I have a slow metabolism! One of the most common phrases among those who don't know who to blame because they don't drop as many sizes as they would like.
While metabolism is a process that has an impact on your energy level , body weight, and overall health, it is rarely the cause of excessive pound gain.
Unless you have a medical condition, your speed will depend on several factors that we'll put the magnifying glass on later.
Not only will you have a greater knowledge on the subject, but you will learn various healthy actions that will turbo burn calories and help you lose weight at a faster rate.
Affirming that you have a metabolism problem is a serious matter, because at the moment of truth, the only person authorized to diagnose it is a specialist doctor .
But since I am talking here to you who find it difficult to lose weight and you have already ruled out having a metabolic disorder such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes, I am going to explain to you what metabolism is in a simple and clear way .
Metabolism is a series of chemical and biological changes that occur in your body to convert food into energy.
It all happens when calories from the food and drinks you eat combine with oxygen to fill you with energy.
Yes, the same one that helps you finish your workouts , run to take the kids to school or go to work.
But it is also the energy that you use without realizing it in basic functions such as breathing, blood oxygenation, heart muscle contraction, brain functions, digestive processes, growth and repair of your cells.
It is important to know that the amount of calories your body uses to function (called basal metabolic rate or basal metabolic rate ) depends on your age, gender, height, weight, genetics, and is directly related to your amount of muscle mass.
Maintaining that you suffer from a slow metabolism and that is why you do not lose weight is not going to help you at all.
On the contrary, it can end up being a self-sabotage that prevents you from carrying out actions that will make it easier for you to reach the weight you want.
The rate at which your metabolism burns calories is influenced by four factors:
Now, what can you do to support this natural process and promote your weight loss at a faster rate?
If you do not have a diagnosed organic disease , look at other factors that are determining factors.
Your genes, the way you eat, the amount and type of physical activity you do, the stress levels you undergo, and even the quality of your sleep are clues that will help you unmask your real enemy.
To detect the culprit ask yourself the following questions:
If you answer yes to more than one, I have good news for you.
You can start NOW to take actions to give your metabolism a new rhythm and get in shape faster.
You only require discipline , motivation and an extra effort to carry them out.
So let's go through them all.
The metabolism remains active with a varied and low-calorie diet.
And the logic is simple: you gain weight if you eat more calories than you burn.
So if you want to approach the scale with enthusiasm you must create an energy deficit by eating the right foods.
Losing weight in a healthy way is relatively slow but it is also safer. So aim to lose 0.5 to 1 percent of your body weight per week.
This will prevent you from losing muscle mass and minimize your metabolic responses to a lower calorie intake, which can mean you lose muscle without losing the extra fat.
A good strategy is to maintain your total calorie intake, but increase protein to 30% and reduce carbohydrates to 40% and fat to 30%.
See how each of these macronutrients can help you.
If you take these recommendations into account, it won't be long before you start to see results .
And if after losing a few pounds you want to keep making progress, lower your calorie intake even further by cutting 1-2 handfuls of carbohydrates or 1-2 thumbs of fat from your daily intake.
Then evaluate the result and make adjustments as necessary.
To close what refers to the diet, I am going to give you a list of healthy foods that you should take care of.
And it is not that they do not have excellent properties for your body.
But if you consume them in the wrong proportions, they can cause unexpected weight gain.
A serving of bread, as well as ½ cup of whole-grain pasta or rice at meals will give you enough vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals to take care of your heart, among other goodness.
I recommend using a measuring cup so you don't overdo it.
Avocados can slow digestion, decrease inflammation, and contain antioxidants, vitamin E, folic acid, and potassium.
Make the most of it by consuming ¼ avocado per meal, using it as a substitute for other fats.
It is a fat recognized for being super healthy for the heart, but be careful not to exaggerate.
1 tablespoon or less per recipe is the right amount.
It is a great source of fiber, protein and healthy fats that also has calcium, iron, vitamin B6 and folic acid.
The suggested serving is 2 tablespoons, which will give you about 50 calories and 2 grams of fat.
They are rich in healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals, and protein.
And 1 ounce per day (a handful) has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.
It is a perfect healthy dessert because it is divine and contains antioxidants.
But if you don't want it to leave traces of fat around your waist, limit your intake to 1 ounce per day, make it 70% or more cocoa, and have as little sugar as possible.
Getting physically active has incalculable benefits for your overall health, including increasing the number of calories you can burn on a daily basis .
The best way to start exercising is to do it for at least 30 minutes a day .
Walking, cycling, swimming... choose what you like the most so that you can maintain it over time.
You can even take advantage of everyday activities to promote your weight loss, such as climbing stairs or parking far from your destination.
But if you are determined to get more results in less time, you must challenge yourself more.
This type of exercise has proven to be as demanding as it is effective.
And you have no excuses. You can do it in just 20 minutes, two to three times a week, with or without equipment.
Exceeding yourself would be counterproductive.
Better do your best when you do so that you take advantage of all its benefits.
If you are in the physical condition of a Jamaican track team member or elite speed skater, you could easily start a HIIT training plan.
But if it's your first time or, worse still, you've been staying on the couch for years instead of exercising, I recommend consulting with a professional trainer who tells you the protocol you should follow as a beginner to avoid injuring yourself or affecting your health .
And if you want to feel 100% sure before starting this discipline and your goal is to progress in it, visit your cardiologist to do a stress test and know your limits.
Weight lifting is another highly recommended type of physical activity, especially for women looking to speed up their metabolism .
And it is that the more muscle mass the body has, the more fat it burns.
That's because muscle is metabolically active, which means it burns calories even when you're resting.
Do it 2 to 3 times a week, in sessions of 30 to 45 minutes and you will notice the difference quickly.
How does weight training benefit you?
✓ A pound of fat takes up five times more space on your body than muscle.
That is, even if you maintain the same weight, while you gain a pound of muscle and lose a pound of fat, you will actually decrease in size.
✓ Having more muscle helps burn more calories, without making more effort.
For every pound of muscle you gain, you'll burn an additional 50-70 calories per day. Thus, it will reduce your excess fat.
Did you know that physically inactive people can lose between 3 and 5 percent of muscle mass every decade after age 30?
That's the real reason why it costs so much to lose weight while adding years.
And that has little to do with the slow metabolism .
Remember when I told you that your resting metabolic rate (RMR) refers to the calories you burn while you're resting or asleep?
Well, muscle mass is one of the determining factors to keep the metabolism moving. And if this decreases due to inactivity, the metabolic cost will also drop.
Simply put, if you are losing muscle with age, your metabolism will have fewer calories to burn .
But there is another problem and that is that fat is not metabolically active. Therefore, it remains in the body intact.
So your desire to be a mature and defined person will be lost over time? Of course not.
There are actions that you can do from now on to win the game over the years.
And it is nothing more than maintaining a healthy lifestyle that allows you to reach old age in better physical condition and with sufficient muscle mass.
Do you think that because your parents are overweight you are doomed to never be in shape?
Well, I'm going to tell you something that will give you a break.
While genetics can influence your weight and affect your metabolism, it has been shown that its impact can be moderated through good lifestyle habits.
But be careful, this is also valid if you have thin parents.
Because nothing assures you that you will remain as slim as them, if you live under stress, do not exercise or eat poorly.
So staying at a healthy weight is in your hands.
And the best thing is that you already have the recommendations that I have given you to achieve it.
Science has said it loud and clear: stress has a definite influence on weight.
When people get stressed, they release high doses of cortisol (better known as the stress hormone) which impacts metabolism and affects fat distribution.
Also, stress creates a need to overeat which makes you more likely to gain weight.
And to make matters worse, you will have a penchant for junk food, since it gives you a certain amount of pleasure while you go through the stressful situation.
Find time to do activities that relax you and help you disconnect.
As you are, there are countless alternatives that can help you.
And no one better than you to find the most suitable one.
If you're doing the right things to lose weight, but have reached the point where you feel stuck, supplementation like the one we offer at evolution can give you a boost to reach your goal faster.
There are supplements for most healthy goals:
And as you already know, all of them facilitate the actions that I have recommended to activate the metabolism.
My recommendation is that you choose those that contain one or more ingredients backed by scientific evidence, such as caffeine, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), capsaicin, orange peel extract, l-carnitine, inulin, glucomannan, and protein powder .
At Evolution Advance Nutrition we believe that guiding others on issues as sensitive as their lifestyle requires us to be responsible.
Therefore, I am going to give you some last recommendations.
If you meet them, you will not only move more confident towards your goal, but you will perceive a big difference in the results.
