A healthy metabolism needs a healthy schedule, and that includes eating, hydrating, exercising, and sleeping consistently. We reached out to nutritionists, dietitians and other health experts for more advice on how to age gracefully while following a balanced diet. Read on for four go-to food rules and tips to keep in mind while on your health journey, from Lisa Richards, registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, and Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, senior dietitian at UCLA Medical Center.
READ MORE: Dietitians Agree: These 6 Weight Loss Tips Should Be Followed For Life
1. Eat More Whole, Plant-Based Foods
When thinking about what to add to your diet, Hunnes says whole, plant-based foods are always a go-to choice for a healthy metabolism, and your gut will thank you. "The foods we eat contribute to a whole range of health or chronic diseases," she says, adding, "when we follow a primarily whole, plant-based diet, we are at lower risk for and may prevent a whole range of chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and stroke to name a few."
Many of these diseases are also associated with inflammation, she stresses, which is detrimental to a healthy metabolism and "which is frequently associated with the foods that we eat." The foods that most often contribute to inflammation include animal products and ultra-processed foods. "The foods that most often contribute to anti-inflammation are whole, plant-based foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables." Adding more of these to your diet as an easy first step, Hunnes explains, can help you notice an immediate difference in energy.
2. Remove As Many Processed Foods As Possible
You may not realize it, but the amount of processed foods you consume daily impacts your gut health, metabolism, and ability to lose or maintain weight. "The least healthy type of carbohydrate to eat over the age of 40 is ultra-processed carbohydrates that are frequently found in packaged foods such as pastries (think Pop-Tarts, energy bars, and French fries/onions etc)," Hunnes points out.
The reason these types of carbs are not great at any age, let alone over 40, Hunnes adds, is because they "provide no nutritional benefit, they are often devoid of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds." This, she stresses, is "terrible for the metabolism because it leads to insulin spikes, increases in IGF-1, an inflammatory marker, and increases risk for chronic diseases and deposition (fat storage) of calories in the body." A standard American diet (SAD), is high in salt, fat, calories, and processed foods, Hunnes says, so "switching to a whole-food, plant-based diet gives you an abundance of healthy nutrients, lower calories, and more water (anti-inflammatory foods), and is low in salt and higher in potassium.
3. Avoid Fad Diets
If another one of your health goals includes weight loss, it's vital to avoid trends or fad diets and focus on a consistently healthy diet recommended by a health expert, Richards says. "It is best to avoid the fad diet pitfalls that result in rapid weight loss, and rebound weight gain is a big hurdle for those initially wanting to lose weight," she explains. A diet focused on whole foods with most common allergens removed, she continues, can "help boost metabolism and speed along sustainable weight loss."
When temptation to slide back into old habits hits you, she says it can be "helpful to have something to reflect back on as a reminder." This can be a note, a picture, or anything else that "reminds you of why you started putting your health first through your diet." Hunnes agrees, and says to "think of foods as a lifestyle that you intend to follow lifelong, it takes you out of the mindset of yo-yo dieting, or crash diets and then going back to your prior way of eating."
4. Never Deprive Or Starve Yourself
Your body and metabolism need a consistent intake of nutrients to function, which is why both Hunnes and Richards strongly recommend never depriving yourself of this. "Rather than walk around hungry with small portions of food, I recommend that people pile their plates with healthy, high-nutrient foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and water," Hunnes says. "Often, we eat because we are actually dehydrated and need an energy pick-me-up. If we have water, plus all the healthy foods mentioned above, we stay full longer on lower calories," Hunnes points out. She continues, "a lot of people go out of the gates too quickly and then burn out, or they overestimate how many calories they actually burn through exercise. Slow and steady wins the race, both with food and weight loss/ calorie burn."
Richards concurs, and says "creating mindful habits in your daily life and decisions has positive implications in just about every area, even your diet." When we are mindful of our bodies' needs nutritionally, our fullness, and what we are putting into our bodies, we are "more likely to achieve balance mentally and physically," Richards notes. "When we are intentional about being mindful it begins to carry over into even the simple moments in life that have a big impact." Each meal, she says, is an "opportunity to be mindful of what your body needs, but also to intentionally allow yourself to indulge on occasion." Mindfulness, she concludes, enables you to "live in balance in this way," and help you become more in tune with your body's needs (creating a consistent metabolism in the process!)
