Your metabolism, or, more correctly, your metabolic rate, determines the amount of time it takes for you to break down food into portions your cells can utilize for energy. This catabolic reaction is what most dieters are concerned with, and the Orlando weight loss experts at Svelte Medical Weight Loss have heard several different “truths” concerning metabolism. It may surprise you to learn that some of those myths are true while the others are pure fantasy.
Myth #1: Exercise increases your metabolic rate. TRUE!
No doubt about this one. Your cells demand more energy as you exercise, and that energy is quickly used while you swim, lift weights, walk, or play tennis. Trainers have recently found great success with high-intensity interval training (HiIT) in which an intense exercise, such as jumping jacks, is performed for a short period of time – from 20 seconds to a minute – with a rest of 10-20 seconds before the exercise is repeated. Because the exercises are intense and the rests are short, your body constantly refuels its hard-working cells and catabolism (increased metabolic rate) skyrockets.
Myth #2: Certain foods and drinks increase your metabolic rates. TRUE!
Surprisingly, many of these are factual. Your body reacts to the hot phytochemicals called capsaicinoids in chili peppers by slightly raising your metabolic rate for a short time. Green tea will also increase the amount of fat you burn. The antioxidants in green tea, known as catechins, work in conjunction with caffeine to stimulate your nervous system to burn more calories. White tea has the most effect, but if you already consume caffeine throughout the day, you may not notice any change.
Myth #3: Thin people have a higher metabolic rate. FALSE!
Not usually. While some thin people may have a medical disorder that stimulates catabolism, most people are thin because they work at it. Consuming fewer calories and exercising more frequently are generally what keeps fit people fit. If you look at a calorie chart, you will note it takes more calories to maintain a higher weight than it does a lower weight. In this sense, thinner people must be more vigilant about their diets to maintain the proper weight. Most people note their metabolic rate decreases when they lose weight, which makes it easier to put that weight back on.
Myth #4: A “fad” diet changes your resting metabolic rate. TRUE!
Yes, it does, and for the worse. Quick weight loss programs strip the body of its defenses, and your body interprets these changes as starving, shutting down any attempt to lose further weight. Choose a weight loss program that allows you to lose one or two pounds a week at the maximum. This slower rate will stabilize your metabolic rate and allow a steady weight loss. Keep in mind that each pound lost equates to ten fewer calories needed to maintain weight, so the amount of food you consumed prior to losing weight will be more than the amount you need to consume afterward. Skip the fad diets. Choose a trusted medical weight loss program such as those offered by Svelte Medical Weight Loss. The Orlando weight loss professionals at Svelte will customize a weight-loss program to stabilize your metabolic rate while you lose weight safely and learn to keep it off. Give Svelte a call at 407-804-5200, and read our other blogs that pertain to diet, exercise, and weight loss.