16 keys to speed up basal metabolism

We have heard the word metabolism thousands of times and often linked to weight problem or visits to the endocrinologist: “I have a slow metabolism”, “I would have to go to an endocrinologist”, etc.

But its true meaning is often unclear. It is, as in many other cases, a common term but not entirely known.

An easy definition of metabolism would refer to the biochemical reactions that allow living beings to carry out their vital functions.

Learn about 3 vital minerals for your metabolism in the following video.

In other words, it is the set of chemical processes that take place in our body and They allow us to breathe, think, walk…

Ultimately, metabolism is our most complex physiology at the cellular and biochemical level.

Therefore, metabolism is not just about the processes that allow us to gain weight or lose weight, but about all the biochemical reactions that make our body “work”.

What biochemical processes configure metabolism?

An essential part of the metabolic process, essential for life, is the obtaining energywhich we get from food.

All reactions that occur since we digest what we eat until the carbohydrates, proteins and fats in food are transformed into energy, they are part of metabolism.

The processes by which synthesize proteins, hormones and all kinds of molecules that the body needs also make up the metabolism.

Therefore there is a part of the metabolism that is in charge of get energy from food and use itand it is what we are going to talk about in this article (catabolic metabolism).

And there is another part of the metabolism that is the one that from the energy obtained synthesizes new molecules and substances (anabolic metabolism).

Does metabolism influence body weight?

when digesting foodboth fats and proteins and carbohydrates will be converted into smaller molecules: fatty acids, amino acids and glucose respectively.

These molecules can now be used by the body’s metabolic pathways and become energy that, if excessive, will be stored as fat in fatty deposits.

Therein lies the burning point of the matter. Depending on the characteristics of all these processes and the energy needed by the organism in question there will be more or less fatty deposits.

Metabolism is clearly involved in weight and the amount of fat in the body, but obviously there are multitude of conditioning factors.

One of them and a very important one is the basal metabolismwhich is the energy we need at rest for our organs to function.

Another thing that will also make us need more or less energy is the physical activity.

And another one, the energy expenditure required by food for its metabolization, because although it may not seem like it, absorbing and disposing of nutrients from food also “burns” calories.

The interaction between the energy that is needed and that obtained from nutrients will largely depend on the trend towards a correct weight or not.

What does basal metabolism depend on?

The so-called basal metabolism will supply the energy needed by the body at rest simply to perform their normal functions. Because even when we sleep we also consume energy.

This dose of energy represents neither more nor less than about 70% of the total energy.

About basal metabolism influence factors such as sex, body composition, age, physiological state or weight.

The more kilos, the higher the basal metabolism. And as they are lost, therefore, the basal metabolism also decreases.

It is one of the reasons why the dietsafter a time in which they have managed to reduce weight, start to be less effective.

Another important factor is age. The older the age, the less metabolic activity, because less energy is needed. Babies are the ones with the highest basal metabolism.

Is the metabolism of women slower?

In a way, yes. The main reason is that we have somewhat different body compositions.

The woman owns a percentage of noticeably higher body fat to that of man, as well as less lean mass or muscle: the amount of fat can reach up to 28% while in men it does not usually exceed 15%.

since fatty tissue is much less active than the muscle, the energy required by the female sex under equal conditions is logically lower than that of the male sex.

This is one of the reasons why some diets of slimming are more effective in man.

Women should always ingest fewer calories than men even if they have the same physical characteristics and even similar physical activity.

Does environmental temperature influence metabolism?

A part of the energy needed by the body is used for maintain your temperature.

When more energy is required the body to maintain homeostasis is the lower the ambient temperatureIn the middle of winter for example.

In fact, the chill typical feeling when it is very cold is a strategy to which the body uses to generate heat.

This energy expenditure varies a lot from person to person and it is one of the factors that can clearly mark the differences in metabolisms. Of course, clothing and air conditioning of homes can minimize or decrease the energy needed.

From what has been said, it can be stated that winter causes more calories to be “burned” than summer even though physical activity is the same.

In fact, this becomes quite clear if one looks at how energetic are typically winter dishes compared to the summer ones.

Do we always tend to weigh the same?

The weight of the body has a clear tendency to stay stable for long periods of time, even at times when dietary habits are not controlled.

The diets to lose weight or gain weight In principle, they are not very effective when they have to cross the point called set point.

metabolism he refuses to leave him and causes the complaints of those who are losing weight and suddenly find that eating very little not only does not lose weight but even regains it.

Apparently, the function of set point is not to lose reservations that the body deems necessary.

It seems to be regulated by neurotransmitterswhich has aroused interest in finding a substance that acts on this control of energy expenditure.

Does physical exercise activate the metabolism?

It is very important because it can be a very significant energy expenditure.

The greater the weight of the person exercising, the greater the energy consumed, so that an overweight person spends more energy exercising than another with an adequate weight.

Another aspect that must be taken into account is the type of exercise that is practiced: a simple walk is not the same as a race on foot or by bike.

Now, in general, exercise always represents less expenditure than basal metabolism. An hour walking consumes 150-250 calories, which is rather low considering that a person requires 2,000-2,500 calories each day.

In any case, if it is regular, it has a minimum duration of one hour and a moderate intensity can be a very effective way of increase energy requirements and therefore speed up metabolism.

In the same way, it is important adjust the energy of the diet when you stop practicing regular physical activity.

Does assimilating nutrients require energy?

Well yes. Although it may seem paradoxical, assimilating the nutrients from food requires a significant dose of energy.

It is what is called the “thermal effect of food” and can represent the 5-10% of total energy expenditure.

Digesting, transforming food into molecules, absorbing these nutrients and obtaining energy is not free for the body, but rather involves a significant expense.

Besides, not all nutrients require the same dose of energyProteins are the nutrients that require the highest energy expenditure. Hence, in part, the diets high in protein and low in carbohydrates are useful for losing weight.

This does not mean that it is healthy nor, of course, that it is advisable to take more protein than is necessary. Remember that it is recommended that 12-15% of global energy comes from protein.

From the above it follows that the composition of the diet influences on metabolism and weight.

Is there a diet that speeds up metabolism?

To be not really effective

In general, diets make you lose weight not because they speed up your metabolism but because they do not provide enough calories to meet energy needs and the body resorts to fatty deposits.

However, it is true that a diet that incorporates a significant percentage of protein, in which there is a noticeable dose of coffee or tea and that it involves eating several times a day will cause the metabolism to be slightly more “accelerated”.

In fact, there is no diet or food which by itself speeds up the metabolism significantly.

Can a hypocaloric diet influence metabolism?

Yeah and for various reasons.

One of them is that so that the metabolism is adequateunderstanding by this all the biochemical reactions that are carried out in the organism to assimilate the nutrients of food, vitamins and minerals are needed.

Therefore, the first observation is that a unbalanced or deficient diet can seriously alter this whole process.

Another noteworthy aspect is that always following a hypocaloric diet can slow down basal metabolism and thus reduce energy needs.

that’s why ingest less than 1,200-1,100 calories a day chronically it is not recommended.

Hence also, in general, people who have been long time on diet are less receptive in the long run to lose weight with some type of diet, whatever it is.

One way to keep your metabolism “in shape” is to eat in a balanced way and avoid drastic or hypocaloric diets.

Is there a way to speed up metabolism without side effects?

He exercise, as we have seen, is a great metabolism accelerator. Its effect, moreover, stays for a while after quitting if it has been practiced regularly.

Another harmless resource to regulate metabolism is sleep less hours if rest occupies an important part of a person’s life.

Surely we have all verified at some time that in times of little sleep, weight tends to decrease.

Another system to speed up metabolism, even if it is almost imperceptible, is to try always be in cool environmentsavoiding excessive air conditioning in the cold months.

It is also useful eat several times a day menus in which protein foods are always found.

Finally, consuming seaweed provides the necessary iodine to keep the thyroid in shape.

Does menopause slow metabolism?

In some cases the arrival of menopause leads to weight gain and metabolism is considered to “slow down” even though it’s not exactly like that.

With menopause there is a cessation of…