Your metabolism is responsible for the rate at which you burn calories and ultimately, how quickly you gain or lose weight. Although most people believe their metabolism is “fixed”, this is not so. The top 2 metabolic myths I hear in my weight loss clinics are:
Myth #1 – My metabolism is slowing with age
While the “metabolism game” changes as you age, adding another candle to your cake does not necessarily mean you have to gain weight. If you metabolism is slowing down due to aging, you can likely chalk it up to one of the following reasons:
• An over-consumption of calories
• Eating too many refined flours and sugars
• Lack of exercise
• Dehydration
• Extreme stress
• Poor sleeping patterns
• Chronic dieting, skipping meals and eating too little
Did you know?
• Researchers have found that getting less than 7.5 hours of sleep slows metabolism.
• The lean muscle you add to your physique will burn calories faster than your stored fat will.
• Eating too little will slow your metabolism by convincing your body it’s at risk for starvation, prompting it to burn fuel much more slowly. In the other extreme, overeating will force your body to store the excess fuel as bulky, low-calorie-burning fat.
Myth # 2 – My metabolism is fixed and cannot be changed
In reality, everybody’s metabolism has some “wiggle room”. Metabolic boosting habits include:
• Eating high fiber foods at every meal (i.e. 25-35 grams per day)
• Loading your diet with essential fats that will help (not hinder!) weight loss
• Playing the protein game – eating a minimum of 3 ounces of protein at all meals
• Making your meals last as long as possible – it takes the brain a full 20 minutes to register a “full” sensation
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