{"id":49735,"date":"2017-01-26T11:15:52","date_gmt":"2017-01-26T16:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=49735"},"modified":"2017-01-30T11:14:04","modified_gmt":"2017-01-30T16:14:04","slug":"how-to-increase-metabolism-every-decade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/how-to-increase-metabolism-every-decade\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Boost Metabolism in Your 20s, 30s and 40s"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You remember the moment it hit you. When you realize that, even though you\u2019ve been eating about the same and exercising<\/a> a fair amount, you\u2019ve put on a few pounds. Or, you came back from vacation only to realize you weren\u2019t bouncing back as quickly as you used to from the fried foods and frozen margaritas (#noregrets). Maybe you\u2019re not entirely <\/em>sure what\u2019s going on, but you think you have an idea: Your metabolism<\/a> is slowing down.<\/p>\n

And you are probably correct.<\/p>\n

Caroline Cederquist, MD, author of The MD Factor Diet<\/a>, says that while it\u2019s different for everyone, your metabolism slows down as you age. For most, it starts in your 20s or 30s. For others, it may not happen until your 40s or 50s. Regardless, it\u2019s important to know how your metabolic system<\/a> works. That way, you can keep its engines running at full throttle.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 5 Biggest Myths About Metabolism<\/a><\/p>\n

How to Increase Metabolism at Every Decade<\/h2>\n

In Your 20s<\/h3>\n

On average, this is when most people experience their highest resting metabolic rate<\/a> (RMR) \u2014 aka when your body burns the most calories<\/a> just by sitting still. \u201cSome of it is based on genetics, but a large part of it has to do with how active you are,\u201d says Cederquist. We tend to have fewer commitments, which frees up time for active movement. Not to mention your body continuously builds bone until you\u2019re about 25. This process gives your calorie burn a boost<\/a>. In your late twenties you might start to notice that you can\u2019t eat quite as frivolously as you used to, but for the most part, your body can bounce back quickly with a cleaner diet<\/a> and regular exercise.<\/p>\n

In Your 30s<\/h3>\n

If you haven’t started strength training<\/a> yet, Caroline Apovian, MD, author of The Age-Defying Diet: Outsmart Your Metabolism to Lose Weight<\/a><\/em>, says now\u2019s the time. \u201cYour resting metabolic rate is directly related to your muscle mass,\u201d she says. \u201cThe more you have, the more energy you\u2019ll burn even when you\u2019re not working out.\u201d<\/p>\n

The problem is that when you hit your 30s your muscle mass<\/a> starts to naturally decline, says Apovian. \u201cYou lose about one percent each year,\u201d she explains. But it doesn\u2019t have<\/em> to be that way. \u201cWhen you don\u2019t use your muscles, you\u2019re essentially telling your body that you don\u2019t need it, so it starts to store more fat,\u201d she says. To prevent that, add strength training<\/a> to your schedule two to three times a week.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Strength Training for Beginners: Your Guide to Reps, Sets, Weight<\/a><\/p>\n

Women may want to lean toward the higher end of that spectrum, as it takes more effort for them to maintain muscle mass<\/a>, says Cederquist. Men typically have more testosterone<\/a>, which contributes to a lower body fat percentage<\/a> and more muscle tissue, both of which rev your metabolic engine.<\/p>\n

As if that wasn\u2019t enough, your 30s are also the decade in which you produce less human growth hormone<\/a> (HGH). This leads to a dip in metabolism, says Cederquist. Once again, though, strength training can help you produce more of it. So hit the weights already!<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Why Range of Motion Matters for Your Strength Training Goals<\/a><\/p>\n

In Your 40s<\/h3>\n

For a lot of people, this can be a period of yo-yo dieting<\/a>. In fact,\u00a0one survey<\/a> found that the average woman has tried dieting for more than six years by the time she hits 40. Yet, 95 percent of dieters regain any lost weight within five years. Apovian says it\u2019s important to try to keep your metabolism off the rollercoaster ride. \u201cIf you\u2019ve always weighed 200 pounds, you\u2019re going to need about 2,000 calories per day to maintain that weight,\u201d she explains. \u201cBut if you weigh 220 and lose 20 pounds, even though you might have the same BMI as the person who\u2019s always weighed 200, your metabolism is going to be slower and you\u2019ll need to consume fewer calories<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where protein<\/a> comes in. Cederquist explains that the nutrient\u00a0helps keep you full and <\/em>it feeds your muscle tissue, repairing the tiny tears you cause with each workout so that your muscles can grow stronger. The amount each person needs varies, but you can use this online calculator<\/a> to figure out your personal needs. Cederquist suggests eating some at each meal, rather than overloading at dinner, to keep your metabolic stoked all day.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Weight Fluctuation: What\u2019s Normal and What\u2019s Not<\/a><\/p>\n

In Your 50s<\/h3>\n

The average woman enters menopause at age 51, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>. When that happens, her production of estrogen and progesterone declines drastically. A dip in these hormones leads to bone and muscle loss and often weight gain<\/a>. (Men, on the other hand, tend to gain weight at a slower pace due to a more gradual hormonal shift.) Once again, strength training is key. \u201cNow that your bones are at an increased risk for injury, it\u2019s even more important to lift weights,\u201d says Apovian.<\/p>\n

Watching your sugar intake<\/a> is also key, says Cederquist. \u201cAs you age, your body isn\u2019t able to move glucose \u2014 our primary source of fuel \u2014 into our cells for energy as efficiently,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen that happens, the body has to do something with the glucose that doesn\u2019t enter the cells, so it ends up storing it as fat.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bottom line: Monitor your sugar and carb intake, squeeze in plenty of exercise, and follow it up with a hefty dose of protein. That\u2019s the hat-trick you need to having a fit, speedy metabolism<\/a> \u2014 no matter what your age.<\/p>\n

Originally posted May 2016. Updated January 2017.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is your metabolism slowing down? Here\u2019s what\u2019s really happening in your 20s, 30s and 40s, plus quick tips on how to increase metabolism at every decade. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[289,192,281,341,352,285],"class_list":["post-49735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-exercise","tag-metabolism","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2weight-loss","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49735\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}