Metabolic Age: What It Is and What It Means for Your Health
Do you know what a metabolic age is? You may not have heard the term ‘metabolic age’, but it could be worth getting to know it, as it can help you understand how your body works and what it means for your health.
What is metabolic age?
Simply, your metabolic age is a measure of how efficiently your body is able to burn energy, and of how well your metabolism works. Effectively, it refers to how your Basal Metabolic Rate (the number of calories you burn as your body performs basic (basal) life-sustaining function) compares to the average BMR of other people of the same age.
If your fitness is at a healthy level, then your metabolic age will be lower than or the same as your actual age. But if your metabolic age is older than your actual age, then it might be an indication to improve your health and fitness levels.
How to calculate my metabolic age
If you want to find out your metabolic age there are ways to get a rough estimate. It’s recommended you use specialist body composition technology for accurate results, you can often find these at your gym or doctors. However, if you don’t have access to one, then you can also calculate it yourself to get a rough estimate.
Firstly you need to estimate your BMR, you can do this using the Harris-Benedict equation:
Men: BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 x Weight in kg) + (4.799 x Height in cm) – (5.677 x Age)
Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 x Weight in kg) + (3.098 x Height in cm) – (4.33 x Age)
You can also use this calculator.
Once you have this, you can compare it to a metabolic age chart. If it’s higher than your age and you want to bring it down, we’ve got a few suggestions for you.
How to reduce your metabolic age:
Weight loss
One reason for a high metabolic age may be weight. If you are overweight then this can cause your metabolic age to be higher than your actual age. However, losing weight can be a struggle and it can be hard to know where or how to start.
The main thing to bear in mind is that losing weight starts with food and what you eat. Eating healthier, and having a good plan and routine with what you eat can set you up for a healthy weight loss. It may be worth incorporating CollaSlim shakes into your diet to help you get the nutrition you need whilst also managing your calorie intake. CollaSlim contains around 200 calories per shake, as well as 5000mg of marine collagen, so you know exactly what you’re having, helping you keep track of your calories.
Nutrition/Calorie intake
Keeping track of your nutrition and calorie intake can also help you improve your metabolic age as well as help with weight loss. There are certain healthy foods that can help boost your metabolism. Foods that are high in protein can aid the function of your metabolism, these include fish, meat, dairy, beans, eggs, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These foods are also rich in iron which is beneficial to the functioning of your thyroid, keeping your metabolism in working order.
Having a routine can also benefit your metabolism and keep it in working order. Skipping meals can be detrimental to your metabolism, so if you don’t have time or aren't a morning person, you could try getting your nutrition from CollaSlim shakes. They provide both calories and nutrition and by having something early on in the day, your metabolism is kickstarted, setting you up for the day. Giving you the energy you’ll need if you're increasing your movement and activity.
Cutting out meals is also not the way to achieve healthy weight loss, you need to maintain a healthy calorie intake or your metabolism will crash. Having a CollaSlim meal replacement shake for one or two of your daily meals ensures that you are consuming the right amount of calories as well as nutrition. You’ll also feel the effects of the added collagen, especially if you’re doing weight training and exercise alongside your healthy diet, as collagen is beneficial for your joints and building your muscles.
Sleep
Getting enough sleep is beneficial for many reasons, but did you know it also affects your metabolism. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that a lack of sleep can make participants feel less full after eating and make them metabolise the fat in food differently.
If you find yourself in a rush in the morning, craving that little bit more sleep, then one way of saving time in the morning is making up a CollaSlim shake the night before and popping it in the fridge, ready to grab and go in the morning. You can mix up the flavours and add fruit and other extras to keep it exciting, making breakfast something to look forward to and enjoy.
Movement
Make the most of the light summer evenings and head out on a walk, increasing your step count can have really good benefits for your health and can aid weight loss. Consistency is key and keeping up your movement will also improve your BMR, meaning that your body will burn more calories when you're not exercising. A combination of increased movement and a good diet is also key for weight loss.
Strength Training
Hitting the gym and heading to the weight section is another way to bring down your metabolic age. With consistent strength training your muscle mass will increase, helping you decrease body fat and burn more calories. You also need to make sure you are consuming protein rich foods and enough calories to sustain you whilst weight training. One way to ensure you get the calories you need is through CollaSlim shakes. Replacing a meal or two with a CollaSlim shake ensures you maintain a calorie intake as well as nutrition.