What the heck is going on with my metabolism? Maintaining a slender figure while eating a pint of ice cream at one sitting was no problem in my yesteryears. Now, that same behavior is sure to add on the pounds and leave me feeling not so great. Does my metabolism hate me?
The good news
My metabolism doesn’t actually hate me, as much as I like to think it does. There are reasons my metabolism has decreased, which has nothing to do with what I believed was a one-sided love-hate relationship. It turns out I just need to give affirmations to my basal metabolic rate (BMR).
What is BMR?
Basal refers to a foundation or base. Metabolism refers to the chemical processes that occur in an organism to sustain life. Put the two terms together and BMR refers to the minimum amount of calories needed to sustain human life (while at rest). Your daily caloric needs would therefore be your BMR plus a factor based on your activity level. An online BMR calculator can be used to calculate your BMR based on your age, weight, height, and gender. Keep in mind any value you get is an average estimate only. Your overall health is not taken into account. Another way to get your BMR is through a body composition analyzer, which may be available at some gyms or medical offices.
Changes to BMR as we age.
BMR decreases as we age. So, sadly, yes, the pint of ice cream from yesteryear has much more of an impact 20-30 years later. The good news is that it is possible to improve your BMR with exercise. BMR is improved by:
- improving lean body mass (total weight – weight from fat) with strength and resistance training
- taking regular standing breaks
- incorporating walking or other moderate intensity exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days per week.
Final note
Although an active lifestyle is good for maintaining or improving metabolism, barring any other medical issues, diet must also be a part of the equation. If your calorie intake is routinely more than your total daily energy expenditure, then you will experience weight gain.
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