Your body is a fantastic Metabolism machine. It is complicated too! It surprises you in many ways, and one of its biggest secrets is the science of losing weight. Suppose you wonder why someone does not gain weight even after average eating and moderate exercise while you struggle to lose weight even after dieting and exercising. In that case, you should turn to your inner mechanism or metabolism. If you plan for weight loss and not consider your metabolism, you may have little or no result. Most people working to lose weight have this one common notion- “ I have a slow metabolism.” But what makes their metabolism slow. Or is it that they blame it all on their metabolism unfairly? Read on to know more about metabolism and how your habits can influence your metabolism.
What Is Metabolism?
It is a complex process through which your body cells change the food you eat into energy when explained most straightforwardly. You use this energy or various body functions, and to summarize it, it keeps you alive. Its process constantly goes on in your body irrespective of what you are doing. Yes, your metabolism is active even when you are not eating. So why do people have different metabolism rates? Various factors influence very vital body function. Some common factors that influence metabolism are:
- Age.
- Sex.
- Body Size.
- Genetics.
However, these factors bring in slight variations in your metabolic rate. The real culprit for gaining weight may be overeating, little to no exercise. Most importantly, improper dieting has a substantial adverse effect on your metabolic rate. Before going for any random diet or eating less, pause to research its impact on your metabolism rate. The best way to lose weight is to remain active and eat a balanced diet. Your habits influence your metabolism and your weight loss story.
Perception Of Metabolism Speed And Its Influence On Weight Gain
Most people have this misconception that they can control weight gain by boosting their metabolism rate. Avoid this pitfall; work instead on how your metabolism works. For you can hardly alter your metabolic rate. However, when you concentrate on how your metabolism works and try to make the most of it, you can achieve your weight loss goals. Here comes the importance of habits. Yes, your lifestyle and habits are the most important factors that influence your metabolism.
Below are the common ways in which your habits affect your metabolism.
The Relation In Between What You Eat And Metabolism
Your body metabolizes particular food in a specific manner. You may have heard things like eating fried food just before bed may slow down your metabolism and result in weight gain. The truth is your body will process fast food, junk food, and aerated drinks precisely the same way, no matter what time of the day it is. They are going to be stored as fat. So, switch instead to sprouts and salads because your metabolism can use as fuel to your body.
Exercise and Metabolism
Exercise does not affect your resting metabolism rate. It is the most common method of burning calories every day. Then why do you lose weight by exercising? Here is a twist and one more chance to realize how amazingly your body functions. Well, building muscles helps in burning calories as muscle tissues use more calories. So, muscle building is a two-way gain.
Deprivation Of Food And Sleep And Its Effect On Metabolism
Eating too less can backfire you by further slowing down your metabolism. When you eat less, your body senses a shortage of food and thus slows down the metabolism process. It may negatively impact by storage of the available food as fat cells for the future. It may result in weight gain. On the flip side, when you eat regularly, your body spends considerable energy on digestion and keeps the metabolism rate fast.
Similarly, when you are deprived of sleep, it may affect your hormones, directly influencing your metabolism rate. Decreased sleep results in your body secreting insulin which may lead to fat storage.
The Bad Habits Influencing Metabolism
If you want to have a good metabolism avoid doing the following:
- Skipping breakfast- Your metabolism is bound to slow down if you start your day without breakfast.
- Suppose you are eating a varying amount of food. That breaks the rhythm of your metabolism, throwing it into a toss.
- Suppose you are eating too little protein. It may lead to fat deposition.
- You are leading a sedentary lifestyle. You are bound to gain weight if you have a sedentary lifestyle.
- Neglecting strength training exercise, the more muscles you have, the better are your chances of a reasonable metabolism rate.
- Not drinking enough water. Hydration is an essential factor for metabolism.
- You are not getting enough sleep. It damages your body’s capability of metabolism, and thus your entire system suffers.
- If you are stressing out, stress leads to several disruptions in the natural working of your metabolism. It thus damages your metabolism in the long run.
Yet, some health conditions might affect your metabolism rate and make it slow. Such health conditions are hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome, pituitary gland disorder, Cushing’s disease, etc.
Yes, small changes in your lifestyle and habits can go a long way in maintaining a healthy metabolic system. You can learn more details here.