Everyone feels that the older they get, the harder it is for them to lose weight. There are many factors that contribute to the difficulty in losing weight as you grow older, but the biggest fact that can cause you problems is that your body’s metabolism naturally slows down as you age. This can create more body fat and get you further from your ideal weight.
What is Metabolism?
Your metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that your body is undergoing, in order for you to sustain life. The process of metabolism is what allows you to grow and eventually reproduce. Your body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate at which these metabolic processes are occurring. Your BMR can be high, which allows you to lose weight easily, or low, which makes you gain weight. The basal metabolic rate is determined by many factors, and the most important ones are your age, your body weight, your sex, your height and your activity level.
Why Does Metabolism Slow Down As You Age?
Metabolism, like all chemical processes eventually slows down as you age. Your body’s BMR also slows down, which can make it very difficult for you to lose weight. When your BMR slows down, you are actually burning fewer calories than before, and this can actually lead to weight gain.
What Are The Factors That Can Increase Your BMR?
You can actually give your BMR a boost if you regularly exercise and eat well. When you exercise, you are basically speeding up your metabolism and when you age, your metabolism does not slow down as drastically as it would if you live an inactive life. Eating the right kinds of food is also very important as over loading your body with fats and processed carbohydrates can also affect your metabolism drastically.
The BMR Calculator:
You should regularly check your BMR if you are on an exercise or diet plan, to check if the diet that you are following is effective for you or not. You can use a BMR calculator to do this. All you have to do is enter your weight, height, sex, age and activity level and your BMR can be calculated. You can reduce or increase your caloric intake according to your BMR.
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