StartFragmentWhat is Metabolism?
Metabolic rate This is how fast your metabolism works and is measured in calories (yup, those calories!). The calories you eat can go to one of three places:
There are a couple of different ways to measure metabolic rate.
One is the “resting metabolic rate” (RMR) which is how much energy your body uses when you're not being physically active.
How big you are counts too! Larger people have higher metabolic rates; but your body composition is crucial!
As you can imagine muscles that actively move and do work need more energy than fat does. So the more lean muscle mass you have the more energy your body will burn and the higher your metabolic rate will be.
Even when you're not working out.
1. This is exactly why weight training is recommended as a part of a weight loss program. Because you want muscles to be burning those calories for you...(and you need to lift more than you think and do it strategically).
2. Aerobic exercise also temporarily increases your metabolic rate. Your muscles are burning fuel to move so they're doing “work”.
3. The type of food you eat also affects your metabolic rate! Your body actually burns calories to absorb, digest, and metabolize your food. This is called the “thermic effect of food” (TEF). You can use it to your advantage when you understand how your body metabolizes foods differently.
But you have to be careful because many high protein diets are very inflammatory which can cause accelerated aging and promote cancer.
4 and 5. And don't forget the mind-body connection. There is plenty of research that shows the influence that things like lowering stress and increasing quality sleep have on the metabolic rate.
I definitely have a lot of great tips and specifics abut it's just too much to write here, but I'll talk more about a high protein anti inflammatory diet in another blog.
Your favorite weight loss and weight lifting coach,
P.S. Want to learn more about a metabolic boosting diet that is also an anti inflammatory diet? Set up a free Clarity Call with me and we can discuss how you can get the benefits of both in your diet. Book your Clarity Call HERE
P.S.S. Need motivation to make some weight loss and health changes? Download this FREE
checklist to help you get started and stay motivated How to Achieve Weight Loss and Inspire Motivation Checklist
References: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-energy-balance