When you think of losing weight, you think of doing it in no time.
And no one can actually blame you!
Because we all are looking for noticeable results as soon as possible.
So, when low metabolism and weight loss is slow can make us demotivated and – even worse – can make us quit.
Metabolism and weight loss
Metabolic weight loss is a complicated process that is controlled by the body metabolism.
Put simply, metabolism is the process by which your body converts the food you eat into energy.
During this process, calories from food are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function.
In other words, the faster your metabolism, the more energy your body produces, and as a result, the more food you burn to produce the energy your body needs. [1]
And here is a secret: when you create a calorie deficit in your diet (eat less calories than your body needs), your body starts looking for other sources for fuel (e.g. burning the stored fat).
Resulting in the metabolic fat loss you desire. [1]
This is the mere relationship between metabolism and weight loss.
The higher the metabolism, the faster the fat burning.
Why so slow?
You probably hear most of people blaming their extra weight on slow metabolism. This is somehow true.
But, metabolism is not the main reason why.
In fact, metabolism itself is regulated by many factors, including:
- Amount and type of food you eat,
- Your activity level,
- Type of your exercise,
- Genetics,
- Hormones (e.g. thyroid hormone, insulin ..etc.),
- Hydration level,
- Vitamins and minerals and
- Temperature [1]
Because there are countless factors affecting your metabolism, it is usually difficult to determine which ones are slowing you down.
However, there are also countless ways for you to rev up your metabolism and turn your body to an efficient fat-burning machine.
Pick the right food
What you eat can boost your metabolism for hours.
This is because your body needs more energy to digest, absorb and utilise the food you eat.
This is scientifically known as the thermal effect of food (TEF).
It varies from a type of food to another. Generally speaking, protein-rich foods have the highest TEF compared to other foods.
For example, here is how much different foods increase your metabolism:
- protein increases your metabolic rate by 15–30%,
- Carbs increase your metabolic rate by of 5–10%,
- Fats increases your metabolic rate by 0–3%. [2]
So, when you add protein to your every meal, it adds benefits to your diet plan. Namely:
- It boosts your metabolism for hours
- It improves your cells ability to heal and regenerate
- It helps you build muscles
- It reduces muscle loss which is a common side effect of diet
- It makes you full for longer
A recent study has proven that a diet composed of 15-30% protein is significantly effective in decreasing appetite and reducing the amount of calories consumed per day. [3]
The question is, what are some plant-based proteins that can give you these benefits?
There are many protein-rich foods that you can consume, for example:
- Tofu
- Lentils
- Beans
- Chickpeas
If you have specific health problems or food allergy and you are looking for weight loss individualised advice or what to include in your diet, talk to Jazz Alessi and get your questions answered for free.
Request a free consultation now!
Do The Right Exercise
Doing the right exercise, with the right intensity for the right duration can significantly rev up your metabolism and help you lose weight faster.
Good news: your metabolism not only increases during exercise, but also for hours after.
So, to make sure your exercise is the right one, follow the following tips:
- Get Your Heart Working
Getting your heart to beat faster means your cells require more oxygen to produce more energy.
This means your metabolism is also on the rise.
The good thing is: you don’t have to exercise hard to the point where your heart is bouncing and you feel out of breath.
Instead, even a small increase in your heart beats during exercise is sufficient.
Expert tip: Always do your aerobic exercises (e.g. walking, jogging…etc.) with low to moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes to make sure you are burning fat.
- Build Muscles On The Go
Muscles are your body’s energy factory.
The more muscles you have, the more energy your body generates.
And consequently, the higher your metabolism.
For this reason, you need to build muscles during your weight loss journey by loading your muscles through resistive training.
I know resistive training is not every one’s favorite thing!
However, because of its uncountable benefits, make sure you add resistive training to your exercise routine.
Based on a recent study, resistive training had the following benefits:
- It prevented muscle loss during diet.
- It prevented the decrease in resting metabolic rate after weight loss.
- It improved fitness [14]
Resistive training does not necessarily mean you need to start weight lifting; simple calisthenics (i.e. bodyweight exercises) can effectively build muscles
Here are some bodyweight exercises you can do at home:
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Lunges
- Burpees
If you are looking for a perfect exercise plan to build up muscle mass and boost your metabolism with –only your body weight– create a circuit training, and make sure you:
- Increase repetitions gradually.
- Decrease rest time.
- Always challenge yourself.
- Add exercise variations when appropriate.
You can also use high intensity interval training (HIIT) to boost your metabolism. It is short in duration, but high in value when it comes to weight loss and weight management.
If you need a specific plan tailored for your health condition, abilities and fitness goals, find out what Jazz Alessi suggests for you to achieve the best results in no time. Request now a personal consultation FOR FREE!
Drink Plenty of Water
Every weight loss regimen suggests drinking 8-12 glasses of water every day.
If you are not used to drinking water, this might be difficult for you.
But when you learn how important water is for losing weight and keeping it off, you will start counting your water glasses right away.
At its basic assumption, water makes you feel full and reduces your appetite.
But this is not the only how water contributes to weight loss.
In fact, drinking water can increase your metabolism and speed up your weight loss. [5],[6]
To be more accurate, if you drink 0.5 litre of water increases your metabolism up to 30%.
This increase occurs within 10 minutes and reaches its maximum after 30-40 minutes. [6],[7]
Also, in a recent study, people on low caloric diet who drank 500 ml of water before each meal saw greater change in their body composition and weight.
Taking into consideration this amount of water was over their usual daily intake. [5]
Sleep Well
Sleeping is one important thing that cannot be overlooked when you are planning to lose weight the healthy way.
In fact, sleep deprivation has directly been connected to weight gain and is also considered a risk factor for obesity.
For example, a study has tracked more than 60,000 women over 15 years.
It concluded that women who slept for 5 hours or less were 30% more likely to put on weight over the period of the study compared to those who slept for 7 hours.
No wonder this is the case!
Because sleep and wakefulness are circadian rhythms that our body experiences.
This rhythm regulates the release of many hormones involved in metabolic regulation.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your hormones are disturbed and your metabolism is slowed down. [9], [13]
Specifically, sleep deprivation leads to:
- Decreased cortisol levels:
Cortisol is one hormone responsible for fat metabolism in your body. When it is reduced, your body cannot efficiently use fat as a source of fuel. Leading to slower weight loss. [9,10]
- Low Levels of Leptin
Leptin is an important hormone responsible for your feeling of fullness.
When leptin in your body is reduced, you feel hungry more often.
As a result, you may overeat and prolong your weight loss journey. [9, 11]
- Higher levels of Ghrelin
Ghrelin is another important hormone that controls your feeling of hunger.
The more ghrelin your body secretes, the more hungry you feel.
Higher levels of ghrelin may also be the one to blame for your cravings!
In a research conducted by king’s college London, it was found that people who are sleep deprived tend to eat 385 more calories on the following day. [9, 12]
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Conclusion
Metabolism is the answer to rapid weight loss.
It is responsible for people gaining weight while barely eating, and it is also responsible for your friend who eats lots of fast food and never gains weight.
Although it is now clearer that metabolism significantly affects the rate at which you lose weight, it is still difficult to determine why your metabolism may not be as fast as you desire.
On the other hand, we keep wondering…
Can simple lifestyle modifications change our metabolic rates?
Does exercise increase metabolism for real?
The answer is ”YES!”
Healthy habits like exercising regularly, following a balanced metabolic diet, replacing fast foods with dark green salads and clean proteins sources and having enough night-sleep can help you rev up your metabolism and lose weight even faster.
So, if you want to have an effective, based-on-evidence, customized weight loss programme that will help you eat and exercise to boost metabolism, consult Jazz Alessi, our elite personal trainer and diet planning expert.
Request a FREE CONSULTATION NOW!
References
1. Al Hashemi, Ali. (2018). Metabolism food. 10.13140/RG.2.2.20772.37765.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326422731_Metabolism_food
2. Weigle DS, Breen PA, Matthys CC, Callahan HS, Meeuws KE, Burden VR, Purnell JQ. A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jul;82(1):41-8. Doi: 10.1093/ajcn.82.1.41. PMID: 16002798. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16002798/
3. Lejeune MP, Westerterp KR, Adam TC, Luscombe-Marsh ND, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. Ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide 1 concentrations, 24-h satiety, and energy and substrate metabolism during a high-protein diet and measured in a respiration chamber.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16400055/
4. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jan;83(1):89-94. Doi: 10.1093/ajcn/83.1.89. PMID: 16400055.Pesta, D. H., & Samuel, V. T. (2014). A high-protein diet for reducing body fat: mechanisms and possible caveats. Nutrition & metabolism, 11(1), 53. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-11-53.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258944/
5. Vij VA, Joshi AS. Effect of ‘water induced thermogenesis’ on body weight, body mass index and body composition of overweight subjects. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013 Sep;7(9):1894-6. Doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2013/5862.3344. Epub 2013 Sep 10. PMID: 24179891; PMCID: PMC3809630.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24179891/
6. Boschmann M, Steiniger J, Hille U, Tank J, Adams F, Sharma AM, Klaus S, Luft FC, Jordan J. Water-induced thermogenesis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Dec;88(12):6015-9. Doi: 10.1210/jc.2003-030780. PMID: 14671205. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14671205/
7. Boschmann M, Steiniger J, Franke G, Birkenfeld AL, Luft FC, Jordan J. Water drinking induces thermogenesis through osmosensitive mechanisms. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Aug;92(8):3334-7. Doi: 10.1210/jc.2006-1438. Epub 2007 May 22. PMID: 17519319.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17519319/
8. Hunter GR, Byrne NM, Sirikul B, Fernández JR, Zuckerman PA, Darnell BE, Gower BA. Resistance training conserves fat-free mass and resting energy expenditure following weight loss. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008 May;16(5):1045-51. Doi: 10.1038/oby.2008.38. Epub 2008 Mar 6. PMID: 18356845.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18356845/
9. The Impact of Sleep on Weight Loss/Gain “Book” – Sound Sleep Health.
https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/1890918/Checklists-offers/Sleep%20and%20Weight%20Gain%20Loss%20eBook.pdf
10. Jens Juel Christiansen, Christian B. Djurhuus, Claus H. Gravholt, Per Iversen, Jens Sandahl Christiansen, Ole Schmitz, Jørgen Weeke, Jens Otto Lunde Jørgensen, Niels Møller, Effects of Cortisol on Carbohydrate, Lipid, and Protein Metabolism: Studies of Acute Cortisol Withdrawal in Adrenocortical Failure, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 92, Issue 9, 1 September 2007, Pages 3553–3559, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2007-0445.
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/92/9/3553/2597859
11. Kelesidis, T., Kelesidis, I., Chou, S., & Mantzoros, C. S. (2010). Narrative review: the role of leptin in human physiology: emerging clinical applications. Annals of internal medicine, 152(2), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-152-2-201001190-00008.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2829242/
12. Al Khatib, Haya & Harding, Scott & Darzi, Julia & Pot, Gerda. (2016). The effects of partial sleep deprivation on energy balance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In Press. 10.1038/ejcn.2016.201.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308022201_The_effects_of_partial_sleep_deprivation_on_energy_balance_a_systematic_review_and_meta-analysis
13. Patel SR, Malhotra A, White DP, Gottlieb DJ, Hu FB. Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women. Am J Epidemiol. 2006 Nov 15;164(10):947-54. Doi: 10.1093/aje/kwj280. Epub 2006 Aug 16. PMID: 16914506; PMCID: PMC3496783. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16914506/
14. Willis LH, Slentz CA, Bateman LA, Shields AT, Piner LW, Bales CW, Houmard JA, Kraus WE. Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2012 Dec 15;113(12):1831-7. Doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01370.2011. Epub 2012 Sep 27. PMID: 23019316; PMCID: PMC3544497.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23019316/
