SLOW FAT METABOLISM?

Just as wrinkles increase with age, our metabolism also slows down over the years. Although we still have the appetite of a young woman or a young man, we no longer need as much energy and fewer calories due to the slower rate of our fat metabolism. Our muscles can no longer burn all of this energy - we gain body fat and therefore weight. You have probably noticed this in yourself or among your friends: For most people, weight gain mainly starts between their early and late 30s.

From around the age of 40, it is not only the fat metabolism that rapidly declines, but also your own hormone levels. In women, oestrogen levels fall. The decrease in the female sex hormone encourages the build-up of love handles and belly fat. Men are no better off: once you reach 40, you only produce 60% of the testosterone you once did. Muscles decline - as does the metabolism - and the door is open to fat (especially belly fat).

But there's no need to worry! We have 5 tips & tricks on how to boost your fat metabolism and lose weight faster:

Potatoes, rice, wholemeal bread and pasta don't always have the best reputation when it comes to losing weight, but this image is not entirely true. In contrast to white bread or toast, they mainly contain complex carbohydrates. These make you feel full for much longer and do not raise your blood sugar levels as much as bread rolls or cake, which are also full of sugar (i.e. empty carbohydrates). This reduces the typical cravings. If you go without "good carbohydrates", your blood glycogen levels will be correspondingly low - and your fat metabolism will be correspondingly slow. So, feel free to add a portion of potatoes, rice or oatmeal to your diet!

2. consume more dairy products!

Muscle tissue consumes more energy than fat tissue. So make sure that your muscles are built up and not broken down! As you get older, exercise is all the more important to keep your metabolism going. Dairy products such as quark, cottage cheese or yoghurt (with as little sugar as possible) contain a lot of protein, which is very important for the muscles. Protein also keeps you full for a long time. A protein shake will also do the trick.

3. sleep more!

If you sleep, you lose weight? That's right! People with a sleep deficit have a slower fat metabolism than "well-rested" people. If the body gets too little sleep, it goes into a kind of stress mode and runs on the back burner. Instead of breaking down fat deposits during the night, our body (actually unnecessarily) secures energy reserves for emergencies. The result: the fat metabolism slows down - the fat deposits remain more stubborn. Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep at night to have more energy for the day!

4. do sport!

"OK, this tip had to come" you might be thinking. However, we would like to give you a tip that will boost your fat metabolism in particular. Alternating units of muscle and endurance training are perfect for this! HIIT workouts (High Intensity Interval Training), for example, are ideal for this: short, high intensity at maximum heart rate - short break - and then start again. With regular training, fat metabolism can be increased by up to 10 percent.

5. use very little salt!

Of course, salt is vital for our bodies, but we usually eat far too much of it. And this has a negative effect on our health: Blood pressure rises - resulting in cardiovascular disease and life-threatening heart attacks. So try to eat low in salt. Instead, season with pepper or curry or turmeric. If you want to lose weight and stimulate your metabolism, you should eat foods rich in iodine. Algae, sea fish, crabs and eggs contain a lot of iodine. Food supplements with iodine are also a good option.