One of the biggest questions that I am often asked is “How can I increase my metabolism?”
Metabolism is the overall process of taking the calories we ingest and burning those calories for energy for all our body systems.
The “metabolism” dilemma is one that usually deals with weight loss, or with someone that continues to gain weight without knowing why. If a physician has ruled out a thyroid problem, we need to honestly evaluate calorie intake and energy output.
What type of calories are we eating? A diet that has low to moderate amounts of healthy fats (more Omega-3s), appropriate amounts of complex carbohydrates (mainly fruits and veggies) and lean protein will naturally be lower in calories than a high fat diet. Keeping a log of what we eat will help us honestly assess our calorie intake.
How much are we eating? Eating healthy sized portions at numerous meals during the day will help keep our metabolism working efficiently all day long. Eating too little can cause our body to slow our metabolism.
Am I moving enough? In order to actually have a tangible increase in metabolism, we must incorporate more activity into our daily activities (always consult your physician, first). Weight training increases our lean muscle mass, which increases our calorie burning by increasing our basal metabolic rate (the metabolic rate of our body when we are generally still).
These things will help us achieve a lifestyle that will be healthy for years to come.
