By now you may have realized there’s no “magic bullet” that will help you lose weight overnight (I know, we’re all bummed!).
But if you’re ready for the next best thing? Start focusing on your metabolic health.
In a nutshell, your metabolism decides how fast or slow your weight loss journey will be.
The good news is, you’re not “stuck” with a slow metabolism if you suspect yours isn’t exactly Speedy Gonzalez right now.
When most people hear the word “metabolism” they usually think right away about weight loss (Or weight gain!) and that’s because it does play a huge role in that symptom of your health. (YES, your weight is a SYMPTOM, it’s not the issue – more on that another time.)
Yes, metabolism will control your weight, but your metabolism is SO much more than that. It affects every function of your body, right down to the beating of your heart.
I will get into how we can boost your metabolic burn for weight loss, but first it helps to know what your metabolism is, what it does, and how it works.
Metabolism is when your body takes all the calories from everything you eat and drink and combines them with oxygen inside your cells. That’s where a series of chemical processes happen. They create the fuel to power basically everything your body does.
METABOLISM HELPS:
- Pumping your heart
- Circulating your blood
- Breathing
- Regulating your body temp.
- Digesting food
- Growing and repairing cells
- Keeping hormones in balance
- Moving your body
- Helping your brain function
When it comes to revving up your metabolism, there’s bad news… good news… and some even BETTER news for you.
THE BAD NEWS…
A good chunk of your metabolism is (mostly) out of your control. It’s your BMR – your basal metabolic rate, which is how much your body burns just by being alive (breathing, digesting, etc.).
THE GOOD NEWS…
It doesn’t actually matter too much if you have a naturally
fast or slow BMR… because there a LOT of things you can do to boost your overall burn.
THE EVEN BETTER NEWS…
The simple actions you can take every day to boost your metabolism will ALSO improve your overall health and energy.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you want to gain, lose, or maintain your weight, it’s simply a matter of balancing the food (energy) you take in with the energy you spend every day.
AND, just an important note – YOUR age is not an excuse – It’s Just a number. Your age has less to do with your metabolism than previously thought. Most of it can be attributed to:
1.Being less active and
2.Muscle loss due to lack of exercise, which escalates as you get older, even more so if you’re not doing the proper exercise to keep (or create) muscle.
Here’s what you DO control:
YOUR: DIET. ACTIVITY LEVEL. EXERCISE.
So, Here are just a few ways to Master your METABOLISM for your overall Health!
- MOVE MORE. Your BIGGEST opportunity to rev up your metabolism during the day is to get moving! These are the calories you burn while going about your daily life. Walking to your car, doing chores around the house, playing with the kids or pets, going shopping – Basically NOT sitting around all day!
- EAT MORE PROTEIN. Protein is a proven metabolism revver-upper.
BONUS: It also keeps you feeling fuller longer than any other food group! It causes the largest rise in your TEF (thermic effect of food.) Protein requires 20% to 30% of its calories to be used for metabolizing it. Carbs only require 5% to 10% of its calories, and fats, 0% to 3%. - RAMP UP YOUR WORKOUTS. Certain higher intensity workout styles can be a 1-2-3 punch for your metabolism. You get a slight bump in calorie burning after your workout because of EPOC – excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. That’s what happens while your body recovers & repairs from the workout — and it can add another 6% to 15% of the total calorie burn to your workout.
- LIFT HEAVIER WEIGHTS. Resistance training can help you build new muscle — plus it helps you keep the muscle you already have if you’re trying to lose weight. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, burning more calories even at rest. For every pound of muscle (.45 kg) you have, your body will burn about 6-10 calories per day at rest. For every pound of fat, you’ll burn about 2-3 calories per day at rest.
- DON’T CRASH DIET. Going on a crash diet will backfire on you. Not only are you depriving your body of the nutrients it needs to function at its best, but you’re also setting yourself up for a slower metabolism in the future. Even though you might lose weight on a crash diet (at least temporarily), a good chunk of that weight will be in the form of muscle. That means your body will burn fewer calories — and you’ll end up with a LOWER metabolism than you had before your diet. Not to mention you’ll disrupt your hormones and overall health!
The Bottom LINE is Your METABOLISM is a representation of how you’re taking care of the ONE and ONLY BODY you have in this lifetime. Your weight is a SYMPTOM or a demonstration of just how Healthy you are.
If you need help getting your METABOLISM back on track so you can be the healthiest and leanest version of yourself, EarthFIT is looking for 7 people who are serious and committed to seeing RESULTS. Email earthfitnf@gmail.com with the subject line – METABOLISM – to see if you qualify!
