metabolism fact vs fiction

Here's an interesting article I read about our metabolism.  Alot of it, we may have heard at one time or another however it serves as a good reminder or check list for those of us wishing to improve the old metabolism!

Your metabolism
metabolism fact vs fiction

getting your metabolism to run at an optimal level doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems, however there are some things that you can’t always control that could have an adverse effect on this. first, let’s define metabolism to help you understand what is really is. it is a large network of hormones and enzymes that help convert food into fuel and that also determine how to efficiently utilize that fuel.

there is a direct correlation of just how effectively your body does this and how quickly you may gain weight or see the effects of weight loss.

factors that determine what speed your metabolism runs at are your:

1.age- each individuals metabolism on average tends to drop about 5% per decade after the age of 40.

2.sex- men generally burn more calories at rest than woman, and this is due directly to the amount of lean body mass that men have versus woman. that’s right, the more muscle that you have can be directly related to how high your metabolism is.

3.heredity- this is a big one, genetics that have been passed down generations can have a positive or negative effect on how efficient your body’s metabolism is. a slow thyroid gland is something that would slow your metabolism and be possibly linked to your genetics.

however it isn’t just muscle mass that makes your metabolism run at such a high rate, it can also be related to the extra weight that your body has as well. to put it simply, your body has to work a lot harder to move that extra weight that your body has. when you start that diet, have you ever noticed that you tend to lose the weight the easiest at the beginning? this is primarily due to the fact that your body’s metabolic rate is working at such a high level that when you initially cut calories, is when you will see the biggest weight loss. remember however, that on average, every pound of muscle that your body has burns around 35 calories a day, and in contrast, every pound of fat burns only 2 calories per day.

even though there are some things that you just can’t control in regards to the speed of your metabolism, there is a way to maximize what you have. the best way to increase your metabolism is through exercise--cardio will have more of a short-term effect while weight training (because of the muscle building component) will have more of a lasting effect on increasing your overall metabolism. again this is because muscle burns more overall calories than fat, even at night when our bodies are at rest.

so that means that no matter what, the more muscle that your body has, means that you can essentially eat more and gain less. this is especially important to know because of the many misconceptions out there (that all you have to do to lose weight is do cardio). that’s right, women! this statement is specifically aimed towards you! for some reason the thing i hear the most when i train female clients is that, “i don’t want to bulk up.” well unless you are shooting extra hormones into your body women do not have the necessary hormones to develop huge muscle, unless you are using some other kind of method to make your body achieve this.

things you need to watch out for on a daily basis that will keep your metabolic rate at its max are:

1.avoiding too much time in between your meals- if you wait to long to get that next meal there is a good chance that the speed of your metabolism will pay the consequences, because your body has to compensate for the lack of food. if you eat one or two huge meals a day then your body tends to go into starvation mode, making your body want to hold on to every calorie that it eventually encounters.

2.snacking can be key- studies have shown that snacking can not only help increase your metabolism, but it has also been shown to increase energy, and have a direct correlation with a lower percentage of body fat. snacking will help you curb those cravings to over eat by taking your body farther away from starvation mode.

3.choosing the right foods- there seems to be a lot of misguided information out there about certain foods being better for your metabolism than others. the only thing that i truly buy into is that if you eat a diet with more protein in it, that it can have a direct influence on your metabolic rate. studies have shown that digesting protein can require 25% more energy to digest than foods containing primarily carbohydrates. many people believe that if you eat spicy foods, or drink green tea that it will directly cause your metabolic rate to climb, and that it will directly cause you to lose weight. research that i have seen, has not been totally conclusive in this area, and i truly believe that this seems to be a very exploited area that many want to believe is true.

in conclusion, make sure you eat nutrient filled consistent meals, eat lots of protein, weight train, and drink lots of water. doing these things on a consistent basis will keep you on track to all of your health and weight-loss goals, as well as many other added benefits to following these tips.