Metabolism & Slow Weight Loss

Is your metabolism too slow? 

One thing we know for sure is that our metabolism is slowing down as we get older. Simply put, 

metabolism is the way our bodies burn the calories from the food that we eat. The shift of midlife 

weight gain actually begins in our 20’s – 30’s. . Starting at about age 25, a person’s 

metabolism declines approximately 5 percent every decade! So it seems we are entering into the battle of age vs. 

metabolism.

Like our cars need fuel to work, our bodies need to be fuelled too. The car performs well when we put in good fuel in the engine, and 
we work actively when we consume healthy and good food.
If one wants to loss weight, then, amount of calories play an important role. One is required to consume fewer amounts of calories. But the other factor involved in weight control is exercise. Fat loss depends on the amount of exercise done and what impact it has on one’s metabolic rate.

Metabolic rate: – exercise helps increase our energy output. It also improves our metabolic rate which helps us to burn excess calories for 24 hours after an activity or exercise. More over, exercise also helps in building muscle mass. The more muscle mass one has, the more calories one will burn through out the day.

We should always remember that our weight depend on our metabolic rate. Sometimes, we come across a person who eats large amounts of food and yet remains slim while another person, who eats less, tends to gain more weight. This is because of the metabolic rate. The person who gains no weight has a high metabolic rate while a person who gains more weight has a low metabolic rate.

Tips to increase one’s metabolic rate:-
-    the first most important thing to start is to drink at least a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water ever day, And of course, the more the better. Water is good to drink and it increases the metabolic rate of a person’s body. It also helps in removing fat and toxins.

-    Eat small meals frequently through out the days, with a gap of 2 hours, at least, so that your metabolism is always busy.
A lot of people claim they aren't hungry in the morning, and try to take full advantage, skipping breakfast and waiting for the hunger to kick in that afternoon. A lot of people love this and think it will help them lose weight, because they are consuming fewer total calories.

It is more likely than not that if you aren't very hungry in the morning, it is because you are already in starvation mode. Your body weakens your appetite so that you don't waste calories to go try and find something to eat (think back to caveman days when we had to actually hunt our food.)

Eating consistently through out the day is the only way to keep you metabolism running smoothly. Don't skip meals, especially breakfast, because it wakes your metabolism up to burn the maximum number of calories per day.

If your metabolism is running efficiently, you can eat more calories and lose more weight than if you restrict and eat fewer calories.

Exercise-good for your metabolism:
-    Exercise is good for people who want to loss some weight as it improves the metabolic rate and so help the body to burn calories even after an exercise.
-    It increases energy output.
-    It also increases body muscles which burn up more calories even when the body is at rest, that fat.
-    Exercise helps in digesting the food as well as burning calories.

• Don’t Skip Meals!
The myth that skipping meals decreases your total calorie level and helps you to lose weight is not true. 
When people skip meals or decrease their calories significantly 
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body tries to compensate for the low calories. Your metabolic rate can actually decrease as much as 10-15% 
and your body will hold on to the fat and burn lean muscle instead. Always eat at least 3 meals and avoid 
dipping below 1000 calories a day.
 
• Regular activity
Regular exercise routines such as biking, walking, or hiking will help raise your metabolism during the activity 
and for several hours after. Even simple movements such as taking the stairs, house cleaning, or simple yard 
work can help increase your burn rate.
 
• Adequate Protein
Protein provides the building blocks for muscle. Without adequate protein you may actually lose muscle. 
You need about .4 - .5 gram of protein per pound body weight. For a woman weighing 160 pounds she would 
need approximately 64 - 80 grams of protein daily.
 
• Sleep!
A 1999 University of Chicago study showed that sleep loss affects the way we metabolize carbohydrates 
resulting in glucose intolerance and possibly leading to increased hunger and a slowed metabolism. 
Lack of sleep also can interfere with our energy levels during the day and cause us to skip our exercise 
routine because we are “too tired”. How often have you told yourself that?
 
• Decrease Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol may suppress your body’s ability to burn fat. Studies show that when you drink alcohol, 
your body burns fat more slowly than usual during that particular meal. Watch your alcohol intake.
 
• Try a cup of Green Tea
A small study showed that green tea appeared to raise metabolic rates and speed up fat oxidation. 
The calorie losses were small- around 60 calories/day. Green tea also has other health benefits because 
of its significant antioxidant components. You might as well add a little boost to your metabolism while 
protecting yourself from heart disease, cancer, and strokes.
 
• Got calcium?
Recent research shows that calcium -- three or four daily servings of low fat dairy products -- can help adjust 
your body's fat-burning machinery. The more calcium in the cells resulted in an increase in fat metabolism. 
 
Beware of Magic Cures
We have all seen the ads for products that increase our metabolism and promise miraculous weight loss. 
Metabolism boosters and Fat Burners – not only do the people they show us in the testimonials lose 
weight they also end up with a firm body and a six pack stomach. Can a pill do all this?
Generally, the answer is no. These weight loss pills are often ineffective, and they can also harm us. 
Many of them contain either human growth hormone, which can lead to joint or heart problems, 
or epinephrine type ingredients that are correlated with increased blood pressure. 
 
The answer is the good old tried and true: eat a balanced diet that does not exceed your calorie needs, 
exercise regularly and sleep well. Realize that we may not be able to look 20 again but we certainly can 
look our best, increase our energy, and enjoy good health at any age.