|  | Diet Nutrition | Weight Loss

Metabolism & Weight Loss

Most people are under the impression that metabolism is extremely important when it comes to weight loss. The belief is that the higher your metabolism is, the more calories you burn. The more calories you burn, the more fat you burn too. If you are burning calories and fat, you are losing weight. Some experts now believe that metabolism isn't linked to weight loss at all.

  1. How Metabolism Works

    • Metabolism refers to a process in which the human body breaks down calories. Your body requires energy 24 hours a day, even while you are asleep. Your metabolism is important because your body must break down the food you eat into energy for your body to use. Your metabolism is also responsible for processing food and helping your body participate in physical activity.

    What Influences How You Metabolize Calories

    • The bigger you are, the more energy your body requires to stay active. If you have lean muscle, you are burning calories even while you're sleeping. So, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you are burning naturally.

      Our muscles decrease with age. As we get older, our bodies hold more fat and our metabolism naturally begins to slow down. Also, men tend to have higher metabolisms than women because they generally have less body fat.

    Food

    • One way you can raise your metabolism naturally is to choose the right foods. Water is excellent for our bodies. Our bodies contain around 80% water, so it's essential to staying healthy and hydrated. Other food and drink that are known to raise metabolism naturally include green tea, soup, grapefruit, apples, pears, broccoli, low-fat yogurt, lean turkey, oatmeal and spicy food, particularly hot peppers.

    Exercise

    • Exercise is the obvious choice for raising your metabolism. The more you work out, the higher your heart rate, which means a raised metabolism. Walking for just 10 minutes a day can help raise your metabolism and reduce your risk of heart disease. The mistake most people make is believing that you have to work out a lot in order to make a difference. The truth is, you can work out just 10 to 20 minutes a day or break up your workout routine by working out for 10 minutes three to four times a day.

    Other Ways to Raise Metabolism

    • One rule of thumb is to avoid skipping breakfast and to make sure that your meals decrease in size throughout the day: Make breakfast your biggest meal and dinner your smallest. Eating several small snacks during the day can be very beneficial if you're choosing healthy ones. Avoid going hungry and make sure you're eating energy-rich foods and drinking plenty of water.

Weight Loss - Related Articles