One of the things that come with aging is weight gain. No matter how slim you were when you were in your 20s, you are bound to have a wider waistline and a heavier weight as you approach your 40s. This is because as you grow older, your metabolism slows down with the years.
When you have a slow metabolism, your body cannot burn calories and convert it into energy as fast as it did when you were younger.
When calories are not converted into energy, you can have plenty of stored fat in your body. As a consequence, your belly becomes bigger, your waistline wider, and you become heavier.
Although you cannot regain your figure when you were younger, you can still do something to reduce body fat and lose weight by having an improved metabolism. Check these tips on how to improve your metabolism when you reach 40 and above.
1. Drink 8 glasses of water every day.
Many of you think that drinking water contributes to the size of your belly but it does the opposite. When you are dehydrated, your body cannot burn calories properly. When calories are not converted into energy, they become stored fats. Drinking plenty of water hastens metabolism and prevents the formation of stored fats.
2. Have a regular mealtime.
Observe the same time each day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Once your body gets used to the time when you ingest food, it learns to use up all calories before the next meal. This can prevent the accumulation of stored fat.
3. Exercise regularly.
When you exercise, your body burns more calories than it does when you are not working out. When you are 40 years old or above, your body needs more exercise. Leading a sedentary life can slow down your metabolism and increase stored fats, which can lead to being overweight or obese.
4. Get more sleep at night.
Sleeping for at least seven hours a night can help improve your metabolism because sleep helps control the hormones that can make you feel hungry and crave for food. Eating more than you need and binging on sweet and fatty foods can lead to obesity.
If you have enough sleep, your body is able to burn more calories than when you are sleep-deprived. Some people think that sleeping during daytime can compensate for the sleep that you lose at night but it cannot.
5. Drink alcoholic beverages moderately.
When you drink alcoholic drinks more than you should, your liver becomes preoccupied with processing the alcohol and may neglect burning fats. The result is an increase in the number of fats stored in the body.
Alcohol also contains almost twice that which is contained in carbohydrates or protein. If you cannot totally avoid alcoholic drinks, regulate or limit the amount that you take in.
Growing old cannot be blamed for being obese or overweight. It is the slow metabolism that usually accompanies aging.
However, you can still keep a healthy weight and a healthy body by doing things that can improve metabolism. Get enough sleep at night, avoid alcohol, exercise, and eat on a regular schedule to increase your metabolic rate.
