At some point, the scale may seem to change the rules without telling you. You eat much the same as you always have, yet a few extra pounds appear and refuse to leave. Even the strategies that worked reliably in the past may suddenly produce disappointing results.
That experience can make weight gain seem inevitable. It may even leave you wondering if your metabolism has slowed so much that your efforts no longer matter. Fortunately, the story is far less discouraging than that.
Your body may be changing, but it has not stopped responding. Understanding those changes can help you replace frustration and guesswork with a more effective approach. Read on to learn how to give your metabolism the support it needs.
It’s not a myth that metabolism starts to taper off more steeply around age 60. However, it’s often not the only thing slowing down. In our later years, especially after retirement, many of us tend to become more sedentary. Even if we had a less active office job, we typically moved around more during the day than we do in retirement. Sometimes called “non-exercise activity”, this movement can account for as many as 2,000 calories burned daily depending on the kind of work and a person’s gender, age, height, and weight. If a lifestyle change results in less such activity, coinciding with a decrease in metabolism, some degree of weight gain would not be surprising.
The good news is that both a slowing metabolism and reduced activity can be managed to achieve better results. The following are tips for handling the Great Slow Down through healthy lifestyle habits.
Muscle mass loss with age is a problem when we’re trying to maintain a healthy weight. Muscle burns more calories than fat tissue, so strength-training exercises that target all major muscle groups will help with weight loss. Getting stronger can also help make daily activities easier and prevent falls.
Strength training does not necessarily mean heavy bench presses or deadlifts to get magazine-worthy abs. While these are still possible workout options, other effective exercises include:
Other activities, such as Pilates and Tai Chi, can also build muscle.
It’s never too late to start building muscle. Experts report that even 90-year-olds can benefit from strength training. To find exercises that might work for you, search the web for videos on how to do them correctly to safely get the maximum gain for your body.
Adding strength training to your workouts is essential, but so is aerobic movement, which includes non-exercise activity mentioned above. To increase non-exercise activity, consider simple steps like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther from the store entrance, or walking around the house during TV commercials. Consider wearing a fitness tracker to measure how much time you’re moving each day, so you can gauge how effectively you're reducing your daily sitting time.
Dedicated aerobic exercise is also highly recommended, but if running five miles per day is beyond your ability, there are plenty of alternatives. Walking, biking, swimming, dancing, pickleball, and many other activities can provide the aerobic minutes needed to keep metabolism in peak shape. Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. If that amount of time seems daunting, consider starting slow and working up to it as a goal.
Since protein helps preserve muscle mass, older adults need more than younger people. Foods that add protein include lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, beans, and nuts. Nutritionists recommend that those over 50 consume 1.2- 1.6 grams of protein/kg of body weight per day. For a 165-pound adult, this amounts to 90–120 grams of protein per day, which should be spread across all daily meals.
While drastically cutting calories can lead to rapid weight loss, muscle loss can be a negative side effect. This makes it more difficult to keep weight off due to a lack of fat-burning muscle. Also, the body adapts to become more energy efficient. This is probably a trait shaped by natural selection that protected our ancient ancestors from starvation.
After rapid weight loss, we also experience increased feelings of hunger and reduced feelings of fullness, so we’re motivated to eat more. This is thought to be sparked by hormonal changes such as an increase in ghrelin, a hormone that signals the brain that we’re hungry and it’s time to eat.
It makes more sense to aim for gradual weight loss by eating nutrient-dense foods, with sufficient protein, and engaging in regular physical activity. The goal is to lose excess body fat while preserving as much muscle as possible.
A good sleep schedule can help regulate hormones like ghrelin, cortisol, and leptin, which all affect metabolism and weight management. For example, a poor sleep schedule could lead to bad habits, such as late-night snacking, which often involves sugary, salty, and fatty foods.
Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Along with establishing a consistent sleep schedule, other good sleep hygiene practices are limiting screen use before bedtime and creating a comfortable sleep environment.
Ongoing stress can impact eating habits, sleep quality, and physical activity levels. For example, excessive stress can lead to overeating, especially foods high in sugar and fat. Stress-management techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, prayer, yoga, spending time outdoors, and maintaining social connections can support both mental and physical health.
We all know that water is vital. Hydration supports metabolic processes, digestion, and some studies suggest that drinking water can increase calorie burn. Without sufficient water, dehydration creeps in. Subtle signs may include dizziness/headaches, dry mouth, and constant thirst. In some cases, thirst may even be mistaken for hunger.
Fill up a water bottle first thing every morning and get in the habit of taking sips throughout the day. Bring it along to each meal as your main source of fluid.
Alcohol consumption affects metabolic health since it has multiple negative effects:
Cutting back on or eliminating alcohol can directly affect the maintenance of a healthy metabolism.
Your metabolism may not behave the way it did years ago, and pretending otherwise only makes the process more frustrating. The better move is to pay attention to what your body responds to now and adjust from there. Progress may show up before the scale reflects it. Your clothes may fit differently, the stairs may feel easier, or you may have more energy late in the day. Those changes matter. Keep at it, and give your body a fair chance to catch up with the work you’re putting in.
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