Myth: Your Metabolism Slows as You Age

Fact: That doesn’t happen until you hit age 60, at which point your metabolism slows by less than 1% per year. 

This was part of the findings in a 2021 landmark study published in Science tracking nearly 6,500 people from infancy to age 95. The researchers found no measurable difference between men's and women's resting metabolic rates  (including women who were going through menopause).

If you've spent decades blaming a slowing metabolism for creeping weight gain, stop now. But if metabolism isn’t to blame, why does weight creep up? The more likely culprit is lifestyle drift — becoming more sedentary, less muscle mass, less quality sleep — not age itself. That's good news: these are factors that you can control.

Fixing the “Weight Gain Creep” Lifestyle

Move: Throughout the day, not just at the gym. Studies have found that prolonged sitting significantly reduces fat metabolism, and that hitting roughly 8,500 steps spread through the day helps maintain weight loss. His lab has also shown that brief, full-effort movement bursts performed hourly can meaningfully increase fat metabolism.

Hit the Weights: Prioritize HIIT and strength training. A 12-week high-intensity interval training study in overweight men produced a 17% reduction in visceral fat and nearly 1 pound of fat loss Strength training carries its own advantage during weight loss: Findings from this study of women on a very-low-calorie (800-calorie) diet, those who added resistance training preserved their lean body mass and resting metabolic rate, while non-training dieters lost lean body mass.

Nutrition: Eat enough protein, and stay hydrated. Digestion itself burns calories. Protein produces the largest boost in metabolic rate by 15-30%. Drinking water offers a smaller, short-term lift: one trial found that 16 ounces (2 cups) of water increased resting energy expenditure by roughly 24% over the following hour.

Sleep: Getting fewer than seven hours a night is linked to weight gain and a range of other health risks. In addition, sleep quality directly affects metabolic function.

Does your metabolism or an underlying health condition affect your ability to lose weight? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Korman to talk through both surgical and nonsurgical options that best fit your health goals.