Most of us who are concerned about our health and weight are
familiar with the term metabolism. We often blame our “slow metabolism” for
being overweight. Let us learn more about metabolism and the steps which can be
taken to manage our weight in a better way.
Metabolism refers
to the chemical processes that occur within an individual in order to maintain
life. This includes breathing, pumping blood, brain functioning and extracting
energy from your food. In other words we can say, it refers to the number of
calories your body at rest uses each day, just to keep all your vital organs
functioning- this is called resting
metabolic rate. Your daily activities and exercise add on to the calories
burnt.
The number of calories that you burn every day is directly
related to your body composition. Think of your body divided into two
compartments. One is all body fat while
other is fat-free which includes
e.g. bone, fluid, tissue, muscle etc. The size of fat-free compartment
determines your metabolic rate. So, more the fat-free compartment and lesser
the body fat compartment would have higher metabolic rate. Now, since fat-free
compartment contains muscle tissue, one of the best way you can boost your
metabolic rate is to increase your muscle mass through strength training.
MYTH: Slender people
have higher metabolism rates than overweight people.
Truth: The bodies
of larger people require more energy than smaller people. That means, as you
lose weight, you will need less food for your body. And after weight loss, if
you return back to old eating and exercise habits, the weight will come back
because you are providing more food than your body needs. So, keep active to
keep those kilos away.
MYTH: Ageing slows
your metabolism.
Truth: People
tend to gain weight as they get older, but this can be avoided. People have a
tendency to exercise less or exercise less vigorously as they age – which means
fewer calories burned each day. This can result in loss of muscle mass which in
turn can shrink the body’s fat-free compartment leading to lower metabolic
rate. To minimize age-related weight gain, one should do cardiovascular
exercise to burn calories and resistance training to preserve or build up
muscles.
MYTH: Multiple small
meals during the day are better for metabolism than three main meals.
Truth: Multiple
small meals plan does not increase your metabolic rate. This approach keeps you
away from in-between meal hunger, so helps many to reduce weight. However, if
there is no portion control, one can result in eating more than required by
their body.
MYTH: Eating a
grapefruit with meal will speed up metabolism.
Truth: There is
nothing magical about grapefruit, it may help in weight loss but has no effect
on metabolism. It’s simply a watery, low-calorie food that takes up space in
the stomach that might normally be taken by higher calorie foods. So, sometimes
it is recommended to take grapefruit with your meals.
MYTH: Drinking green
tea can boost your metabolism.
Truth: Yes, this
is true and not a myth. Green tea’s antioxidants and caffeine can increase the
calories your body burns. If already you consume high caffeine then green tea’s
effect will be limited.
Your best approach is to combine fitness activities with a
balanced nutrition diet.
Happy Living!
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