1. Answer: D. 5%. According to John Berardi, Ph.D., CSCS, president of Precision Nutrition, and author of The Metabolism Advantage, your genes are responsible for a scant five percent of the calories you burn each day. This means two things: You can’t pin a slow metabolism on your parents or grandparents, and you have no excuse to give up and accept that gaining weight is just the hand life’s dealt you.
2. Answer: C. 25. Don’t rest on your laurels yet. Unfortunately, your metabolism starts slowing in the prime of life—at the seemingly young age of 25, Berardi says. So keep your eyes open for ways to keep moving. Never email a colleague just five cubicles away, and don’t take the elevator if you can take the stairs.
3. Answer: D. 5 to 10%. The good news about a sluggish metabolism is that the slow-down is slight; however, it does add up over time. (But keep reading—the news isn’t all bad.) People who don’t give up and resign themselves to a lifetime of couch potato tube-surfing can expect to see only a 0.3% drop in metabolism per decade—just by staying active throughout the course of their lifetimes.
4. Answer: A. 5 to 10. Put on just five to 10 pounds of lean muscle mass and your body will burn roughly 100 calories more each day—just to keep you alive and kicking. Pump iron at least five hours per week, and you’ll up your calorie burn by between 300 and 600 calories per day, Berardi says.
5. Answer: D. 20 to 40 percent. This number sounds high, we know, but don’t get freaked too early. The truth is, you can drastically dig your heels into your slowing metabolism just by keeping your body moving, says Berardi. Keep your metabolism revving, and you’ll experience just a one to two percent drop in metabolism over your lifetime, he says. Compare that to the 20 to 40 percent drop in the average North American who gives up and stops moving, and you’ll be motivated more than ever to stay active and be proud of your gym-rat reputation.
