternates short bursts of intense movement with longer, less strenuous activity. RT is working out with an opposing force, most commonly weights. As we age, our bodies tend to lose muscle and gain fat. Adding these types of exercises improves both your metabolism and your overall health. When you increase the amount of muscle you have, your resting metabolism rises. If you include both HIIT and RT workouts, your body will burn extra calories increasing weight loss over time.
Staying at a healthy weight is challenging for women over fifty but with some thought it’s definitely realistic. It’s important to focus on your nutrition and exercise and the seven simple steps outlined here will surely have a positive impact on your metabolism. Always remember that consistency is key to achieving any goal!
What jump starts your metabolism? Please share with us in the comments below!
These posts contain great info for staying in shape over fifty:
LOSING WEIGHT AFTER 50: AM I TOO FAT TO EXERCISE IN PUBLIC?
