Metabolism: what it is and what factors influence it
Understand what metabolism is and how it works. Sleep, fluid intake and stress play an important role in speeding up or slowing down the metabolism
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Understanding how the body works is not just a matter for those who practice a healthy lifestyle or seek a fitness life. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, increase endurance or simply get to know yourself better, it's important to know your body to reach your goals faster and healthily. We always hear phrases like “my metabolism is too slow” or “it speeds up the metabolism”. But do you know what metabolism is?
Metabolism
In order to function, our bodies carry out millions of chemical reactions all the time. The set of events that chemicals and other nutrients carry out in our bodies is called metabolism. In this process, the energy that makes our bodies keep working is produced.
Metabolism has, in short, two types of reactions: anabolism and catabolism. Anabolism is the set of chemical reactions that produce new organic matter from the synthesis of simple molecules (consuming energy in the form of ATP). Catabolism, on the other hand, refers to the degradation reactions of organic matter, producing large amounts of energy (ATP).
There are many factors that alter metabolism: age, genetics, sex, weight, height, level of physical activity and nutrition. Advanced age makes the metabolism slower and, in general, men have a faster metabolism than women and the practice of physical exercise increases metabolism. The relationship is simple: the more muscle you have, the faster your caloric expenditure will be.
Each individual has its own basal metabolic rate. It refers to the minimum amount of energy (calories) that each person needs to keep their vital functions at rest. To know your basal metabolism rate and establish a diet according to your goals, you should seek the supervision of a specialized professional.
How to Speed Up Metabolism
Most people have heard that it is okay to eat small meals throughout the day, so why do so many people choose fasting to lose weight? This is a common misconception of those looking to speed up their metabolism quickly. But the ideal is to have smaller and more frequent meals, with foods rich in fiber, such as broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini. This optimizes digestion and helps your metabolism work better.
Quick fixes tend not to be healthy for the body. Weight loss from food deprivation can mean more a fluctuation in your body's fluid levels than an actual fat loss. The longer the interval between your meals, the slower your metabolism. Your body reduces its caloric expenditure to save energy, and then you can even lose lean mass. Because your body looks for the energy it needs by consuming its own muscle tissue.
Remember that 70% of our body is made up of water, so liquid intake is essential for all vital processes in our body, including burning calories. Low water intake impairs metabolism. So make sure you keep your fluid intake adequate. A good tip to speed up your metabolism by drinking water is to drink it cold. The body needs to expend energy to match water to body temperature, and so it goes through the process of thermogenesis, where the body expends more energy burning calories.
Lack of sleep slows down the metabolism. Seven to eight hours of sleep per night is recommended to regulate hormone levels, but this number varies from person to person. Regardless of the ideal amount of hours you need to be rested, going without sleep can hamper weight loss.
Many people who want to lose weight quickly turn to thermogenic foods to speed up this process. Some of them are caffeine (coffee and green tea), cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, among others. However, an excess of thermogenic foods can have a rebound effect, as they interfere with sleep, which is essential to keep metabolism accelerated.
Another factor that harms your metabolism is stress. It puts your body in a state of tension, and many people tend to eat more when they're stressed. Therefore, looking for methods that help you relax will not only be good for your mental health, it can also speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight or gain muscle (the long-awaited lean mass).
Simple tips can make all the difference in your quest for a healthier life. If you are dissatisfied with your body, you need to know it and know which of your habits influence your metabolism, which ends up influencing your weight and appearance, in addition to hormones and possible health problems. Want to speed up your metabolism to lose weight? So it's important to ask yourself not only about your food intake, but also your sleep routine, fluid intake and checking your hormone levels - a check in A doctor is always recommended before making any sudden changes to your routine.- Check out 15 tips to increase your caloric loss in a simple way.
