10 Ways to Raise Metabolism Over 40
10 Ways To Raise Metabolism Over Age 40
I have no idea how or when it happened, but somewhere along the line women got the idea that 1200 is the number of calories you need to eat to lose weight.
Yeah, maybe if you’re 4’3 and 95 lbs.
To make matters worse, women seem to be constantly on a diet. I mean, when was the last time you weren’t trying to lose weight? I’ve met women who have been low-calorie dieting for 10+ years. Women are rarely told they should occasionally be eating in a surplus. We do ourselves a huge disservice by trying to maintain a deficit for long periods of time.
The dreaded plateau
So, what happens when you try to eat low calorie for a long period of time (longer than 12 weeks)? Simple: your metabolic rate slows to match your intake.
It’s not “starvation mode”. Your metabolism is not “broken”. It’s doing exactly what it’s programmed to do when energy balance is off for too long.
This is where most women either try to drop calories even lower and/or add in lots of cardio. But the same thing happens. Your body is an adaptation machine. Eventually you burn less doing cardio too.
So now you’re eating 1200 calories per day or less and doing an hour of cardio…and nothing is happening.
Raise your metabolism: bodybuilders got it right
The average 40-year-old woman who is 5’5 and weighs in around 150 pounds has a maintenance calorie need of about 2000 per day. If you are active, it’s higher. A moderate deficit that might cause weight loss for this woman would be 1700 to 1800 calories.
As a coach, I would never have this client go lower than 1600. And I’d have her cycle between “cuts” and “bulks”.
Those terms are from the bodybuilding world and refer to the way they cycle back and forth between eating more and eating less to manipulate their metabolism and body fat. This is where bodybuilders get it right. They have learned how to master their metabolism to get exceptionally lean when they want to. But, more importantly, they never maintain these extreme deficits for long periods of time.
How do I know if my metabolic rate is low?
You’ve been “on a diet” or restricting for more than 6 months.
Progress plateau: you are not getting stronger in the gym and/or you are no longer losing weight.
Reduced performance in workouts/daily life: you feel fatigued and weak.
Sleep problems: eating low calories can cause an imbalance in sleep and stress hormones, leading to insomnia or other sleep issues.
Dysregulated menstrual cycles: if your cycles were previously regular and suddenly you are skipping periods or your PMS symptoms are getting worse, it’s a red flag.
Cravings and binge eating: the brain ramps up hunger hormones in an effort to get you to eat.
Feeling bloated: digestion slows when you cut calories for too long.
Weight gain despite being in a deficit and exercising: yes, you can begin to gain weight as your body fights to lower your metabolic rate to match intake.
Skin, hair, and nail problems: nutrients are at a premium, so few are being sent to surface cells.
Tracking: you track diligently and find that your daily caloric intake averages below 1500.
How do I boost my metabolic rate?
The good news is that your body works in reverse as well. If you raise calories consistently your metabolic rate will also rise to account for the increase. Here’s how to raise your metabolic rate:
1. Track diligently for 7 to 10 days. Tracking sucks, but this is a must-do if you think you have been operating in a deficit for too long. You need to get a baseline.
2. Find your maintenance calories: the calories you need to maintain your current weight. An easy equation that will get you in the ballpark: your current weight multiplied by 14. So, for example, a 150 lb. woman would need to eat about 2100 calories per day. If your baseline calories from step 1 is much lower than the maintenance calculation, read on…
3. Increase daily calorie intake slowly. If you are worried about regaining weight, I can’t emphasize enough that you need to increase slowly. Start by adding 50 to 100 calories per day (the equivalent of 1 T of peanut butter), and doing that for one to two weeks, then increase again. Keep doing that until you are back at maintenance or even a little higher than your maintenance. You actually want to see the scale increase a little over time. But it should never shoot up more than a few pounds over a period of several months.
4. Lift weights. Get on a consistent and progressive strength training plan so that your body puts those extra calories to good use: by building metabolically active tissue (muscle).
5. Back off on excessive cardio. The idea is to make your body feel safe again by increasing calories. Don’t try to burn them all off! It’s okay to go on a walk every day, and I encourage that. But ditch the long, sweaty cardio sessions for now.
6. Plan to spend 4 to 6 months reverse dieting. Yes, it can take that long. And once you’ve reached a maintenance calorie intake, you want to stay there for a little while. The longer you’ve been dieting, the longer you should plan to spend at maintenance. Put your focus on building strength and muscle.
7. Get more sleep. If you aren’t sleeping, you won’t lose weight. Period. This is the perfect time to put a sleep routine in place and work on getting better sleep.
8. Quit your alcohol habit. Alcohol lowers metabolic rate for up to 48 hours after consumption. If you are drinking 3 or 4 nights per week, that means your metabolism is going to struggle even more.
9. Don’t rely on junk food to meet your maintenance calories. Going on a “bulk” does not mean “eat whatever tf you want”. That’s a recipe for quick fat gain. Be smart and increase your calories by adding proteins and healthy fats.
10. Drop calories. After your weight stabilizes for a few months at maintenance or slightly above, you should be safe to do a “cut”. Just remember that you should never go too low for too long. Don’t go below 1500 calories, and plan to cut for no more than 12 weeks at a time.
Thank you for reading!
Blog Author: Kelly Bailey, IIN certified holistic nutrition coach, and NPTI certified personal trainer
Learn more about the author here.