Unlock the Secret: How to Calculate Your Metabolic Age
The Importance of Metabolic Age
Metabolic Age—a term buzzing in health circles lately—might be the health metric you’ve been missing.
It offers an insightful peek into your body’s biological age, which differs significantly from your chronological age. Understanding your metabolic age is crucial if you’re seeking optimal health.
In this article, I’ll explain metabolic age, why it should matter to you, and how your lifestyle choices can influence it.
I will share the steps to calculate metabolic age and offer real-life success stories to inspire you.
Let’s unlock the secrets to understanding how your daily habits impact your future health.
What is Metabolic Age?
Metabolic age measures how your body’s health compares to your age-matched peers. It’s derived from your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which calculates the energy your body expends at rest.
However, understanding metabolic health involves much more than just calculating how many calories one burns at rest.
Why should you care about metabolic age?
Because it can reveal how well your body is ageing and whether you need to make lifestyle changes.
A lower metabolic age than chronological age is often a sign of good health, while a higher metabolic age suggests room for improvement due to the increased risk of metabolic syndrome.
Understanding this concept not only helps in assessing your current health but also guides you toward better habits. It allows you to track progress and make informed decisions about diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors.
Factors Affecting Metabolic Age
Several factors contribute to your metabolic age, including genetics, food and lifestyle choices.
Let’s explore these in detail:
Body Composition
Your current BMI is one measure, but a more precise way to understand if your current weight is healthy is to consider your body shape.
If you are an apple shape, carrying too much weight at the front around your middle (abdominal obesity), you are at the highest risk for developing cardiovascular disease.
If you are an avocado shape, with a high excess weight around your love handles, you may be more at risk of insulin resistance syndrome, which can develop into type 2 diabetes.
If you are a pear shape, so you have a small waist and store your excess weight on your thighs and bottom, you are more likely to develop nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Lastly, strawberry-shaped people are typically broad in the shoulder and back, with slim hips. This indicates a higher risk for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Nutrition
What and how often you eat is pivotal in determining your metabolic health.
Poor food choices, like processed foods high in sugar and unhealthy fats, can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, accelerating your metabolic age.
Conversely, a simple healthy eating plan focusing on the right amount of protein and enjoying low-glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fats can help maintain a youthful metabolism.
Eating constantly throughout the day with various snacks can also affect your metabolic age.
Continuous snacking and not giving your body enough time to digest food will raise your blood sugars and disrupt your liver’s ability to metabolise the food.
The theory of eating little and often becomes less effective as you age. Every time you eat, you stimulate insulin production, which is a fat-storing hormone. Keeping insulin levels low for more extended periods has been found to slow ageing.
Exercise
Exercise is another critical factor. Too much or too little physical activity can affect your metabolic health.
Regular exercise, including consistent walking of more than 15,000 steps daily, yoga, and pilates, contributes to a healthier metabolic age.
Other forms of exercise, such as strength training that stimulates muscle mass and boosts functional strength, all contribute to feeling and looking younger.
Conversely, a sedentary lifestyle of less than 5,000 steps per day or inconsistent activity can lead to an older metabolic age due to decreased muscle mass and energy output.
Sleep and Stress
Quality sleep and stress management are often overlooked but are essential for a healthy metabolism.
Sleep deprivation due to menopause symptoms, shift work, or chronic stress can wreak havoc on your hormones, leading to a slower metabolism and even weight gain.
Prioritising rest and finding effective stress relief methods can support a healthier metabolic age.
Tools for Calculating Metabolic Age
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s explore the tools available to calculate your metabolic age:
Body Composition Scales
Body composition scales, like those from brands like Tanita or InBody, can estimate your metabolic age.
These scales measure your weight, body fat percentage, and muscle mass to calculate your BMR and, subsequently, your metabolic age. They’re a convenient option for home use.
Online Calculators
Many online calculators are available to determine your metabolic age. They consider factors like age, gender, height, weight, and activity level to estimate your BMR.
While not as precise as body composition scales, they offer a quick and accessible way to understand where you stand.
Wearable Devices
Wearable fitness trackers, like Fitbit or Garmin, can provide insights into your metabolic health by tracking your activity levels, heart rate, and sleep patterns.
While they may not directly calculate metabolic age, they offer valuable data to support healthier lifestyle choices.
Metabolic Age Calculation
Ready to calculate your metabolic age at home? Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Gather Your Information
Collect your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. You’ll need this data to input into a calculation method.
Step 2: Use a Body Composition Scale
If you can access a body composition scale, follow the instructions to obtain your BMR and metabolic age. Stand on the scale, enter your details, and await the results.
Step 3: Try an Online Calculator
Alternatively, use an online calculator, Metabolic Age Calculator. Input your details, and the calculator will estimate your metabolic age based on a range of health questions and the likelihood of increased risk of metabolic syndrome.
Sample Calculation
You’re a 45-year-old woman weighing 150 pounds, standing 5’6” tall, and moderately active. After inputting this information, the body composition scales estimate a BMR of 1,500 calories/day and a metabolic age of 32 – Great news—your metabolic age is younger than your actual age!
However, the Metabolic Age Calculator considers other factors, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, and food and lifestyle choices.
This could result in a metabolic age of, say, 57, which means it is time to examine your nutrition, exercise, and stress levels more closely. It also allows you to make some changes to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and other health risks in the future.
Understanding Your Metabolic Age Results
Once you have your metabolic age, what does it mean for your health?
Interpreting the Numbers
A metabolic age lower than your chronological age indicates a well-functioning metabolism. It suggests that your body efficiently burns calories and maintains a healthy balance. On the contrary, a higher metabolic age suggests potential areas for improvement in your food and lifestyle choices.
Ways to Improve Your Metabolic Age
If your metabolic age is higher than your actual age, don’t worry—you can take steps to improve it. Focus on a simple health-eating diet plan, regular exercise, quality sleep, and stress management.
Monitoring Progress
Keep track of your metabolic age regularly. Use it as a benchmark to measure the effectiveness of your lifestyle changes. Celebrate small victories along the way and adjust your habits as needed.
Real-Life Success Stories
Need some inspiration? Here are real-life stories of individuals who transformed their metabolic age and overall health:
Paul found the motivation to change when he discovered his metabolic age.
When he came to see me, Paul was 6ft 2ins and weighed 16 stone. With a body fat percentage of 35% and a muscle mass of 8st 1 lb, Paul’s metabolic health age was 69 when I first weighed him in a private consultation.
The problem is that he’s only 42! To say he was motivated to change his behaviour was an understatement.
Jane’s Journey to Youthful Metabolism
Jane, who is in her early menopause years, was shocked to discover her metabolic age was 65. Determined to change, she made a few tweaks by learning about the ideal meal template in the simple healthy eating plan, added strength training to her routine, and improved her sleep by reducing the hot sweats. Six months later, her metabolic age dropped to 42, and she felt more energetic than ever.
Wrapping it Up
Understanding your metabolic age is a powerful tool for your future health and longevity.
It offers valuable insights into how your body is ageing and guides you toward positive lifestyle changes.
By taking charge of your food and lifestyle choices, such as measuring protein intake and calculating the glycemic load of your carbohydrates, working towards consistency, achieving 15,000 steps per day, and managing stress, you can improve your metabolic health and enjoy a more youthful life.
Ready to take the next step? Take our free Metabolic Age Quiz to discover your metabolic age today. See firsthand how your food and habits impact your metabolic health age and unlock the potential for a healthier future.