We regularly hear professional medics and dietitians talking about our metabolism and how this affects our weight. How many of us actually know for sure what they are talking about? For those who don't lets take a little time to explain.
Your metabolic rate is the rate at which your body converts the food which you have consumed into energy which is then used to allow the body to function both whilst at rest and during physical activity. To lose weight your metabolic rate needs to be increased so that the body burns more energy or calories you consume thus offsetting the amount of food you have eaten. So, how can this be achieved?
During each day our bodies burn calories or energy, I suppose it is a bit like a car burning gas. However the way that energy is burned off can be put into 3 very distinct categories.
- The resting metabolic rate, often referred to as the basal metabolic rate is the energy that the body uses to keep its basic functions fueled. Our bodies will use about 60% of its energy whilst at rest.
- Hopefully, each day we all do some kind of physical activity even if it is just carrying the groceries from the car! Approximately 30% of the bodies total energy is used in this way.
- Finally, when we consume food of any kind our body has to process it i.e. it has to be digested and converted into energy. This in itself requires energy and the remaining 10% of the bodies energy is allocated to this process.
By taking advantage of these 3 ways in which the body burns calories we can successfully lose weight and here are 5 tips to increase your metabolism.
- A healthy adult requires approximately 1200 calories per day to keep the bodies resting metabolic rate working at its optimum level. It is important therefore that the amount of food you consume should not be reduced, the type of food may need changing but that is all. If you begin to miss meals and so on your body will fear that food is in short supply and will begin to reduce your metabolic rate as an energy saving measure which is completely counter productive for weight loss.
- By consuming lots of whole grain products such as brown rice and pasta, wholemeal bread and breakfast cereals along with fresh fruit and vegetables you can greatly increase your metabolic rate. These foods take longer to digest and convert and therefore more calories are burned off.
- Drinking lots of water is another great way to assist in burning calories. It is needed for the digestion of foods. The recommended daily water intake is 8 large glasses.
- The body uses a lot of energy in the processing of protein. Far more than if you eat large quantities of carbohydrate or fat. Utilize this way of boosting your metabolism by ensuring that your diet contains lean cuts of meat, poultry and fish
- Lastly and possibly most importantly try eating 6 small meals per day instead of the traditional 3 large ones. By doing this your metabolic rate is given boosts at regular intervals throughout the day.
One important tip. Keep your final meal of the day the smallest and lightest one of all. This will allow the meal to be digested whilst there is still some physical activity taking place thus burning off the calories before bed.
By using these 5 tips you will begin to lose weight. It is all about finding the balance between the food that you intake and the amount of calories you can burn off.