It is not unusual for women over 30 years of age to experience a decline in their rate of metabolism. As a matter of fact, it is common knowledge in the medical field that women start to experience a drop off in their metabolism as early as their mid to late 20s and this could be due to a myriad of medical factors including their genetic make-up, changes in their hormonal balance, and even lifestyle changes.
This decline in women’s metabolism can have an adverse effect on their ability to lose excess weight and/or successfully maintain a cutting phase.
In this article, we will explore five (5) effective and safe ways that women over 30 can boost metabolism. But first, for the uninitiated, we will explain what metabolism is and also take a quick look at how aging can adversely affect your metabolism.
What Is Metabolism, How Does It Work and Why Aging Affects It?
In simple terms, metabolism can be defined as that process that describes how your body system breaks down the food you eat and converts it to the energy fuel that your body needs to effectively engage in your daily activities.
As mentioned earlier, your metabolism or metabolic rate is affected by several factors and some of these factors include your genetic make-up, gender, weight, diet, lifestyle (active or sedentary), and age.
Speaking of age, it is worth noting that as you get older, you will experience changes to your hormonal balance.
For example, your estrogen hormone level tends to drop with age and more so when you reach the menopausal stage.
This drop off in your estrogen hormone can adversely affect your metabolic rate, as it will dramatically slow-down. Luckily for women, there are a variety of ways to boost metabolism and we will delve into five (5) of the most effective ways that you can rev-up your metabolic rate, and hopefully achieve or sustain weight loss over 30 years of age.
5 Key Ways Women’s Metabolism Can Be Boosted
Now that you have an idea what metabolism is and how your age can significantly slow down your metabolic rate, you might be wondering how you can effectively and safely boost your metabolism.
Well, there are several ways to achieve this, but we will examine just five (5) key ways that women’s metabolism can be given a much needed boost even while in their 30s.
#1. Start a Strength Training Program
Do you know that strength training can help you boost your metabolism?
That’s right! Whenever you engage in strength training, you have microtears in your skeletal muscle tissues which will heal and repair during your rest and recovery period.
As your muscles repair, you will also experience a growth in muscle mass as your body attempts to compensate for the strain put on your skeletal muscles during your strength training.
This is why progressive overloads during your strength training program is important, as you increase your weights, you experience muscle damage, repair, and subsequently increased muscle mass.
However, as it relates to your metabolism, you should know that the more skeletal muscles you build, the greater your RMR will be. RMR is an acronym for Resting Metabolic Rate and it simply refers to how many calories you will burn during your state of rest and recovery after a hectic strength training schedule.
#2. Rest and Sleep Very Well
Whenever you rest and sleep very well, you tend to regulate your body’s production of both ghrelin and leptin hormones. These hormones are known to determine our level of satiety.
Therefore, if you rest and sleep very well, these hormones will remain balanced and as a result you will not feel famished all the time.
Alternatively, if you fail to get proper rest and sleep, these hormones will be out of sync and you will experience sustained bouts of hunger throughout the day.
In addition to this, good sleeping habits will not only boost metabolism, but also increase your body’s core body temperature, a process known as thermogenesis which then leads to greater metabolism and the conversion of consumed food sources to energy fuel.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, you should get anywhere from 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily for proper metabolic function.
#3. Rev-up Your Protein Intake
Protein is one macronutrient that offers a greater Thermic Effect of Food or TEF index compared to the other two macronutrients.
What this means as it relates to your metabolism is that protein takes up a greater amount of energy during both your digestion and processing of consumed food.
Protein is also necessary for the building and maintenance of skeletal muscle mass. As you increase your skeletal muscle mass, so also will your RMR increase and you will be able to burn a greater amount of calories during your rest and recovery phase.
Protein will equally help to regulate your leptin and ghrelin hormones which results in you having a greater level of satiety throughout the day and because of this, you tend to eat less.
The amount of protein you should consume on a daily basis would depend on a number of factors, but if you are a fitness enthusiast, then your daily consumption of protein should be anywhere from 1.2 to 1.6 grams per pound (lb) of body weight.
Try to eat plant and animal based protein sources, such as :
- Legumes (peas, beans, chickpeas or lentils),
- Seeds and nuts (pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds or hemp seeds)
- Seafood (shrimp, tuna, lobster or salmon)
- Lean meat and eggs (chicken eggs, pork, turkey, chicken or lean beef)
- Dairy products (milk, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt)
#4. Don’t Forget Your Vitamin D Intake
Vitamin D is one macronutrient that your body cannot do without. This fat-soluble and essential vitamin is responsible for building and sustaining proper immune system function and bone structure in particular. However, vitamin D is also effective in boosting metabolism.
Did you know that your liver, muscle, and fat cells all have vitamin D receptors?
That’s correct! The Vitamin D you consume will bond with the receptors in these organs leading to the increased metabolism of both lipids and glucose.
As an adult, you should consume 600 IU of vitamin D on a daily basis and you can source your vitamin D directly from sunlight and the vitamin is absorbed through the pores of your skin.
You can also get your daily vitamin D from food sources like fortified dairy products, egg yolks, and fatty fish, such as; sardines, mackerel and salmon. If you are unable to get your daily vitamin D requirement from the sun and food sources, you can also start taking vitamin D supplements.
#5. Try to Keep Your Stress Levels in Check
The last thing you need if you want to boost metabolism and gain weight loss over 30 is to be stressed out. Stress is known to adversely affect your rate of metabolism, as whenever you experience chronic stress, your body responds by releasing adrenaline and cortisol which are stress hormones that are capable of significantly slowing down your metabolism.
In the case of the cortisol hormone, it prevents your body from efficiently converting fat to energy fuel. In addition to this, the cortisol hormone can increase your cravings and hunger. When you are always famished, there is a greater chance that you eat more than needed which then causes you to gain excessive body weight.
Also, stress is known to be disruptive to the digestive system and can lead to both digestive issues and metabolic concerns as your gut bacteria can be imbalanced due to chronic stress.
To relieve yourself of stress while boosting your metabolism in the process, you can engage in a variety of stress easing activities, such as; rest, sleep, meditation, walking, deep breathing techniques, and even yoga.
Conclusion
If you are over 30 and you want to boost your metabolism, you can do so by adopting these five (5) key ways. You should consume lots of protein, sleep well, at least for 7 to 9 hours a day, manage your stress levels by engaging in stress-easing activities like yoga, meditation or walking. You should also rev-up your daily vitamin D intake and don’t forget to start a strength training program.
If you are not sure of how to go about starting a strength training program, we can offer you help through free coaching by an IFBB PRO today. So take advantage of this opportunity to boost your metabolism and enjoy sustained weight loss gains.
