Tag Archive for: metabolism

Feeding Your Metabolism

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Metabolism refers to the energy produced to perform all functions of the body. Improvements in metabolism can help with weight management, increase overall energy and lead to a healthier lifestyle. Here are the top tips to give your body that extra boost:

 

 

  • Get adequate water intake:

 

Water is required by the body to work more efficiently. You wouldn’t run a car without gas or oil, so why would you deprive your body of water? Drink 8 ounces when you first wake up to help cleanse your body and allow for a more favorable environment for nutrient absorption. Aim for a minimum of 64 ounces per day.

 

 

  • Eat a balanced breakfast:

 

Breakfast is a great way to get your metabolism started in the morning. Aim for a balanced meal including lean sources of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Alternating your breakfast meals and eating within 90 minutes of waking can work to boost your metabolism.

 

 

  • Build lean body mass:

 

The more lean body mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate. Incorporate weight or resistance training into your workout routine to help build lean muscle. This will cause your body to burn more calories at rest and help with weight loss.

 

 

  • Even out caloric distribution:

 

Waiting till the evening meal to consume the majority of your calories, can lead to increase in insulin levels, promote fat storage and result in weight gain. Your metabolism works more efficiently in the morning and slows down as the day progresses, so aim even calorie distribution.

 

 

  • Improve sleep:

 

Lack of sleep leads to increase in hunger hormone, ghrelin and decrease in fullness hormone, leptin. No wonder your feel so hungry on the day after only 4 hours of Zzzs!! To promote a more efficient metabolism and prevent weight gain, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

 

 

  • Fuel properly:

 

Skipping meals will actually slow down your metabolism, so eat every 3-4 hours to promote a more efficient metabolism. Getting a variety of foods and adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat from your diet is important for proper metabolism and nutrition.

 

Wondering what your metabolism is? Banister Nutrition performs metabolic testing for patients to provide more individualized care and recommendations for proper nutrition. Help your metabolism by implementing these tips!

RMR – What We Can Learn About Your Metabolism

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Do you think your metabolism is so-o-o-o slow or maybe almost dead which explains why you can never lose weight or why you gain weight just looking at food? If you feel this is true for you let us check out your metabolic rate and find out for sure if your oven is still cooking or if it’s truly burned out. We can measure your resting metabolic rate with a very simple 10-12 minute breathing test in our office. The test measures the oxygen your body consumes and uses this information to calculate your Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) or Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR).

We will provide you with a printout, which tells you if your metabolismScreen Shot 2016-09-06 at 10.22.34 AM is dead or alive (helpful information for all of us to know), and how many calories your body burns on a daily bases. The dietitians at Banister nutrition perform this test on the majority of all new patients to determine your accurate calorie burn. Reliable energy information is the foundation to calculate all calorie and nutrient requirements for any diagnosis.

Your metabolic rate may be affected by:

  • muscle: muscle mass increases RMR
  • age: RMR slows with age
  • genetics: your own genetics may contribute to a raised or lowered RMR
  • weather: your RMR increases in cold weather
  • meals: small regular meals increases RMR
  • pregnancy: may increase RMR
  • crash-dieting: decreases RMR (Read our blog on The Biggest Loser study for more interesting information on this!)
  • supplements: some can raise your RMR

The RMR test requires you be in a fasting state, no caffeine and only water for 4 hours prior to the test. Digesting food at the time of the test will raise your RMR as will consuming caffeine. In order to solve a problem we must first accurately identify the problem. You don’t want to be blaming a supposedly “slow metabolism” for you weight or health issues if that is not actually the real problem. -HM