Rev Your Metabolism

Photo: frankjuarez, Flickr

I believe we have to deal with our age-related realities head on and this is definitely one of them: Once we hit 30, our lean muscle tissue, which acts as a calorie burner, decreases by about a pound a year if we're not active. And later on, according to obesity researcher Jennifer Lovejoy, the hormonal changes that come with menopause can slow our engines down by an additional 200 calories a day. But there's still a lot we can do to counter Mother Nature. Here's how to kick your metabolism into overdrive.

• Add high intensity interval training to your workout mix. Because HIIT's work bursts are performed at full throttle, it takes longer for your metabolism to return to its normal resting rate than other forms of fitness. This means that up to an entire day after you work out, you'll still be burning up to 15 percent more calories than if you hadn't exercised.
• Slow it down. Any weight training other than those featherweight dumbbells builds muscle, a major fat burner. But you can turbocharge that muscle repair and growth by slowing the pace of your reps while increasing the intensity. According to a study conducted at Wayne State University in Detroit, this can pump up your metabolism by 8 percent for as long as 72 hours after your session. Raise and lower to a three count and choose weights heavy enough that you struggle to maintain proper form for the last few reps, says New York City trainer Mike Monroe.

• Sip green tea afterward. The brew contains a compound called ECGC, which experts surmise promotes fat burning. In one 12-week study, participants who engaged in a regular exercise routine and drank about five cups of green tea a day had greater weight loss -- 4.4 pounds, compared with just over two pounds in the control group. The results also showed larger declines in belly fat.

Now that you know your over-40 body may be burning 200 calories less than it used to, what adjustments will you make to stave off weight gain? Nix that second glass of wine? Run an extra half mile? Let us know.