THE SECRETS BEHIND A HEALTHY METABOLISM

People talk about metabolism a lot when it comes to weight loss. Either it’s fast, or it’s slow, or it needs to be reset, or this or that. It’s a common buzzword for sure, but what does it actually mean?

WHAT IS METABOLISM?

Simply stated, metabolism is the process our body uses to change food into fuel. A quick metabolism means your body burns up the energy from food quickly. The faster it uses the energy, the more you need to feed it to keep up. On the other hand, a slower metabolism processes food into energy at a lower speed, so the calories you eat have a chance to hang around your system longer and may even be stored as fat.

Everyone’s metabolism runs at a different rate. Some of that is linked to genetics, but developing a healthy metabolism goes beyond what your mama gave you. It is possible to give your metabolism a boost to aid in weight loss.

WHAT CAUSES A SLOW METABOLISM?

Your body needs energy constantly just to function. Sure, a little extra energy boost comes in handy when you’re doing physical activity, but you even use energy when you’re sleeping. It fuels your breathing, brain function, circulation, organs, growth, and basically everything that keeps you among the living. Your basic metabolic rate, or the minimum amount of energy your body needs to perform its basic functions, is determined by several factors, including age, sex, and body size and composition.

The common denominator between those three factors is muscle mass. Muscles burn more calories, and therefore, increase your metabolism. As you age, you lose muscle mass, which leads to a slower metabolism. Men have more muscle mass than women, so their metabolism is generally faster. And if you weigh more, your metabolic rate is determined by whether your weight comes from muscle mass (i.e. faster metabolic rate) or fat (i.e. slower metabolic rate).

While all of these play a role in your metabolic rate, according to the Mayo Clinic, “slow metabolism” is actually a bit of a misnomer. The weight gain people often blame on a slow metabolism isn’t technically your body’s fault. Your metabolism is what it is, but weight gain is more likely due to overeating, or under exercising for a specific body’s metabolic rate. In other words, consuming more calories than your body has the ability to convert to energy.

LEARN MORE: Do Fat Burners Really Work?

IS IT POSSIBLE TO INCREASE METABOLISM?

And now for some good news...you can actually increase your metabolic rate in a few ways. First, because all of the things that “slow your metabolism” link back to muscle mass, you can develop a healthy metabolism by developing more muscle mass. Second, increasing the amount of exercise or physical activity in your day will cause your body to use up energy more quickly. Finally, adjusting your nutrition and caloric intake can increase your metabolism. By not giving your body too much fuel, i.e. overeating, and by adjusting the type of fuel you give it, you can help your system convert food to energy at a faster rate.

WHICH FOODS INCREASE METABOLISM AND BURN FAT?

The relationship between food and metabolism isn’t simple. Eat too much and your body has a hard time converting the food to energy. Eat too little and your body may use your lean muscle mass for energy. And as we mentioned earlier, we want muscle to help speed up our metabolism.

Many people are in search of the miracle food that will rev up the metabolism and melt fat away. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but such a food doesn’t exist. However, certain foods do provide cleaner fuel for your body and help support healthy metabolic function.

• Avocados: This fruit is rich in “good fats” that help you feel full faster. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help many of the body’s systems—including metabolism.
• Lean Protein: The major benefit of lean protein, aside from the fact that it contains fewer calories than other protein sources, is that it helps you feel full longer. Your body also uses more energy to digest and process it, and it helps build muscle.
• Chili Pepper: Spicy foods like chili peppers contain an ingredient called capsaicin that studies indicate may help your body burn more calories each day.
• Beans: Beans are great sources of protein, and protein, as we know, helps us feel full longer and uses more energy to digest. They are also full of fiber, which also helps fill you up.
• Whole Grains: The key to this one is the “whole” part. Unlike their “refined” counterparts, whole grains are filled with fiber to help you feel full longer.
• Eggs: Eggs are packed with several grams of protein and healthy fat, which means they help you feel full longer. In fact, several studies show those who eat eggs for breakfast end up consuming fewer calories during the day compared to those who ate other breakfast foods with the same number of calories.
• Coffee and Tea: The caffeine in coffee and certain kinds of tea, like oolong and green tea, can help you burn extra calories every day.
• Coconut Oil: This oil has been having its moment in the sun for the past several years. That’s because we’ve discovered it goes directly into your liver to be turned into energy. With less time spent sitting around your body, it’s less likely to be stored as fat.
• Cold Water: As you drink cold water, you use energy to warm it to body temperature. The effects of this on your metabolism are short-lived, but drinking water is always a good idea, regardless.

What foods should you avoid? Refined grains, sugary drinks, alcohol, and soybean oil. Among other things, many of these foods contain empty calories that cause you to feel hungry sooner.

DID YOU KNOW!!! HbG is a naturally sourced compound that suppresses the hunger hormone and makes you feel full faster. Consuming fewer calories gives your body the opportunity to fully process and utilize the energy it already has on hand. This leads to a healthy metabolism as your body efficiently uses the fuel it’s given to power its systems.*