A dietitian debunks the myth about metabolism. This may change your perspective on weight loss
Many people over the age of thirty have trouble losing excess weight. These difficulties are often put down to metabolism, which slows down as the body ages. Is slow metabolism really to blame for the lack of effects of dieting? A famous dietitian dispels doubts.
Dr. Hanna Stolińska is a qualified dietitian with extensive experience. She is active on social media and willingly shares her knowledge about healthy eating with her followers. In one of his latest posts, he discusses a problem he often encounters in his office. Her clients often “complain” about their metabolism, which is too slow and therefore prevents them from losing weight. Are these types of “complaints” justified? The answer is surprising.
Does metabolism slow down with age?
Metabolism refers to all processes and reactions taking place in the body whose aim is to obtain energy from food. It is a common belief that the metabolic rate decreases with age. In other words, the older we are, the slower our digestive system functions. Many people in their thirties or forties consider this factor to be the main obstacle to getting rid of extra kilos. Is “lazy” metabolism really to blame for the lack of weight loss results? Not necessarily.
As Dr. Hanna Stolińska notes, the metabolic rate begins to decline only after the age of sixty, but only by 0.7 percent per year. These changes are not very noticeable and do not significantly affect the success of weight loss. Therefore, as the dietitian emphasizes, weight loss failures cannot be blamed on metabolism, which “gets lazy” with age. Such arguments are not justified for most people. The metabolic rate actually decreases only after the age of 90 (it decreases by 26 percent per year).
What influences metabolism?
Age does not have much influence on the metabolic rate. To a large extent, it depends, as Dr. Hanna Stolińska explains, “on body composition, i.e. the content of muscles and fat tissue.” In other words, “the more muscle, the higher the metabolism.” They can be developed through physical activity. It is also worth making sure that your daily diet includes high-quality protein. They can be found in products such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, almonds, pistachios and cashews.
