Build those muscles, they'll work for you long after you leave the gym. Photo / Getty Images
Build those muscles, they'll work for you long after you leave the gym. Photo / Getty Images
Fad diets come and go, but blaming a sluggish metabolism for weight gain is a common catch cry from many struggling to lose weight. Here's everything you need to know about metabolism and how to actually boost it, reports news.com.au.
MAKING SENSE OF METABOLISM
First, let's consider the term 'metabolism'. It means the process by which the body converts food into energy. And, just like a fingerprint, everyone's is entirely unique — affected by things like your muscle mass, how active you are and what you eat. However, contrary to popular belief, someone with a 'slow metabolism' would not get all of the available energy from food and would actually lose weight!
"A much more relevant term — and this is what most people mean when they talk about metabolism — is metabolic rate" says nutrition scientist Dr Tim Crowe.
"This is the energy (measured in kilojoules) a person expends over the course of a day just to keep the body functioning. Maintaining body temperature, breathing, blood circulation and repairing cells are all essential requirements for a functioning body. These processes are always happening and use a lot of energy".
The rate at which you burn energy is influenced by the body's composition. Muscle requires more energy to function than fat.
That's why men, who typically have a higher muscle mass than women, will generally have a higher metabolic rate than women. Fasting, starvation, sleep and age can also impact your metabolic rate.
Don't fast, but do make sure you eat healthy balanced meals that will keep you full for longer. Photo / Getty Images
Overweight people actually have higher base metabolic rate (energy burned if you did nothing but rest for 24 hours) than those of a healthy weight because the body needs to support that excess mass to carry it around.
In order to support the excess body mass, the body will build up extra muscle — and we know the more muscle equals a higher metabolic rate at rest. In other words, you can't blame a slow metabolism for weight gain.
Maybe not. If you're struggling to lose weight, it's probably time to reassess your nutrition and how active you are rather than searching for "slow metabolism" hacks.
KICKING YOURS INTO GEAR
Ideally, you want to combine a high intensity workout, to burn stored body fat, with resistance training, to build muscle. Muscle requires more energy to function than fat and having more muscle will not only increase the calories you burn during the exercise, but afterwards as well.
If you're a cardio junky, no need to stop in your tracks. Simply aim to raise your heart rate between 120 and 140 beats per minute for around half an hour. And, for the ultimate boost, combine your cardio hit with a weights session a couple of times a week.
GETTING THE DIET TO MATCH
On top of intelligent exercise, a spring-cleaned metabolism relies on a balanced diet. Unfortunately, there's no magic food that ups energy conversion (so you can ease off the chillies) — but there are little tricks that can help to optimise your post-workout nosh.
• Balance it: When you're deficient in nutrients, you lack the energy to exercise. So, pack your springtime salad with a healthy mix of food groups — especially protein, which provide essential muscle building blocks) and slow-burning carbs to stabilise blood sugar levels, replenish energy reserves and prevent fatigue.
• Eat regularly: to help to keep your metabolism at work over the course of the day. Cutting calories drastically can lead to metabolic slowdown which won't help you maintain weight loss in the long term — so don't be restrictive and eat enough to cover your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
