Have you noticed that many people walk as if they were really, really old and really, really tired? They might hunch over, they take short, awkward steps, their eyes are looking down, they take up most of the sidewalk… and yet they aren’t really old!
On the other hand, think about how most teenagers walk. They smile, they laugh, and their feet go where they want them to go in light, bouncy steps. They even hop, skip, and jump now and then. And they never look down – except, of course, to check their phones. Their whole bodies turn to face whatever it is they’re interested in… or whomever it is they’re interested in.
Some blame it on age, while others blame diminished physical fitness due to slowed metabolism. So, what’s the truth? Does your metabolism really slow down as you age, or is it just an excuse?
Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. The number of calories used to carry out these basic functions is known as your basal metabolic rate (BMR) — or what some might call metabolism. Several factors determine BMR:
- Body size and composition – The bodies of people who are larger or who have more muscle burn up more calories, even at rest.
- Gender – Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than do women of the same age and weight, resulting in more calories burned.
- Age – As we get older, our muscle mass tends to decrease and fat accounts for more of our bodyweight – which slows down the rate at which our bodies burn calories.
Did you notice a common thread in those three factors? Look again and you’ll see that they’re all affected by the amount of muscle in the body.
Adults who don’t do any form of muscle-strength training can lose 5-7 pounds of muscle every decade. The corresponding loss in metabolic rate is 1-3% (until age 50, when it typically levels off). To keep your metabolism high, participate in muscle-building and toning workouts regularly.
A poor diet can also cause muscle loss. If you are not getting enough calories, protein, and nutrients to fuel your body, your muscles will start to degrade. And when you skip meals your body goes into “starvation mode,” slowing your metabolism to conserve energy (and holding onto stored fat!). Don’t skip breakfast, eat more often (small meals throughout the day), and eat more protein to help curb your appetite. Protein has a powerful “thermo genic” effect on the digestion process, meaning it produces heat and gets your metabolism revved up to burn calories.
In addition to the calories burned through basal metabolism, your body burns calories through physical activity – the more active you are, the more calories you burn. In fact, those with a perceived fast metabolism are probably just more active than others. Kind of like those fast-walking teens we mentioned earlier. So, let’s get moving like a happy teenager! Burn extra calories as you bounce around, giggle, make sudden moves, and gesture constantly while walking.
