How Metabolism Affects Weight Loss

Even the grandest weight loss efforts don’t garner results for some people. Many don’t understand why one weight loss program could work for someone else but not for them.

The unfortunate reality is that no two bodies process food and exercise in the same way. Even though all bodies have the same internal systems, your metabolism can contribute to weight loss inconsistency.

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is the rate at which bodies use energy and expend calories. The body converts food into fuel for the body’s cells through a series of biochemical processes.

An individual’s basal (resting) metabolic rate is determined by several factors , including:

• Body size and composition – Larger people and those with more muscle burn more calories, even at rest.
  
• Sex — Between men and women of the same weight and age, men tend to burn more calories due to their lower percentage of body fat.
  
• Age – Muscle concentration can decrease as people age, and if this happens it will slow down calorie burning.
  

Keep your metabolism functioning properly by ensuring you get enough sleep each night. Sleep deprivation will increase your body’s cortisol (a stress hormone) levels and interfere with blood sugar control. Lack of sleep can also mess with the hormone levels that control hunger promotion and suppression.

Adults should try getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Dehydration throws most body processes out of whack, including your ability to burn calories. The problem with just drinking more water for many is that their body may not absorb it. If you are drinking more water to speed up your metabolism, this could be the problem. Body water absorption can be measured with a body composition analysis.

Aerobic workouts can temporarily boost your resting metabolic rate, but the boost will only last for a short time following the exercise, this is why they can be very ineffective in your weight loss goals.

Strength training, on the other hand, can have a lasting effect. By increasing your body’s muscle mass, your metabolism will also improve. While muscle and fat weigh the same on the scale, compact muscle tissue burns calories faster than fat.

It takes about 1 month of strength training to gain ½ a pound of muscle, so you must be patient and consistent with this approach of improving your metabolism, it may take 6 to12 months to start seeing the effect.

We have all heard the saying that “abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.” More of your weight loss will be impacted by eating right than exercising.

Here are three helpful tips to get more out of your kitchen:

• Eat clean– This means eating food in its natural state – the less processed the better. If it has a label on the back, it shouldn’t have very many ingredients and if you don’t know what an ingredient is, then it’s probably not something that should naturally be in your food.
  
• Avoid artificial sweeteners – Artificial sweeteners are addictive and can cause you to become resistant to weight loss over time. Start weaning yourself off them now if you can.
  
• Eat healthy fats – Healthy fats will sustain energy longer and are good for your brain.
  

Diet has a profound impact on the metabolism, but only when people eat properly. Some dieters resort to drastic measures when trying to lose weight, but these will slow your metabolism down.

No matter your weight loss goals, the team at Back 2 RealFood can help you lose the weight and naturally kick-start your metabolism withour comprehensive services .

We use a clinically based weight/body analysis that accountsfor every weight loss factor, from your hydration levels to how your bodystores fat. We are focused on supporting you with expert nutritionalinformation and guidance geared for your body type to provide you with resultsyou’ll love.

Book your new client consultation online or call us at (833) 668-4883 today!