Metabolism 101

“Why is it that some people seem to eat as much as they’d like and never gain a pound, while others feel like they gain weight just smelling a chocolate bonbon?”

At the end of the day, weight reflects physics: Calories in versus calories burned. (Note: Physical health, of course, is a much more complex equation that takes into consideration a myriad of other factors, such as the types of nutrient consumed, physical activity, lifestyle, and genetics, to name a few.)

This can be a tricky concept to understand, since some people can seemingly eat so many calories and remain at a healthy weight, while others can eat fewer calories and gain weight. This is due to metabolism.

Metabolism is simply the total of all the energy required to power all of the cellular processes and activities in the body, including the process of obtaining and spending energy from food.

Some people’s bodies require lots of energy – these people are said to have a high metabolism.

Others do not require so much energy – these people are said to have a low metabolism.

“Calories” are simply the unit of fuel or energy value that a food provides.  People with a high metabolism need more calories (or energy) than those with a low metabolism, for reasons such as increased physical activity, increased muscle mass and size, or genetics.

Of course we are able to greatly affect our weight status by changing how many calories we eat (through diet) as well as how many calories we burn (through physical activity). However, we can also slightly manipulate our metabolism using a few tricks. It is important to mention that these tricks are not to be used in lieu of a healthful diet and regular exercise, but instead should be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle for a little extra boost.

1.   Eat more often. Studies show that eating several smaller, regularly spaced meals throughout the day provides a small metabolic boost when compared to eating the same amount of calories in fewer, more irregularly spaced meals. The reason for this difference is that metabolism increases during digestion so that the body can convert the calories into fuel. This is also why breakfast is so important – it breaks the fast (get it?) and let’s your body know you aren’t going to starve that day, giving it permission to start burning calories right away. Instead of loading most of your calories into one meal of the day, spread them more evenly throughout the day. This also has the added benefit of staving off hunger that can trigger overeating.

2.   Drink more water. Increasing water consumption gradually from 2 cups each day to 8 cups of cold water each day could result in a weight loss of 5 lbs in one year due to increased metabolism. This is because your body expends energy to transport the water throughout your system. Sipping throughout the day is more effective than chugging all in one session, since the small increase in metabolism can last for about 30 minutes after your water break ends. Drinking ice water will give you even more of a boost; the body expends energy to increase the water’s temperature as it enters your system.

3.   Move – more often and more intensely! Your metabolism increases during cardiovascular workouts, a benefit that lingers well after your workout is over. The more intensely you exercise, the higher your metabolism will climb. Interval training is a good way to intensify your workouts without having to quit early, so try alternating between a few minutes of sprinting and several minutes of a more moderate pace for maximum calorie burn and metabolism boost.

4.   Pump some iron. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you aren’t moving at all. This is because lean muscle tissue uses more calories than fat tissue. Strength-training can help you build muscle while decreasing fat mass, increasing your metabolic rate. Studies show the average woman can replace two to three pounds of fat with the same amount of muscle by weight-lifting twice a week for around two months. This can results in a 6-8% increase in metabolism, which could help burn about 100 extra calories a day.

You do have the power to change your weight status! Never feel resigned to be a victim of genetics or circumstance. There is always something you can do to improve your health!

Questions? Comments? Please share with us!

Thanks for reading!

Anna