HEALTH SITE

An efficient metabolism is often cited as one of the major players in the game of losing weight. Weight loss articles almost always mention metabolism. Why not? An active metabolism means increased calorie expenditure. A consistently active metabolism can enhance or maintain weight loss. Depending on one’s diet, a fast metabolism can make a huge difference. This is reflected in your weight and your total well-being. There are many ways to improve metabolic activity, as follows.

The three factors that largely affect metabolic activity are dieting, physical activity and aging. Cutting back on food intake slows the body down. It also makes the body store fat. This is one reason why crash dieting is not a good weight loss option. Sitting all day decreases metabolic rate. The less activity you have, the slower your metabolism. Studies show that metabolism drops by one percent per decade of life. Other factors may influence metabolic activity. But it may be a useful thing to consider if you want to maintain your weight.

A restrictive diet packs a double punch to your metabolism. We know that cutting back too much significantly decreases metabolic activity. It also breaks down muscle tissue for energy. And we know that muscles utilize a lot of calories. Eating too little is not sustainable. Eventually, your body will demand more. When this happens, weight gain is inevitable. Eating a high fiber and protein diet will help you boost metabolism. Eating lots of whole grain products, fruits and vegetables is the way to go. Tap or cold water is good for you. But drinking cold water can make the body work harder to match your body temperature. This increases your resting metabolic rate.

Cardio and weights will boost metabolism. Doing it regularly may be enough to cancel out the slow down that dieting brings about. Weight training two to three times a week gains you a pound of muscle per month. A pound of muscle uses up to 50 calories per day. This means that the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body will expend.

Metabolism depends on the food you eat and your activity. The human body is a perfectly designed machine. It can recognize threats to its survival. For instance, when it perceives hunger, it slows down metabolism. That’s why crash diets won’t work. Instead, choose foods with high nutrient value and low caloric count. Metabolism is affected directly or indirectly by virtually everything you do. It is reasonable to assume that a healthy lifestyle promotes an efficient metabolism. And an unhealthy one results to sluggish metabolic activity.