If you’re trying to lose weight, you should work on speeding up your metabolism.  This is the rate at which your body burns up energy (calories) in order to maintain itself as well as perform other functions.  A slow metabolism will cause all the excess calories consumed to be stored in the body resulting in fat weight gain.  The same thing happens if an individual consumes more calories than necessary even if his or her metabolic rate is really not sluggish.
Metabolism is also a function of age.As we advance in age, our metabolism slows down therefore it is important for older people to keep their metabolism fired up.  Being overweight is one of the more visible signs of ageing and many times it is not a result of overeating.  Generally weight gain in older folks is due to the fact that their bodies are no longer as effective in burning calories as they used to.  An active metabolismnot only promotes good health but it also helps one to stay and look fit.  For older folks, this means having a more youthful appearance. 
Below are some tips to help you increase your metabolism:

1. Make sure you don’t have any medical problem that may be causing your metabolism to become sluggish.  A thyroid problem slows down the metabolism.
2. Always eat breakfast.  Never skip it because it is this meal that will enable your body to effectively burn calories throughout the day. If you don’t eat breakfast, your metabolism will be sluggish and you will tend to store the calories you will be consuming for the day.
3. Keep the intervals between meals short in order to keep your metabolism constantly active.  Taking long breaks will slow it down.  Eat several meals throughout the day but make sure you don’t feed your body empty calories as this will only be converted into fat.
4. Don’t starve yourself.  The body will react by storing as much energy as it can not knowing when it will be fed again.  In addition, your hair and skin will become dull and unhealthy looking.
5. Exercise regularly.  Working out will help you develop muscles which needs a lot of calories for maintenance.  This means that the more muscles you have, the faster your metabolism and the lesser your tendency to put on weight.
6. Drink a lot of water. The body needs to be well-hydrated at all times because it is made in such a way that most of its functions require water.  Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water daily.
7. Avoid eating and drinking too much sugary products.  Sweets will increase your blood sugar level which in turn will cause your body to function poorly and your metabolism to slow down.

Ageing brings with it a lot of challenges but thankfully there are ways to positively deal with them.  A sluggish metabolism that comes with age can be improved with exercise and a change in eating habits.    Work on speeding up your metabolism and you will be surprised as how much healthier and younger you will look and feel.