The healthy way to burn fat over 40

At some point we just have to accept it – metabolism gradually slows down as we age and our bodies burn less fat.

Why this happens is largely due to loss of muscle tissue but age, gender and hormonal changes also play vital roles.

Metabolism is the name for the numerous chemical processes that are continuously happening within our bodies. It’s these chemicals that allow us to stay alive and function normally as well as regulating our weight.

It’s very tempting to get added help to shift stubborn fat – but you need to tread carefully.

As we age we tend to have less muscle tissue and so our demand for calories lessens. In general – expect your metabolic rate to decline by 2-3% every decade.

Few of us want to spent our mature years counting calories so instead we look for ways in which we can speed up metabolism so that we can compensate for the loss of muscle.

Don’t go on a fad diet that changes your eating habits for the short term only. Yo-Yo dieting is associated with a greater build up of excess weight in the long run. What you lose by eating nothing but cabbage soup or grapefruit – you’ll gain when you come off the weight loss program and back to the real world.

If you need to lose weight – find a weight loss program that reduces your intake of calories over the long term. Restricting calories is associated in many studies with living longer and with improvements in overall health.

Take a natural supplement to increase your metabolic rate. Try green tea which increases metabolic rate and helps you burn more fat around your middle according to research. Abdominal fat is a health as well as a beauty hazard as it’s related to many other serious health problems – not only that but it doesn’t look too good either!

Other anti aging supplements that help burn fat more efficiently are CoQ10 and Acetyl-L Carnitine.

Include plenty of protein in your diet. Protein helps keep the metabolic rate at an optimum level so aim to include fish, poultry, dairy products, bean curd, pulses or eggs in each meal.

Build muscle mass – after 40 muscle mass takes a nose dive. Just having less muscle than fat in your body means you burn less fat when you move around. Do weight bearing exercise to build up your muscle density and you’ll see the pounds shed quicker.

Adding muscle mass is good for your bone health too and for your energy and vitality in general. A strong and flexible body is a visible sign of a younger looking you.

Avoid fat burning supplements or pills. There’s no doubt that chemical metabolic enhancers that burn fat rapidly will help you lose weight. But before you rush out and buy them, it’s important you understand the down sides.

While they by no means have fatal side effects, they can have serious consequences on your life. Some people have developed a dependency on them to the point where, if they don’t take the tablets every day, they become lethargic, suffer memory loss and become irritable.

Healthy aging should be your aim – to increase metabolism safely so you don’t store extra fat around your middle is a good idea – to pursue fast weight loss which you can’t sustain over the longer term is not.

For optimum anti aging health – weight loss through regulated calorie intake over the long term plus exercise is the best way to go. Sounds boring but it works.

Any supplements you take should be natural anti aging supplements such a green tea or CoQ10 which are proven antioxidants to boost your immune system and help your body use fat efficiently.

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