Time and again we hear that it’s the metabolism that makes it difficult or easy to lose and maintain weight. And yet, few of us make the effort to actually know what metabolism actually is and how it works. Your natural metabolism is normally determined by your genetics, but there are a number of things that affect it as you grow. This post is aimed at enhancing your understanding of your body’s metabolism, the factors that influence it, and ways in which you can improve it.
Simply put, metabolism is the process that fuels your body with the energy it needs to function properly. It is the process that burns the calories from food to produce energy. Metabolism is a culmination of breathing, circulation of blood, cell growth, regulating body temperature, muscle growth and development, and the overall brain and cognitive function of the body.
It is measured using the Basal Metabolic Rate that expresses the amount of energy (in calories) your body needs to optimally function when at rest. This BMR influences the pace at which your body is able to torch calories whether you’re trying to gain, lose, or maintain your weigh.
Your metabolic rate is regulated mainly by the thyroid hormones in your body. If the thyroid glands fail to provide adequate amounts of thyroxin (a thyroid hormone) to your body, your BMR may decline by almost 30-50%. Alternatively, if the glands are producing too much of hormones, the BMR may jump to twice as much as the normal rate. For women, this BMR fluctuates with their menstrual cycles. The metabolic rate generally increases during pregnancy.
Another thing that can affect the metabolic rate is starvation. Whether it’s due to extreme dieting or actual, starvation will bring your metabolic rate down by up to 50% less than the normal required rate – because your body is systemised to switch to survival mode as soon as it experiences conditions dire for overall health. This is one reason why diets that supply less than 1000 calories a day are not recommended by nutritionists and health experts – they kill your metabolism!
Factors that Affect Your Metabolic Rate
Apart from the above mentioned factors, there are a number of other things that have significant impact on your body’s metabolism. These may include:
- The Genetics: Some people inherit fast or slow metabolism through their genes. However, that does not mean there isn’t anything that they can do to decrease or increase their resting metabolic rate (RMR)
- The Gender: The metabolic rate in women is generally 5 to 10% lower than that of men with similar height and weight. This is usually because men naturally have higher muscle mass than women, which allows them to burn calories more quickly.
- The Body Composition: People who have more muscle than fat tend to have a better metabolic rate than the ones who don’t. On an average, muscles torch calories up to 5 times more than fat.
- The Body Surface Area: The skin or surface area of your body also contributes to your metabolism. People who are tall and thin generally have higher basal metabolic rate (BMR) than people who aren’t.
- The Weight: If you are heavier, your metabolism will require more calories to produce energy and hence a fast metabolism compared to someone who weighs lesser than you.
- The Age: As you age your metabolism starts declining. It is highest during the period when a person is rapidly growing. Once you cross 40, the metabolism naturally slows down because your muscle mass decreases.
How to Boost Your Metabolism
While it’s not entirely possible to change some of these factors like you age and your genetics, there is still a lot that you can do to maximise the efficiency of your metabolism. To increase your metabolic rate, here’s what you can do:
- Drink plenty of cold water. Half a litre can increase your metabolic rate by up to 30%!
- Focus on healthy, high-protein meals. Also include these fatty foods to your diet to accelerate your metabolism.
- Spice up your meals. Peppers are rich in capsaicin – this substance is an excellent booster for your metabolism.
- Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep deprivation messes up your hormones and hence make I difficult to maintain healthy weight and metabolism.
- Drink coffee & green tea. The caffeine present in coffee can increase your metabolic rate by 3 to 11%, while green tea can do the same by up to 5%.
Check out more interesting ways to increase your metabolism, here.
To Boost Your Metabolism, You Need to Exercise!
Exercising is probably the smartest way to ensure a healthy metabolic rate. Whether you take up aerobics, weight lifting, or simply run a mile everyday – exercising helps you build muscles and burn fats – both of which contribute to a healthy metabolic rate.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has specifically shown efficacy in improving metabolic. These workouts are designed for highly intense and quick bursts of activity that burn more fat in short time spans, and boost your metabolism. Plus it helps you lose weight and burn even the most stubborn belly fat.
Another important insight for increasing metabolism is the fact that your muscles are generally more metabolically active that the fat in your body. So when you build muscles, you boost your metabolism and torch more calories every day – even when you’re resting. Now you know why we suggested you focus on high-protein meals?
In case you’re trying to lose weight, lifting weight to build muscles will make you leaner, in addition to strengthening your muscles and maintaining your metabolism. A restricted diet alone may make you shed extra pounds, but you’ll also lose your muscle mass and deteriorate you metabolism.
When we talk about exercise, it is important to know which type of exercise works best for your body and assist it to maintain healthy weight and optimal functioning. Consult the expert personal trainers at Duo Chelsea. They will train you and design bespoke workout plans aimed at boosting your metabolism and regulating your overall health quality.