Metabolism –  Myths and Facts.

Think of your metabolism as a fire burning within your body, it burns energy all day long. It NEVER stops.

It can burn more energy some times and less energy at other times.

If you can increase the amount of energy that you burn per day, it will make losing weight  easier and putting on weight much harder. (YAY)

 

Below are a number of myths and facts about your metabolism including some simple tips to increase it.

 

• Myth – you cannot change your metabolism.

* Fact – You can in fact increase and improve your metabolism by changing your Lean Muscle Mass to Body fat ratio. The more muscle you have and the less body fat, the higher your metabolism will be. (Only slightly higher, don’t get too excited. Its not an excuse to go and pig out)

* TIPS – Do effective resistance training 3 times per week in order to increase your Lean Muscle Mass. Make sure you work all areas of your body evenly.

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• Myth – Eating small regular meals increases your metabolism.

* Fact – Your metabolism will not slow down, as long as you consume enough nutrients in your week. You can have more food one day and less the next and have no negative effects. Eating 2 meals a day is fine and eating 6 meals a day is fine. As long as the daily total gives your all of the nutrients you need for the day.

* TIPS – Choose nutrient dense foods to ensure get enough of those in your day. Those closest to their natural state are best. Example: lean meats and seafoods, fruits and vegetables.

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• Some truth – eating spicy foods, caffeine and drinking ice cold water will increase your metabolism.

* Fact – These foods will increase your metabolism slightly for a short amount of time, but not significantly enough to make much of an impact on fat loss.

* TIPS – Add these foods in if you like them, but do NOT rely on them for the basis of a fat loss plan

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• Myth – eating breakfast kick-starts your metabolism.

* Fact – Your metabolism never stops. Eating certain foods such as protein and fibrous vegetables will increase your metabolism for a short period of time due to Thermic Effect of Food.  But it does not matter when you eat them. Breakfast might be beneficial for other reasons such as hunger and energy management. However, if you truly are not hungry in the morning, don’t beat yourself up. Wait a little longer and have a balanced nutrient rich meal when you are hungry.

When you hear reports that state “Breakfast eaters lose more weight”.  It is based on circumstantial evidence. Ie – people who eat breakfast are generally health and fitness conscious people who are “trying to do the right thing”.  They make a lot of other good nutritional and movement choices that have a positive impact their weight loss.

*** Advice for kids *** . I believe that kids (still in the growth stage) should eat breakfast even if they are not hungry.

This is due to the fact that they have set eating times, they may not have the leisure of waiting a little longer for their first meal. It also helps hunger and energy management. A kids goal is growth, not maintenance or weight loss.

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• Myth – eating late at night slows down your metabolism.

* Fact – As long as you consume enough nutrients in your week and don’t go too far  over or under  your energy limit, then it doesn’t really matter a great deal as to when you eat.

See also – stop eating by the clock

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• Myth – skipping meals causes your metabolism to slow down.

* Fact –  if you do not get enough nutrients over your week, then your metabolism may slow down. However if you have consumed enough calories and nutrients in your day or week, your metabolism will be fine.

TIPS – Eat to your natural hunger patterns. If you are really hungry in the morning, but not so much at night  (or vice versa), then adjust your daily plan accordingly.  With the confidence in knowing that it will not have any adverse affects on your metabolism.

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Related posts

• How many calories do I burn each day?
• 5:2 Fasting. Will it work for you
• 2 steps to weight loss – A case study

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Hey, if you like this information and you find it useful, it would be great if you could “share” it on your favourite form of social media.

Chriss

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