Your metabolism is just fine!
We have all heard or said it: After 30 , your metabolism slows down, it is all downhill from there.
This is either a convenient excuse or a sad reality, depending where you stand.
Personally, I have always doubted whether this made any sense. Last time I checked the body does not possess a calendar according to which it would adjust its burn rate.
But now the NYT came to my rescue , with this wonderful article
It is a very well done study with over 80 co authors, using the findings from about 6500 participants.
The points I want to emphasize.
1. The metabolism remains even between 20-60 years of age.
2. Men and women do not have metabolic differences.
3. Neither meno nor andropause affect the metabolism.
Let’s take a closer look.
What constitutes the majority of the metabolism?
The Liver, heart, kidneys and brain use up to 70% of all energy which does not change until we reach an older age where things start falling apart.
So why do people gain weight?
The answer is actually simple: we move less. In High school and college , many of us play sports. This stops once we enter the workforce, once regular exercise stops the body slowly gets rid of muscle mass . ( we also tend to have more heavy dinners as we leave the Ramen budget days)
The cure? Keep on moving, lifting weights and stay intellectually curious.
Being 45 myself, I find that article very empowering as it makes it clear that turning 30 is not a death sentence for your physique.
It is up to us!
Maik