Check Your Metabolism when Diets Don’t Work
Have you ever asked yourself why some people lose weight more easily than others? According to nutritionist Jennifer Swallow, the answer lies in metabolism, which makes sense because behind every overweight or skinny person, there is a slow or fast metabolism whose most severe consequences are not external but internal. 1. How can one measure one’s metabolism?
Metabolism is commonly measured by how many calories we burn each day. This is controlled by several factors; the main one is weight. A big, heavy person burns more calories and has a faster metabolism than a small, lightweight person. Also, muscle tissue uses more calories than body fat.
2. What happens when we have a slow metabolism?
Weight loss usually results in some loss of muscle and this results in a slower metabolism. Therefore, most people that lose weight end up regaining the weight. They eat more calories than they burn and don’t realize that they have a slower metabolism because they lost weight. A slow metabolism can result in weight gain and obesity.
3. How can one alter one’s metabolism?
Several things can make a slow metabolism faster. Besides weight, a few other factors include activity level, age, genetics and the microbiome. Metabolism tends to slow down with age and lack of exercise. Sedentary people and seniors burn fewer calories than young and active people because they lose muscle mass with the lack of activity.
4. What is the best way to accomplish this?
The type of exercises that burn the most calories include fast running and high intensity intervals. Doing these exercises everyday can result in quick weight loss, but they don’t help to maintain that weight loss like gaining muscle from weight lifting. Along with a healthy diet, combining cardio exercise and weight lifting is the best strategy to ward off obesity.
5. What other factors affect metabolism?
Another major player in metabolism is the number and type of bacteria in the human gut. In terms of weight loss and metabolism, these bacteria are in many ways just as important as genes.
In other words, the bacteria in our gut can make our metabolism slower or faster. An unhealthy diet can end up making us store more fat and burn fewer calories even if we exercise regularly.
According to nutritionist Swallow, we are not victims of our genes because we can change our behavior to make a difference. “The right amount and types of exercise can help with weight loss and speeding up metabolism. The same goes for the foods we eat!”
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