Metabolism is the process by which our bodies convert what we eat into the energy we need to survive and function. It powers our whole being - from breathing to blinking.
It is a common belief that raising your metabolism helps you burn more calories and increase weight loss. While metabolism is a naturally occurring process, it's largely affected by our life choices - a whole-foods diet, exercise, and rest all contribute to a steady metabolism. We hate to be the bearer of bad news but sipping on fancy teas isn’t a quick fix to speed up your metabolism, in fact, there are several myths surrounding metabolism that we need to clear up.
Eating less is better for your metabolism.
The truth is, suddenly decreasing your calorie intake can confuse your body and your metabolism will actually slow down and burn fewer calories than before. Remember sis, it’s SO important to fuel your body properly throughout the day in order to keep burning calories efficiently and effectively.
Certain food speeds up your metabolism.
No magic food will speed up metabolism. It is claimed that certain foods and drinks, such as green tea, black coffee, spices and energy drinks, can increase your metabolism by helping the body to burn more calories and aid weight loss. There is little scientific evidence for this. Beware that some of these products may contain high levels of caffeine and sugar.
You will gain weight as you age because your metabolism slows down.
While it is true that our metabolism is slower than when we were kids, a lot of mid-life weight gain happens because we become less active. Life gets in the way and we tend to push exercise to the back burner. When we do not move as much, we lose muscle and gain fat. You can find hundreds of workouts for at home or the gym in THE BOD app.
More exercise boosts your metabolism.
If you push your body too far with too much strenuous exercise, your body enters an inflammatory, stressed state and your hormones go off balance, which in turn can mess with your metabolism. Your metabolism won't be able to work efficiently unless you give your body time to rest.
Resist the urge to follow fad diets and instead prioritise nutrition whole-foods, including whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Move your body daily - whether it’s at a low-impact workout at home, a walk on the beach, a gentle yoga session, or a cardio blast at the gym. And don’t forget to get a 6-8 hours of sleep a night - a proper sleep is so beneficial for both the body and mind.
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