As you get older your metabolic rate generally goes into decline and you require a reduced number of daily calories. If you are affected by a slowing metabolism you need to take preventative measures or you will gain weight. In this article I discuss a number of preventative measures you can take to stop your metabolism declining and some additional measures you can implement to boost your metabolic rate.

As I have stated above there are a number of things that you can avoid to prevent your metabolic rate being reduced further. These include:

1) ALCOHOL:- Alcoholic drinks are full of sugar and calories. Alcohol is also known to cause dehyrdration which has a negative impact on the functioning of your metabolism. An occasional alcoholic drink is OK but binge drinking and/or drinking every day can lead to a reduced metabolism.

2) BIG MEALS:- Larger meals contain more calories than smaller meals. Therefore, there is an increased likelihood that additional calories will be stored as fat. To maximise your metabolism you have to break these large meals down into smaller meals that you eat more frequently.

3) SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE:- If you are not active your metabolic rate will decline. You therefore need to be doing some physical activity each day or every other day. This is not as difficult as you think. You can walk or cycle to work, take up an exercise class, join a sports team and more. Just make sure the activity you choose is fun, can be performed regularly and keeps you active.

4) SKIPPING MEALS:- Missing meals can be just as damaging to your metabolism as eating large meals. You need to make sure that you are eating smaller portions more frequently to keep your metabolic rate boosted.

5) SUGARY FOODS:- Sugary foods have a low nutritional value, are high in calories and digest easily. This means that less calories are burned in the digestion process and more calories are stored as fat. The occasional sugary treat is OK but your overall diet needs to contain limited levels of sugary foods.

If you make sure that you are following the advice on the list above this will really help you combat the effects of a slowing metabolism. From here you can then take additional measures to increase your metabolic rate to its maximum potential. I have outlined a few of these measures below:

1) INCREASED EXERCISE:- As I have mentioned above remaining active and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle will help to stop your metabolism from slowing down. However, taking your exercise more seriously can help increase your metabolic rate. If you participate in regular cardiovascular exercise and regular weight training exercise, you will be on your way to maximising your metabolism. When performing both forms of exercise always seek to improve and you will notice your metabolism improve accordingly.

2) PLANNED MEALS:- As I have already discussed, missing meals or eating meals that are too big can slow down your metabolism. You therefore need to carefully prepare a daily meal plan which incorporates six smaller meals (instead of the usual three large meals). Eating smaller meals more regularly will reduce the number of excess calories that are being stored and charge up your metbaolism.

3) SMARTER FOOD CHOICES:- I have already mentioned that you should avoid sugar and alcohol. However, these are just two of the many foods that can have a damaging effect on your metabolism. You need to look at your diet as a whole and try to substitute the unhealthy foods for healthier ones. Healthier foods generally have a higher nutritional value and are harder to digest, meaning more calories are burned during the digestion process. This has a positive effect on your metabolic rate.

Battling against a slowing metabolism is a two stage process. First, you need to take measures to stop your metabolism being subdued any further. Following this, you need to take some measures to improve your metabolic rate. In doing this you can boost your metabolism and raise the amount of calories being burnt.