At some point we just have to accept it - metabolism gradually slows down as we age. Why this happens is largely due to loss of muscle tissue but age, gender and hormonal changes also play vital roles.

Metabolism is the name for the numerous chemical processes that are continuously happening within our bodies. It's these chemicals that allow us to stay alive and function normally as well as regulating our weight.

As we age we have less muscle tissue and so our demand for calories lessens. In general - expect your metabolic rate to decline by 2-3% every decade.  Few of us want to spent our mature years counting calories so instead we look for ways in which we can speed up the metabolism so that we can compensate for the loss of muscle.

Top tips to burn more fat.. 

There are some basic 'golden' rules to help you lose weight and maintain a healthy body mass index whatever your age.  Here are our top tips:

Don't skip meals. While it may appear that skipping meals will lead to more calories being burned, the opposite is actually true. Skipped meals are a signal to the brain that famine may be approaching so even more calories will be stored as fat.

Take a natural supplement to increase your metabolic rate.  Try green tea which increases metabolic rate and helps you burn more fat around your middle according to research.  Abdominal fat is a health as well as a beauty hazard as it's related to many other serious health problems - not only that but it doesn't look too good either!

Include protein in every meal. Protein helps keep the metabolic rate at an optimum level so we should always try to include fish, poultry, dairy products or eggs in each meal. 

Build muscle mass - after 40 muscle mass takes a nose dive.  Just having less muscle than fat in your body means you burn less fat when you move around.  Do weight bearing exercise to build up your muscle density and you'll see the pounds shed quicker. 

Burn fat safely…

There's no doubt that chemical metabolic enhancers that burn fat rapidly will help you lose weight. But before you rush out and buy them, it's important you understand the down sides.

While they by no means have fatal side effects, they can have serious consequences on your life. Some people have developed a dependency on them to the point where, if they don't take the tablets every day, they become lethargic, suffer memory loss and become irritable.