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In this article:
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It’s true that a woman’s metabolism slows down as she ages. However, you can work with your doctor to find ways to stay healthy.
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The abrupt changes in female hormones affect many other parts of the body, which contribute to the metabolism slowing down and an increased body weight.
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There are ways you can boost your metabolism, including building muscle mass and moving more.
Why is it so hard for older women to lose weight?
As you get older, you may find that it’s harder to control your weight. The same diet and exercise routine from your 20s and 30s just doesn’t have the same impact anymore. It makes you wonder — are all women destined to experience weight gain as they get older?
As women age, metabolism slows down, and the body needs fewer calories. Weight control might seem harder because it is harder. “In the past, humans just thought this was a normal part of aging, and inevitable,” says Dafna Trites, D.O., a Providence obstetrician and gynecologist who sees patients in Tarzana, California. “However, we know now that the changes in hormones, mostly estrogen and progesterone, during the perimenopausal and menopausal years significantly slow down our metabolism in many ways.”
But that doesn’t mean the situation is hopeless. There are many ways to stay healthy and fit as you age — though they may require some new tactics.
We’ve gathered advice from Providence caregivers about how metabolism changes over time for women, why it changes and what you can do in response to this change.
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the process of converting food into calories, which our bodies then burn for fuel. Metabolic rate is how many calories our bodies burn in a typical day.
If we burn more calories through activity than we take in, we lose weight over time. If we take in more calories than we burn, we gain weight.
Our bodies burn calories in different ways:
- Resting metabolism (also called basal metabolic rate [BMR])
- Food digestion
- Physical activity
Your resting metabolism provides the energy you need to pump blood, breathe air in and out, control temperature and use your brain. Resting metabolism burns the most calories each day, and is what often slows down as we age.
Why does metabolic rate slow down for women?
Over time, studies have shown that metabolic rate (how fast we burn calories) starts to slow down by 2%-3% each decade, beginning in our 20s. It becomes more noticeable between ages 40 and 60. And while the slowdown happens for both men and women in middle age, it often affects women more since they have a slower metabolism from the start.
“The abrupt changes in female hormones affect many other chemicals,” says Dr. Trites, “including insulin (creating insulin resistance). They also influence sleep patterns, mood changes, blood sugar levels, food cravings, muscle loss, joint pains and more. The effect of all of this results in increasing fat storage and weight gain and slower metabolism.”
There are many natural changes that can slow down a woman’s metabolism:
- Less muscle, more fat: Women naturally lose lean body mass — or muscle mass — as they get older. Men do too, but women have less to begin with, so hanging on to it takes more effort. Having less muscle decreases your metabolic rate.
- Body and lifestyle changes: When you’re a child or young adult, your body is building bone and growing. It’s also producing human growth hormone, which burns a lot of calories. Plus, you’re moving around more. As an adult, your body starts making less human growth hormone at right around the same time as you’re becoming less active. Maybe you lead a sedentary lifestyle where you sit most of the day for your job? Less movement means fewer calories burned.
- Pregnancy: For those who become pregnant, gaining excess weight during pregnancy can later affect muscle and metabolism. The extra weight might also cause you to sleep less, which affects the hormones that cause food cravings.
- Menopause: Menopause sends hormonal signals to your body to redistribute weight. Before menopause, any extra body fat spreads evenly — and less noticeably — around your body. After menopause, most of it marches straight to your middle. The change in estrogen levels has a big impact on metabolism.
Although many changes to metabolism come from natural forces, some happen because of another health condition.
You may have a thyroid problem
The thyroid is an endocrine gland shaped like a butterfly that’s located in the front of your neck. It makes thyroid hormones, which impact functions in the body such as metabolism. Women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to have a thyroid disorder, especially after pregnancy or menopause.
There are different thyroid conditions. For example, hypothyroidism is when the body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism is when the body makes too much thyroid hormone. Either condition can impact your metabolism. Your doctor can check your thyroid levels with a simple blood test.
Medications can affect metabolism
Prescription medications can have different side effects. Some medications stimulate your appetite, while others reduce it. Changes in medications might even alter your sense of taste and smell or your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. If you have to take medication long-term, it may affect your metabolism.
Ways to boost metabolism
Knowing about how metabolism changes with age makes many women wonder what they can do in response.
Maintain muscle mass
Starting a muscle-building program may seem strange when you’re older, but it can help. “Any type of strength training activity is great,” says Dr. Trites. “Women do not need to be afraid of lifting too heavy and gaining too much bulk. Having more muscle helps to burn more fat, which affects metabolism tremendously.”
Move more
People tend to be less active as they get older. Aim to sit less and move more.
Your activity level doesn’t have to be intense. You could ride your bike, stand while you make phone calls or walk around the house or garden.
Be strategic about your food
As women become older, their bodies often need fewer calories. This doesn’t mean there should be less food in your eating plan, but it helps if you change the foods you eat.
“It’s helpful to eat more fruits and vegetables — which are lower in calories,” advises Valerie Edwards, clinical dietitian at Providence. “And to have smaller portions of meat, pasta, bread and starches on your plate. Adding more veggies still gives you the same volume of food but with fewer calories.”
However, Dr. Trites cautions that changing the foods you eat may not do the trick.
“Most women in their menopausal years will notice weight gain while consuming the same diet and activity they have been doing for years, and tend to gain extra pounds around their middle and in places that previously were not affected,” she says. “Even methods that seemed to work for weight management in earlier years have less effectiveness than before.”
“While this is a common process that happens to almost every woman, it is highly influenced by hormonal changes,” Dr. Trites continues. “This is the first time in human history where we now have the capability to treat those hormonal changes early and safely, and along with lifestyle changes, help to avoid the changes in metabolism that occur, as well as help to maintain cardiovascular, brain, bone and muscle health.”
Get more sleep
Not getting enough sleep can have a negative effect on your metabolism. A lack of sleep can also lead to other health issues. It’s important that you find ways to get the rest you need.
What is the best way for women over 40 to lose weight?
Besides replenishing and balancing female hormones, Dr. Trites says the most important factors for weight loss and overall health are:
- A daily diet of high protein (about 30-40 grams per meal or a total of about 90-100 grams per day) with healthy fat, while maintaining a slight calorie deficit
- Drinking 80-100 ounces of water per day
- Daily movement:
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- Brisk walking after meals
- High-intensity interval training (a few reps of sprints of whatever cardio activity is being done) for most days of the week
- Weightlifting two to three times per week
- High-quality sleep of at least seven or eight hours per night
- Stress management to lower cortisol
Remember that body changes are normal
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for many reasons. But it’s also important to accept that women’s bodies change with age.
There are plenty of lifestyle changes that can make a difference in response to a slower metabolism. But for women, it’s not reasonable to expect that your body will stay the same as it was in your 20s.
Decide for yourself: What weight can I maintain well, with a reasonable amount of effort? Congratulate yourself for every success on the way to that goal — even if it only gets you part of the way there — and make peace with the rest.
Contributing caregiver
Dafna Trites, D.O., is a Providence obstetrician and gynecologist who sees patients in Tarzana, California.
Valerie Edwards is a clinical dietitian at Providence.
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Related resources
Navigating your journey through menopause
A comprehensive guide to women's health
More choices than ever for successful weight loss
Endometriosis: Separating truths from myths
This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.
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