A common misconception is that our metabolism takes a drastic dive for the worse as we age, but this isn’t necessarily true. The real cause behind changes in weight maintenance is our bodies natural decrease in muscle mass starting at around age 30. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so as we lose muscle, we see a decline in metabolism. Other factors include hormonal shifts, such as those around menopause for women. These shifts can lead to changes in fat storage. Our appetite signals also become less reliable, which can cause difficulties in managing how much we eat.

.It is not a matter of time as much as a matter of planning ahead so you can enjoy an unhurried dinner. If you have meats thawed and ingredients on hand, most things can be tossed together in about the same time as it takes to order and wait for the food at a restaurant. Slow cooking something in the oven or crock pot is a hand option for making tasty food with little food preparation time.

Setting SMART goals can help us make small changes to improve our health at any life stage. SMART goals are especially valuable because they provide a step-by-step plan to reach our goal. They provide us with a sense of direction, motivation, and clear focus for actions to take.