Let's talk about Metabolism... the REAL facts!

Myths vs... Truth

The Truth About Metabolism

Myth #1: Skinny people have a higher metabolism.

Some thinner folks appear to eat whatever they want with seemingly no consequence. Surely, they have a faster metabolism than the average Joe, right? Not so fast. Metabolism actually has quite a bit to do with body size, but not in the way many think. Skinny individuals have slower resting metabolisms; there is literally less of them to burn while at rest.  Conversely, larger individuals usually have a higher metabolism and they burn more calories at rest.

But don’t rejoice just yet!  It’s not just any additional weight that boosts metabolism. It's muscle weight! Comparing two individuals of similar weight, the person with the larger amount of muscle will generally have the faster metabolism. This is why it is so critical to include some resistance training into your regimen.  To boost your metabolism, you need to build muscle! Research has found the extra muscle can help accelerate weight loss much faster than a diet-only plan.

Truth: While body size does factor in, body composition (ie - muscle mass) has a far greater effect on metabolism.

Myth #2: Skipping a meal slows down your metabolism.

Anyone looking to drop a few pounds better be grazing on frequent meals and snacks throughout the day, right? Turns out the old notion of eating a meal every three to four hours to ramp up one’s metabolism isn't exactly perfect advice. In fact, how frequently someone eats has little to do with the speed of their metabolism. 

Certain individuals (those prone to cravings or with special dietary needs) may benefit from consuming multiple meals through the day. However, for the rest of us, the most important factors to consider are the QUANTITY and QUALITY of the food we consume. Whether you eat 2,000 calories of rice in one sitting or spread it out throughout the day, it still has a similar effect.   Instead, it is best to focus on eating quality food in a time frame that fits your individual schedule.

Truth: Quality and quantity of foods have greater bearing on metabolism than how often you eat.  So.... the RIGHT FOODS in the RIGHT PORTION!!!

Myth #3: I need to eat LESS and exercise MORE to lose weight.

This is absolutely FALSE! When you starve your body and do not feed it enough calories on a regular basis, then your body will try to preserve itself and go into "starvation mode" meaning that it will hang onto every single fat cell that it has because it fears that you may not feed it again anytime soon.  This cycle wreaks havoc on your metabolism and will eventually down regulate your metabolism and cause it to become sluggish.  It is a proven fact: YOU HAVE TO EAT FOOD TO LOSE WEIGHT!  But again, it is all about eating the RIGHT FOODS in the RIGHT PORTIONS!

Additionally, if you are not feeding your body adequately and then you exercise when your body is not fueled properly.... You will actually begin to break down your muscle to fuel the exercise! You would like to think that you would break down your fat cells to fuel your exercise, but this is unfortunately not the case.  Research has shown that when your body is in an unfed state in starvation mode, it will turn to your muscle stores to fuel itself, not your fat stores! This is the last thing that you want.... you do not want to lose any muscle that you already have because we already learned that muscle mass revs your metabolism.

Myth #4: You have no control over your metabolism.

When faced with unwanted weight, it’s easy to place the blame on your metabolism. However, it turns out that individuals have more control over their metabolism than previously thought. As mentioned above, body composition has a huge effect on how quickly someone’s body burns calories. One easy way to ramp up your metabolism is to build muscle through lifting weights. Alongside modifying your workout routine, there are several other ways to be sure you’re burning calories at a higher rate:

Sleep more. The amount of rest you get each night doesn’t only affect your mood and productivity the next day. Researchers have found that it also affects your metabolism. Sleep-deprived individuals have a decreased ability to manage blood sugar levels and also may find themselves hungrier (particularly for high carbohydrate foods). So, sleep more for a healthier metabolism. (Win, win!)

Gulp down some water. Ditch the sugary soft drinks. Researchers have found that consuming water may have a positive impact on how many calories you burn throughout the day. This is due to a process called thermogenesis wherein the body must burn calories to warm the water up to body temperature. Hydrating with water also saves calories over alternative beverages and plays a key role in helping to regulate whole-body metabolism (especially during exercise).

Don’t forget caffeine. Coffee lovers rejoice! It turns out that cup of java may give you more than just an energy boost midday. When researchers gave subjects coffee and then measured their caloric burn, they found that the caffeinated individuals burned more calories than their decaf-ordering counterparts.

Get enough protein. Dietary decisions (especially protein intake) have a profound impact on metabolism. Researchers examining the effect of dietary compositions on caloric burn have found that those taking in adequate levels of protein have a higher energy expenditure at rest.  Again.... the RIGHT FOODS in the RIGHT PORTIONS!

Truth: Simple dietary modifications and exercise habits can make a big difference in how fast someone burns calories at rest. You can change your metabolism!

Are you beginning to notice a pattern here?  It's all about the RIGHT FOODS in the RIGHT PORTIONS!

Let's talk about the foods we eat each day and how these foods effect our metabolism and overall health.  I already gave you some critical concepts that everyone needs to know about metabolism and dispelled some popular exercise myths to teach you the critical pieces needed to turn that sluggish metabolism into a highly active FAT BURNING machine! 

So.........What foods should I be eating?

So.........What foods should I be eating every day?  Great Question!!  This is where your containers come in! I have listed just a few ideas for each food list to give you an idea.  There are many, many, many more approved foods!  This will just give you an idea of what food groups you need to be incorporating into your diet EVERY day and these color coded portion control containers give you the right PORTION!

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