Your Body Will Only Slow Down If You Do

By: Gen Wright Click author's name for more of his/her articles

It's true: our metabolism (the body's engine) begins to slow down as we get older. In other words, older people on average burn less fuel (fewer calories) per pound of bodyweight than do younger people. And that is because they have less lean muscle tissue (lean body mass). This results in reduction of our body's functioning capacity along with body fat gain even if the bathroom scales do not show it.

If you have a reduced amount of muscle tissue from not doing enough muscle building or maintain activity your metabolic demand for oxygen and your caloric needs decline. That is because muscle tissue is highly active tissue requiring lots of nourishment whereas fat tissue is passive. It just sits there as a stored form of body energy and requires very little fuel to maintain it.

This reduction in muscle mass - and the slowing of metabolism that it causes - sets up a vicious cycle as with the muscle tissue loss calorie needs fall with it. Most people are so inactive they need to take in about 100 calories per day less each decade as they get older to maintain a level body weight.

The problem, of course, is that we continue eating the same. And as we eat the same we now have too many calories coupled with too little exertion. Add in the reduced musculature and a declining metabolic rate and it all adds up to the addition of more and more body fat which carries serious health risks. This cycle, will only worsen over time - unless broken by a program that increases muscle tissue and restores lost metabolism.

The reduced muscle mass from sedentary lifestyles are almost completely responsible for the gradual reduction in the metabolic rate. This is why one of the newest approaches to achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight focuses on boosting the metabolism by improving the body composition (muscle/fat ratio).

Just as that old saying goes 'use it or lose it, research shows us that from the age of 30 to 65 most adults have halved their muscle mass and doubled their fat mass. This is often referred to as the 'middle-age spread'. Yet this can easily be prevented or reduced by simply maintaining your muscle mass and therefore your metabolism through strength training exercise.

All you need to do to prevent muscle loss is to simply perform a minimum of 2-3 strength training sessions each week. A fitness professional can show you exactly what to do to ensure you strength train safely and effectively. And don't let anyone tell you that you can't increase your strength and restore lost muscle tissue if you are older. Muscles respond to strengthening exercise no matter if they are 20 years old or 60 years old.

The biggest factor that causes people to go downhill with their health as they get older is the loss of muscle tissue that occurs over time from inactivity. However, that muscle loss is 100% preventable with strength training exercise so get yourself started and enjoy the multitude of benefits that if will give you.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: My name is Carolyn Hansen, and my goal is to show you how to automate your weight loss by mastering your metabolism in as little as 30 days. I have been doing it for years, and you can do it too. Come find out how.