In past emails, I've discussed the impact of strength training on your metabolism and, of course, your muscle.
My question today - have you noticed anything in how you feel physically?
Maybe you feel a little slower.
Maybe you aren't as active as you used to be.
Maybe your clothes don't fit like they used to.
Maybe you can't eat as much as you used to.
What's most likely happening is that your metabolism is slowing down.
It happens at different paces and different times for each of us, but I do have some good news for you. There are things you can do to offset it.
The sooner you start, the better!
It's never too late to get started.
You can hop right back into the swing of things!
Invest in your future now, and if you already are, continue to do so. It's your body's 401K plan, because I don't know about you, but as I age, I want my quality of life to be amazing.
So. let's pop into the metabolism slowing down!
Here are some of the top reasons your metabolism begins to slow:
- You're less active.
- You've been dieting too much - always in a caloric deficit.
- You've lost muscle.
- Your body's metabolic processes have slowed down because of age.
I'm going to outline a few key things you can do to keep your metabolism revved up as you get older.
1. Your activity/movement level. This is a sneaky one because you might not actually notice you're moving less each day!
How active you are each day (including your workouts and your normal activities of daily living) makes up about 10% to 30% of your daily calorie burn. Very active people can actually burn up to half their daily calories from activity (NEAT - movement outside of workouts)!
Calorie burn is not the focus here - The point is that activity/movement tends to have a greater calorie output.
Studies show that as we get older, we tend to move less, both in terms of exercise AND our general daily living.
A study comparing women aged 21-35 with women ages 50-72 showed that when the older women engaged in regular exercise, they avoided the dreaded age-related metabolic slowdown.
The takeaway: Start a regular exercise habit you enjoy NOW and find active hobbies! Having these habits in place will set a strong foundation for continued movement as you get older.
2. Muscle loss. This next major cause of a slower metabolism is called sarcopenia – age-related muscle loss!
It's tied in with your activity level, since being less active is one reason you can lose muscle.
On average, adults lose between 3% and 8% of their muscle mass each decade after the age of 30.
One reason this matters – beyond your general strength and ability to move easily – is because muscle burns slightly more calories (even at rest) than fat.
You can help maintain and build muscle as you age with consistent strength training workouts!!!
The takeaway: get in at least 3 strength-training workouts a week that work all of your body's major muscle groups.
Lastly, but definitely not least: Make sure you eat enough protein. As people get older, they often tend to eat less protein. We
actually need more as we age! Don't skimp on your protein!
Actions you take today can have a BIG impact on your life into the future.
Again, your body's 401k Plan lies with maintaining or building muscle so that your quality of life is intact as you age!
If you'd like some guidance about putting these takeaways into action, I can help!
I'd like to invite you to sign-up for my Monthly STRONGER Way Strength Training Membership.
The STRONGER Way training membership is an online group monthly training program designed to help you get STRONG, build muscle, and establish consistent nutrition habits in a SANE, SIMPLE, and SUSTAINABLE (FOREVER) way.
If you are ready to get STRONG, build some muscle, and follow a structured program that will get you the results you want, then the STRONGER Way Training Membership is for you. No more spinning your wheels or walking around the gym, trying to figure out what to do.
I do also provide at-home dumbbell options!
The STRONGER Way Membership comes with:
- 3 All-Body Strength Training session with exercises demos (4-week training block).
- Dynamic Warm-up.
- Optional conditioning session.
- A private coaching group for support and accountability.
- Form checks on your lifts!
- Group Zoom Coaching calls – we meet face to face to talk about your progress and anything you want to discuss pertaining to your strength training & nutrition.
I'm super excited or this next month. The ladies will be working on Pull-ups!
SIGN UP HERE FOR THE STRONGER WAY TRAINING MEMBERSHIP!
Any questions don't hesitate to reach out!
Thank you for reading! Have a beautiful day!
In Strength,
Xo
Candace
