Do you feel like it’s getting harder to lose weight? Your metabolism may be to blame. As we age, metabolism slows down, mostly because we start to lose about 0.5 percent of muscle mass every year, and that mass is responsible for burning calories. But don’t worry: There are ways to boost your metabolism without hitting the gym for hours on end.

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is the chemical process in which the body converts food into energy. The number of calories a person’s body needs to perform basic functions is called basal metabolic rate (BMR). There are several factors that can influence BMR, including body size and composition (those with more muscle burn more calories), gender (men tend to have less body fat and more muscle), and age (muscle mass decreases with age). Weight gain is the result of taking in more calories than you burn.

A slower metabolism can start as early as your twenties; that’s when bone stops growing. After this age, the metabolic rate decreases by two percent or more per decade, which may be why some of us notice a few extra pounds even though diet and physical activity has been consistent.

Not all weight gain can be attributed to a slow metabolism. It’s a combination of diet, genetics,hormones, physical activity, and stress. But being more active—even if that means just fidgeting more—can help burn more calories and reduce the risk of weight gain.

Remember, in order to maximize your metabolism, it’s important to workout smarter, not harder. The key is interval training. Working out this way means you’ll decrease your fat, increase your muscle, and amplify your energy. It’s simple. It saves time. It’s effective.

How to Boost Metabolism:

Calorie Intake

As BMR decreases each decade, we need to consume fewer calories for energy. But consuming too little can have unintended consequences. If you crash diet and drop a large amount of calories from your usual daily intake, your body assumes you’re starving and will slow down your BMR to preserve energy. Losing any amount of weight, whether intentional or unintentional, slows down metabolism slightly. A crash diet may result in a drop in weight, but it is typically temporary. Decreased calorie intake can lead peoples’ bodies to burn fewer calories and gain weight faster than before a diet.

So how much should you consume?

Though it’s not an exact calculation, you can multiply your current weight by 11 to lose around a half pound to two pounds per week. So a 140-pound person who wants to lose weight should aim for around 1,540 calories a day. Don’t drop below 1,200 calories a day—research shows women who consume less than that had their resting metabolic rate plummet by 45 percent.

Bump up Protein Intake

Protein is the building block of muscle mass so it’s a good idea to eat a variety of protein sources to equal about 20 grams per meal. Digesting protein uses more energy than digesting carbohydrates or fat. Variety is key; research shows animal protein can actually speed muscle loss. Along with lean meat, add legumes and grains, such as beans, lentils, asparagus, quinoa, and buckwheat, into your diet. Eat a protein-packed breakfast such as hard-boiled eggs or Greek yogurt.

Love smoothies? Add a scoop of whey protein powder to the mix. It increases calorie burn and fat utilization and helps the body maintain muscle. One study shows whey may be the most effective non-meat protein, beating out soy and casein. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, try hemp protein powder for a 100 percent plant-based option that’s high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Brown rice protein powder and pea protein powder are two more great options.

Drink Coffee

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, which boosts metabolism. A study also found that people who drank caffeinated coffee had an average metabolic rate 16 percent higher than those who drank decaf. It’s proven to increase energy levels during exercise and help people work out harder. Sipping java is also beneficial after a workout: It can increase muscle glycogen by 66 percent. Muscle glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates and the primary fuel for muscles.

Muscle glycogen depletes during your workout and it’s important to replenish it after exercise since it is the primary fuel for muscles. Go ahead and have a cup every morning; just don’t overload it with cream and sugar, which can add up to 70 extra calories. Avoiding empty calories (like sugar) helps people achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Another reason to skip the sweet stuff? A new study suggests a diet high in sugar can increase your risk of breast cancer.

Sip on Green Tea

Don’t like coffee? Green tea, with its caffeine content, also boosts metabolism. On top of that, it has a rich source of catechins, which are antioxidants that can reduce body fat. If you tend to drink several cups of coffee throughout the day, try switching one out for a cup of green tea in the afternoon. Drinking five eight-ounce cups of green tea daily can increase calorie burn by 100 calories per day. And when combined with three hours of moderate exercise each week, green tea can reduce abdominal fat over time. But don’t reach for the bottled stuff: It’s usually loaded with added sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Eat Smaller Meals More Often

Nibbling throughout the day instead of eating three large meals helps keep metabolism ticking along throughout the day. Try to eat at least every four hours and vary the types of food. If you go a long time without eating, you risk becoming so hungry you may overeat.

Don’t Be Scared of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates sometimes get a bad rap because refined carbohydrates—including bagels, white bread, and pasta—can create a surge in insulin that promotes the storage of fat, decreasing metabolic rate. But good carbohydrates, like whole grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit, are an important, fiber-rich part of a healthy diet. If you crave pasta, choose a spaghetti squash recipe or whole-grain variety that won’t wreak havoc on your metabolic rate. Whole grains can help the body burn additional fat because they require more energy to break down than do processed carbohydrates.

Spice up Your Meals

Capsaicin, the substance that makes chili peppers hot, may increase your metabolism by 23 percent. It may also inhibit the generation of fat cells, so go ahead and sprinkle some red pepper flakes on your pasta dish or cook with some chopped red or green chili peppers.

Incorporate Strength Training

Since we slowly lose muscle with age, it’s important to counteract that loss. Incorporate two or three 30-minute strength-training sessions each week along with moderate exercise. Compound movements such as squats, lunges, and planks engage multiple muscles at once. Every pound of muscle uses about six calories a day, while every pound of fat only uses about two calories daily.

When you strength train, take it slow. Count to three as you lower the weight back to its start position to increase the breakdown of muscle tissue. The repair after your session boosts your metabolism for as long as 72 hours.

Interval Training

Longer doesn’t always mean better. Studies show that short bursts of intense activity combined with rest periods torches calories after you leave the gym. (So don’t worry if you don’t have an hour to kill at the gym every single day.) Try alternating one minute of fast running or biking with one minute at a much slower pace. Repeat this cycle for 25 minutes for a quick calorie-burning workout. Alternating speed with slow cardio also increases aerobic capacity and improves endurance.

Say No to That Second Drink

There’s nothing wrong with a glass of wine. In fact, enjoying one drink can raise your metabolic rate. But having two or more cocktails can cause the body to use the alcohol for energy, which reduces your its fat-burning ability.

Get More Sleep

Hitting the sack early helps keep metabolism stable. Irregular sleep patterns and lack of sleep can disrupt the hormones that help regulate energy and appetite. One study showed adults who slept for nine hours had fewer cravings for sweet and salty snacks, reduced hunger, and healthier metabolisms than those who slept for four hours.

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Ready to melt away the inches?

Research studied women who wanted to lose weight, and discovered that when they incorporated a 45-minute interval training walk into their routine four times a week, they lost an average of 23 POUNDS in 16 weeks!

Good news is, I’m giving you a 35-minute walking workout (below) and 10-min toning video from my FastFit DVD (above)

Walking can fast-track your fat burn, because it releases human growth hormone (HGH) — also called the “Fountain of Youth hormone.” When you’re younger, you release ample amounts of HGH, but as you age, become less active, and sleep less, your HGH levels decrease.

However, when you power walk, your body produces this fountain of youth hormone to help you decrease body fat and increase lean muscle.

The other category of hormones that are stimulated during your walk around the block are called “catecholamines,” which help your body release fat, and belly fat in particular. Catecholamines are a fat burning hormone and there are a lot of catecholamine receptors in belly fat. Basically, interval training burns stomach fat first, before all other parts of the body.

Use the 35-minute calorie-incinerating walking workout below to tone your thighs, tighten your buns and cinch your waist. You can use the workout outdoors in your neighborhood or indoors on your treadmill. For best results, do the workout four times a week every other day.

• 5 minute Warm-Up Pace
• 3 minute Aerobic Interval – Push slightly more than your steady-state pace
• 3 minute Recovery Interval – Catch your breath and get ready for the next interval!
• 3 minute Aerobic Interval
• 3 minute Recovery Interval
• 1 minute Anaerobic Interval – For one minute, walk as fast as you possibly can! On a scale from 1-10, you should be pushing yourself from a 7-9.
• 3 minute Recovery Interval
• 1 minute Anaerobic Interval
• 3 minute Recovery Interval
• 1 minute Anaerobic Interval
• 3 minute Recovery Interval
• 5 minutes Cool-Down Pace

But what’s the trick to turning your interval walk into a fat-burning workout? It all comes down to perfecting your form. Start with these 4 tips:

1. Get Your Abs In The Action: The foundation of any walking workout starts with your core! Poor posture weakens your abdominal muscles and minimizes the flow of blood and oxygen to your muscles and brain. Imagine a string coming out of the top of your head, pulling you up. Then, tilt that long body forward slightly, tilting from the ankles, not the hips or the waist. Contract your abdominals so that your pelvis shifts forward slightly, to keep your spine in a neutral position. Don’t arch your lower back or stick your butt out.
2. Shorten Your Stride: Speed burns. Your body is comfortable at your normal walking pace, because it’s working efficiently. But when turning your walk into a workout, efficiency is your enemy. As with a fuel-efficient car, the most efficient pace burns the fewest calories. As soon as you walk faster than your normal “around town” pace, your body starts using more oxygen and burning calories at a higher rate. Focus on taking more steps, not longer steps. But moving your legs that quickly takes an enormous amount of effort. In fact, at 5 mph, it’s much more efficient to run — and cover more ground with each stride — than it is to walk. So you actually use more energy, and burn more calories walking a 12-minute mile than running a 12-minute mile.
3. Speed Up Your Swing: The speed of your arms determines the speed of your legs. Let your arms swing freely, but with purpose. This will improve your balance, circulation, and burn more calories. Your arms move in opposition to your legs…The right leg and left arm always move together. Swing your arms forward, not across your body. Imagine your body on a clock face, with your head at 12 o’clock, your arms should swing from about 7 o’clock (just behind your hips) to 4 o’clock (about belly-button height).
4. Use Your Propellers: Strike the ground with your heel and let your foot roll forward naturally. At the end of your stride, really push off with your toes, to propel your body forward. Use a stride length that’s comfortable for you. Don’t overstride.

Good news: you can still snack, even when trying to lose weight  – in fact, I insist on it. Healthy snacking keeps your blood sugar, energy and hunger levels stabilized and your metabolism humming. Check out my mouth-watering snack recipes below. These delicious snacks all provide a good source of fiber and protein and are perfect for tying you over, especially midmorning (between breakfast and lunch) and midafternoon (between lunch and dinner). And you won’t even miss things like crackers, cookies and chips.

1. Apple slices with 1 tablespoon almond butter and raisins
2. Celery sticks filled with 1 tablespoon natural crunchy peanut butter and raisins
3. ½ avocado and 1 small tomato, chopped, with a squeeze of lemon
4. ½ avocado with salsa and diced jicama
5. Handful of raw almonds with 1/2 cup blackberries
6. 2 hard-boiled eggs with bell pepper strips or steamed green beans
7. 5-ounce pouch tuna in water, seasoned with dill, lemon juice, and chopped scallion with a chopped tomato
8. 5-ounce pouch tuna in mixed with Avocado Mayonnaise, wrapped in lettuce leaves
9. 2 sheets nori seaweed topped with tuna, avocado, and cucumber, and rolled up
10. 2 lettuce leaves topped with 2 ounces turkey slices and 1 ounce of cheese, rolled up
11. 2 lettuce leaves spread with 1 tablespoon hummus and raw vegetables and wrapped up
12. 2 to 3 ounces roasted turkey spread with mustard and wrapped around 1⁄4 of a sliced avocado
13. 2 tablespoons hummus with celery sticks and bell pepper strips
14. 1 string cheese with a green apple
15. 3⁄4 cup organic plain yogurt and 1⁄2 cup fresh berries
16. 3/4 cup organic plain yogurt with ground cinnamon and apple slices
17. 1⁄2 cup cottage cheese with 1⁄2 cup berries, sliced kiwi, or chopped melon
18. 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1⁄2 a chopped apple and cinnamon
19. 1 wedge cantaloupe with 1⁄2 cup cottage cheese
20. 2 ounces turkey or beef with 1⁄2 or 1 medium cucumber, sliced
21. 3⁄4 cup cooked shelled edamame
22. 4 steamed asparagus spears wrapped with 4 ounces cooked sliced turkey

BDNF starts the process for new neurons to be formed in the area of the brain involved in memory, learning and decision-making. It also repairs brain cell damage and makes the connections between brain cells stronger. BDNF is not the only thing that helps rejuvenate the “memory side” of the brain. The increased oxygen that you’re taking in while exercising reduces the risk of disorders like diabetes and cardiovascular disease that lead to memory loss. So breathe deep while you’re working out! All of that from a daily workout? Yes – It’s amazing and true!

The Centers for Disease Control recommends 150 minutes – or two and a half hours – of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week AND muscle-strengthening exercises for the major muscle groups at least two days a week.

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