Metabolism is often associated with weight loss. We often talk about people with fast and slow metabolisms. But what does it really mean and can we increase our metabolic rate? Metabolism is the name for the process by which the body converts what you eat and drink into the energy needed to power everything you do, from breathing and thinking to moving and growing. In the simplest terms, metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns calories. So if your metabolic rate is high, you are burning calories even when you aren’t working hard at the gym. A low metabolic rate means that you are burning less calories (and at the slower rate) than you are consuming, which causes you to gain weight.
There are a few factors that affect our metabolic rate and we can’t do a darn thing about it, such as gender, age, and genetics. Men generally have faster metabolism simply because they have greater muscle mass. That’s just how it is girls, no reason to fret about it. Let’s move on now. Our metabolism slows down with age, but only so slightly. No using that as an excuse! You can inherit your metabolic rate from previous generations, but it doesn’t mean we are doomed. Although, those factors cannot be changed, lifestyle and fitness level can be altered to speed up your metabolism.
Here we go then…
1. Exercise regularly. This one is a no-brainer. Exercise burns calories. Walking, running, swimming, biking, yoga – anything that gets your heart rate up, really - increases the energy your body requires, which in turn increases your metabolism. Even after you stop exercising, your body will burn calories at a faster rate for several hours afterward.
2. Do strength training. Muscle burns more calories than fat. So a person with greater muscle mass will burn calories at a higher rate that the person with lesser muscle mass. An added bonus, intense exercise like weight lifting (and interval training – last week's topic) burns calories well after you’ve stopped exercising. It is often referred to as the “afterburn” effect, and it can last for up to 24 hours.
3. Eat frequent small meals. Instead of our standard three big meals, eat 5 to 6 smaller, healthy meals a day. DO NOT ever skip breakfast. Eating a healthy snack first thing in the morning is a great metabolism booster. Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day!
A little side note: This is from personal experience. No matter how much or how hard you exercise, if you’re eating like crap, you will not lose weight or will lose very little. In my opinion, proper nutrition (not diets – I hate diets and I don’t believe that they work long term) is the key to your weight loss success. I’m not saying forget exercise. I am saying, don’t neglect your nutrition.
4. Drink water. And plenty of it. This is the one I struggle the most with. I just simply forget to get a drink until I feel thirsty. But by the time our body is telling us it’s thirsty, it’s already dehydrated. Every cell in the digestive system requires water to metabolize food properly. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. One interesting fact I read about a little while back is that when we’re thirsty sometimes we confuse it with being hungry and we reach for something to snack on instead f getting a drink. So drink some water first, and then see if you’re still having that hankering for a snack. More often than not, a drink is all you needed.
Go break a sweat now!
Love, D.
References:
www.MayoClinic.com
www.WebMD.com
www.Livestrong.com
www.Sunwarrior.com
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