Metabolic health is a very good indicator of a person’s overall health. Contemporary healthcare research and medical science focus more on improving metabolic health than on weight loss or only calorie counting. Good metabolic health can indeed help you stay in shape and fit. But this is not the only thing that metabolism does to your body.
The pace at which your body burns calories for energy is a part of your metabolism. According to the US National Library of Medicine, metabolism is responsible for more than fat burn. It also assists in respiration, blood pumping, regulating body temperature, and nutrient absorption.
The rate of metabolism is affected by several aspects, notably age, gender, body fat, muscle mass, exercise level, and heredity. Although we have little influence over the effects of genetics on our metabolism, there are several evidence-based ways to help our bodies metabolise calories faster.
HealthifyPro can assist you in improving your metabolic health. With Smart Scale, you can learn about the overall body weight, from body mass to bone mass. A metabolic panel will also keep you updated with your overall body condition. As part of the feature, you will have one-on-one sessions with personal coaches. They will monitor the effect of food and exercise on your body. The coaches will provide you with diet and exercise plans to help you improve your metabolic health.
Here are some general tips to increase your metabolic health.
People frequently use the phrases metabolism and metabolic health interchangeably. However, they differ quite a bit in their meaning.
Metabolism refers to chemical activities in the body required for survival. It includes the processes of transforming food and drink into energy. Metabolism and weight are indeed connected. However, contrary to common assumptions, slow metabolism is rarely the cause of weight gain. Instead, your body’s energy requirements, calorie consumption, and physical activity determine your weight.
The term “metabolism” often describes your basal metabolic rate or the number of calories you burn at rest. The resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories your body requires to accomplish the fundamental life processes. It may affect anything from overall waist circumference to how much strength you have. A study shows that the higher your metabolic rate, the more calories you burn at rest.
Metabolic health depends on the levels of five markers: blood sugar, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, blood pressure, and waist circumference. Having these indicators at the proper levels is considered perfect metabolic health.
It involves the chemical reactions required for living such as conversion of food and drinks into energy. There exists a close relationship between metabolism and weight management.
Contrary to popular belief, slow metabolism and low-calorie intake can give you perfect weight. Therefore, poor metabolism is not always responsible for weight gain. On the other hand, obesity is most often a sign of poor metabolic health. Also, poor metabolic health results from an imbalance in blood sugar, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and blood pressure. A bigger waist circumference is also an indicator of poor metabolic health. Therefore it is imperative to look after your metabolic health before it leads to a grave health concern.
Poor Metabolic Health: The Impact
Poor metabolic health seems both overt and subtle. Obesity, insulin resistance, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s are all functions of poor metabolic health. In addition, poor metabolic health leads to fatigue, depression, infertility, baldness, and other modern-day lifestyle diseases.
However, you can improve your metabolic health by making healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle. Here are a few easy tips.
Chewing food briefly increases your metabolism for a few hours. It is the thermic influence of food (TEF). It results from the increased number of calories necessary to digest, metabolise, and absorb the nutrients in your meal.
Protein has the most significant impact on TEF growth. Also, dietary protein spends 20% to 30% of its available energy on metabolism, compared to 5% to 10% for carbon and 0% to 3% for oils. Protein digestion also gives a considerable feeling of fullness for an extended period.
Eating more protein can also help reduce the dip in metabolism commonly connected with losing weight. That is because protein aids in the prevention of muscle loss, which is a common side effect of dieting.
Research indicates that eating more protein can improve your metabolic health by burning more calories.
Consume Food Items Rich in Vitamin B
B vitamins play an essential part in improving metabolic rate. A few key B vitamins are B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), and Bsix (pyridoxine).
B vitamins are available in several foods, including:
- Bananas
- Peanut butter
- Spinach
- Eggs
- Orange juice
- Peas
- Basket potatoes
- Whole-grain foods
Stay Hydrated
It is a known fact that drinking water over sugary and calorie-dense drinks facilitates weight loss and management.
A 2015 study proposed that drinking water may not necessarily help improve your metabolic health. However, water can assist you if you’re trying to lose weight. According to studies, drinking fluids half an hour before eating might help you eat less.
Interestingly, another research indicated that those who drank seventeen ounces (500 mL) of water 30 minutes before meals shed about three pounds (1.3 kg) more than those who did not. Moreover, it momentarily boosts your metabolic health and allows you to fill up before you eat.
Avoid Eating at Irregular Times
Moderation and frequency are essential to the body. For example, eating at a consistent time may help to improve metabolic balance. In contrast, if a person overeats and then fasts for an extended time, the body may burn calories more slowly and store more fat cells.
You can reduce this propensity by eating at regular intervals. Ideally, it would help if you had numerous small meals or snacks three to four hours apart.
Avoid Skipping Meals
Many believe that skipping meals is a quick method to reduce weight. However, it’s time this myth is busted. When you restrict your calorie intake too drastically, your body tells itself that you are going without food and must store fat to retain energy. Consuming the appropriate number of calories is critical to meeting your RMR.
Breakfast is essential since it boosts your metabolism in the morning and keeps you energised all day. As a result, you will feel fuller all day, and your body will not seek high-calorie items. High-calorie foods give you small spurts of energy but leave you feeling lethargic.
Avoid Stress
Stress affects hormone levels and might cause the body to produce more cortisol than usual. Cortisol is a hormone that aids in the regulation of cravings.
Disorganised eating, including dietary restrictions and weight-related interests, can lead to unhealthy eating behaviours. It can alter metabolism. Anxiety is also closely tied to sleep quality, affecting your metabolic health.
Perform High-Intensity Activities
High-intensity interval training includes powerful and brief bursts of energy. According to the study, this form of activity can help you to burn more fat by increasing your metabolic ratio long after you finish your workout.
Like stability training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can increase metabolism. However, a person may favour incorporating elements of both into an activity. You can replace smooth cardio with HIIT. Constant cardio includes continuous swimming, jogging, or cycling. Instead, attempt a routine that alternates between low-intensity and high-intensity activity. For example, it may be running for one minute, then strolling for two minutes, or alternating between rapid bursts of hopping jacks and strolling rest periods.
Lift Weights
Building muscle can help boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories every day, even while you’re at rest. Lifting weights can also help you conserve energy and combat the metabolic decrease following weight reduction.
In addition, according to one assessment of 58 research, resistance training is much more successful than no exercise control in adults in lowering body fat percentage, total body fat amount, and belly fat. Using weights can help you build and maintain muscle while losing fat. Improved metabolic health can be a result of increased muscle mass.
Be Physically Active
Sitting for long periods might be detrimental to your fitness. That is because extended rest periods burn fewer calories and might lead to weight gain.
A 2018 study found that standing or walking at work was associated with decreased cardiometabolic risk (CMR) scores. It positively affects body strength, fat, waist circumference, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, and insulin. If you have desk duties, consider standing up for short periods. You might also try walking during the day or using a standing desk.
Drink Oolong or Green Tea
Green tea and oolong tea can boost metabolism. These teas aid in the conversion of some of the fat stored in your body into fatty acids, which may aid in fat burning when combined with exercise.
Since they are low in calories, consuming these teas may be appropriate for weight reduction and management. In addition, experts suggest that their metabolism-boosting characteristics may help those who are losing weight avoid a weight expense plateau caused by a decrease in metabolism.
Get Quality Sleep at Night
Sleep deprivation can lead to an increased risk of obesity. Also, sleeplessness can have adverse effects on metabolism. Sleep deprivation also leads to increased insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels, linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Research also proves that good sleep impacts ghrelin levels, the hunger hormone, and leptin, the hormone that governs satiety. Sleep deprivation can lower the calories you burn, alter how you absorb sugar, and influence your appetite-regulating hormones. It might explain why many sleep-deprived people are constantly hungry and struggle to lose weight.
Drink Black Coffee
Caffeine in coffee improves metabolic health. In addition, various research have indicated that coffee’s effects on metabolism may enable successful weight reduction and sustenance.
On the other hand, caffeine effects might vary depending on some factors. For example, caffeine was found to be more effective on competent athletes in increasing fat burning during exercises than on people with a less competitive (sedentary) lifestyle.
The HealthifyMe Note
There are many ways to bring your body back on track with good metabolism. The two best practices are changing your food habits and doing some exercise. While eating food, you should consider having food every three to four hours. Also, consider having a good amount of protein and B vitamins. Drink green tea or coffee as they can improve your metabolic health. Try to take less stress and sleep at night for better metabolic health. Take these simple steps and see the changes in the body.
Conclusion
Improved metabolic health can help you reduce excess weight while providing more energy. Eating a balanced diet and staying healthy via regular physical exercise are two easy things to set you on the right track. Your metabolic fitness level is not a fixed attribute; instead, it is an indicator of your current condition, which is continually changing, and one can always improve it. Every day, you may make easy, conscious decisions to enhance the parameters that characterise your metabolic health. From decreasing stress to combining strength workouts and HIIT into an activity, there are many ways to help increase metabolism. Always obtain medical counsel before beginning any exercise or diet regimen.
