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Five Myths About Metabolism

What is Metabolism? Metabolism is a collection of chemical reactions that takes place in the body's cells. Metabolism converts the fuel in the food we eat into the energy needed to power everything we do, from moving to thinking to growing. Thousands of metabolic reactions happen at the same time, all regulated by the body, to keep our cells healthy and working.

Metabolism is also a source of confusion for some and a scapegoat for extra weight around the midsection for others, and metabolism has long been a topic of hot conversation. Without it, we would lack the energy to get out of bed in the morning, let alone burn calories all day long. However, even with its numerous benefits, metabolism often gets the brunt of the blame with weight gain. With all of the fad diets and special tricks meant to speed up one’s metabolism, the facts often get blurred with fiction.

Below you will find five myths about metabolism.

Myth #1: Skinnier individuals have a higher metabolism.

It’s not just any additional weight that boosts metabolism. Muscle, in particular, has a huge effect on the amount of overall calories someone burns throughout the day. Comparing two individuals of similar weight, the person with the larger amount of muscle will generally have the faster metabolism. This is just one of the reasons it’s important to pair any weight loss program with a proper weight training routine. Research has found the extra muscle can help accelerate weight loss much faster than a diet-only plan.

Myth #2: Skipping a meal slows down your metabolism.

Anyone looking to drop a few pounds better be grazing on frequent meals and snacks throughout the day right? How frequently someone eats has little to do with the speed of their metabolism. Eating every four hours is popular because eating frequently, for many, helps them control hunger as well as cravings. That is what allows for better portion control and food choices for most people.

Quality and quantity of foods have greater bearing on metabolism than how often you eat.

Myth #3: Late night eating turns to fat.

Avoid eating late at night is one of the most popular pieces of nutrition advice on the planet. While it may be easy to think our bodies have an internal clock set to store anything eaten after 8 p.m. as fat, it’s not quite so simple. Many aspects including various hormones, food quality, food content and energy expenditure influence how our bodies store fat. Unfortunately, simply refraining from eating late at night isn’t enough to prevent fat storage.

Instead of focusing on time of consumption, more attention should be placed on what and how much we are eating. In fact, having a meal late at night isn’t any worse than eating at any other point during the day provided the meal consists of healthy foods, and not processed junk. Provided you are eating high-quality food in the right portions, most individuals won’t notice a difference between eating at night versus earlier in the day.

Myth #4: Metabolism is all about burning calories and breaking things down.

Many understand metabolism as how quickly someone burns calories. But while breaking things down is certainly an important part of metabolism, there are actually two main components. Catabolism, or the breaking down of chemical bonds to release energy, is the most well known part of the process as it releases energy in the form of calories. However, what’s just as essential is anabolism, the storage of energy in the form of chemical bonds for later use, including carbohydrates and fats. A properly functioning metabolism is a delicate balance of both functions.

Myth #5: You have no control over your metabolism.

When faced with unwanted weight, it’s easy to place the blame on your metabolism. However, it turns out that individuals have more control over their metabolism than previously thought. As mentioned above, body composition has a huge effect on how quickly someone’s body burns calories. One easy way to ramp up your metabolism is to build muscle through lifting weights. Alongside modifying your workout routine, there are several other ways to be sure you’re burning calories at a higher rate:

Sleep more. The amount of rest you get each night doesn’t only affect your mood and productivity the next day. Sleep-deprived individuals have a decreased ability to manage blood sugar levels and also may find themselves hungrier, particularly for high carbohydrate foods. So, sleep more for a healthier metabolism.

Drink more water and ditch the sugary drinks. Researchers have found that consuming water may have a positive impact on how many calories you burn throughout the day. This is due to a process called thermogenesis where the body must burn calories to warm the water up to body temperature. Hydrating with water also saves calories over alternative beverages and plays a key role in helping to regulate whole-body metabolism, especially during exercise.

Get enough protein. Dietary decisions, especially protein intake, have a profound impact on metabolism. Researchers examining the effect of dietary compositions on caloric burn have found that those taking in adequate levels of protein have a higher energy expenditure at rest.

Another thing to consider, avoid starving yourself to lose weight. This may work at the beginning, but after a while your metabolism will not like this method. Working out harder and eating less may seem like a winning situation, but it really isn't. Your body needs energy to keep going throughout the day, and the less you eat, your metabolism will use less energy just to keep your body from crashing through the day, which means less fat burned.

Time to ditch the myths and use common sense instead!


Angelique Kronebusch Fitness



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