Difficulty losing weight? Awakens your metabolism
Sometimes it can happen that, while respecting a healthy diet and following a correct lifestyle, we can not lose weight, even if we had set ourselves to lose only a couple of kilos. Despite doing everything to burn excess fat , despite all the efforts, sacrifices and special care we dedicate to ourselves and our well-being, it seems that at some point our body tends to "block" and no longer collaborate. This unpleasant effect may be due to a malfunction of the metabolism, an essential factor in weight loss. First of all, it must be pointed out that there are no special supplements or pills, flash diets that promise to lose 3kg in 3 days, or other miraculous solutions to accelerate the activity of metabolism and therefore lose weight more easily and quickly. The solution must be sought only in a healthy lifestyle, which must include a varied and balanced diet, as well as regular physical activity. However, it can be useful to follow some nutritional rules to make sure to awaken a slow metabolism, let's find out which ones.
What is metabolism and how it works
If we want to understand and solve the problem to the end, we must start from the basics: what exactly is metabolism? Metabolism is a term that defines the set of chemical reactions that take place in our body to transform food, introduced with food, into the energy necessary to make the cells of our body function properly. It is a vital function for numerous essential physiological processes, which is often involved in the management of body weight . When it comes to metabolism it is essential to define also the basal type, the expenditure and the energy needs in order to better understand how our body works.
Basal metabolic rate
The basal metabolic rate represents the minimum amount of energy required by the body to maintain active vital physiological functions, such as the synthesis and / or degradation of the various cellular constituents, biochemical cycles, protein turnover, the functioning of blood circulation, respiration, nervous, metabolic, glandular activity and also the maintenance of body temperature, all in a complete state of rest (without any physical activity). The basal metabolic rate of an adult person is determined:
from age, as it decreases with the passing of the years
by sex, since it is greater in men
from weight and height, because a greater body surface area implies an increase in metabolic activity
from fat mass, as energy consumption is mainly attributable to the activity and amount of lean body mass.
The basal metabolic rate affects about 65-75% of energy expenditure and the factors that can modify it are:
emotional stress
hormonal disorders, such as hypo or hyperthyroidism
Elevation of body temperature
ambient temperature
nutritional status
some medicines, for example sedative drugs slow down metabolic activity
physiological conditions, such as growth, pregnancy (download the diet and menu) or lactation (download the diet and menu).
The basal metabolic rate can be measured through an examination called "indirect calorimetry" which measures gas exchanges, i.e. oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. This examination must be carried out under standard conditions, that is, the patient must be awake but in a total state of rest, both physical and mental, and must have fasted for at least 12 hours prior to the examination.
Energy expenditure
Energy expenditure is expressed as a multiple of the basal metabolic rate, i.e. in the form of a factor by which the same basal metabolic rate must be multiplied. It is determined, in addition to the basal metabolism itself, also by physical activity and thermogenesis (ie the production of heat in the body with increased energy expenditure) induced by food, for example for the energy necessary for digestion, absorption and metabolism of food intake. The evaluation of energy expenditure must be carried out taking into account some factors, such as:
the intrinsic energy cost of the activity, since each activity is characterized by a different expenditure (for example, brushing your teeth requires a different energy expenditure from gardening)
the time necessary for carrying out the activity, as the greater the time and continuity in carrying out the activity, the greater the energy expenditure required
the intensity with which the activity takes place, since a greater intensity corresponds to a greater energy expenditure
the size of the subject who carries out the activity, because consumption is also linked to the displacement of the body mass of the subject who carries out the activity
Energy requirements
Finally, energy requirements indicate the supply of energy obtained from food necessary to compensate for the energy expenditure of individuals who maintain a level of physical activity sufficient to participate actively in social life and who have dimensions and body compositions compatible with a good state of health in the long term. When determining a positive energy balance , the excess energy produced is stored as adipose tissue or fat; while when the amount of calories introduced with food is less than the amount of calories released to the environment, then slimming is determined.
8 consigli per risvegliare il metabolismo lento
1. Avoid fasting. An excessive calorie restriction is completely counterproductive, in fact this attitude tends to reduce metabolic activity as a defense mechanism of the organism that decreases energy expenditure and increases the ability to absorb the nutrients contained in food (capacity developed over time to withstand periods of famine). If you get used to consuming less because energy is introduced in less quantity than that required by the body, for example by consuming a lunch based only on fruit, even a small food sgarro will be immediately stored and will become much more difficult to eliminate.
2. Eat slowly. The first digestion takes place right in the mouth: if you eat too fast, foods are not chewed properly, digestive difficulties increase and you swallow air that causes abdominal bloating . This process slows down the action of the metabolism, which will have to meet the greater energy requirements for laborious digestion. It is therefore advisable to do about 40 chews in bites, not to fill more than 1/3 the tines of the fork and to eat meals in no less than 20 minutes.
3. Eat little but often. If too much time passes between meals, our body will tend to decrease metabolic activity to cope with the temporary deficiency of nutrients. For this reason, two snacks a day are recommended, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, very useful to break hunger between meals of the day. We especially recommend raw vegetables (celery, carrot, fennel, etc.) because, in addition to being rich in vitamins , minerals and antioxidants essential for the body, they contain very few calories and many fibers useful to promote satiety. Alternatively, you can also consume a handful of nuts ( walnuts , almonds, hazelnuts), which provide a good amount of Omega 3, or some flakes of Grana Padano PDO, which instead provides proteins of high biological value (also useful to control hunger), calcium and antioxidants such as vitamin A, zinc and selenium. Be careful, however, not to consume late-night snacks or otherwise avoid food intake just before bedtime. During rest, the body's metabolism tends to work less and many of the calories ingested, not being needed immediately, are stored in the reserve tissues.
4. Maintain a proper protein intake. A sedentary subject should follow a diet with a protein intake that can vary from 0.8 to 1.1 grams, depending on age, but can also reach 1.2 - 2 grams of protein per day per kg of body weight in relation to the type of physical and work activity. It is advisable to prefer proteins from fish , meat or cheeses such as Grana Padano PDO. This cheese is a concentrate of milk, but with less fat than the whole one with which it is made because it is partially skimmed during processing. It also contains proteins of high biological value with the 8 essential amino acids, including branched (valine, isoleucine and leucine) necessary to restore strength and vigor to the muscles after intense training and stimulate the activity of the metabolism.
5. Drink enough water , as it is able to activate the metabolic mechanisms of thermogenesis. The effect of water on metabolism is short-lived, for this reason the recommendation is to drink at least 2 liters a day distributed equally throughout the day. Along with an abundant intake of water, it is recommended to consume 2 servings of fruit and 3 of vegetables a day, so that the antioxidants contained in these foods favor the elimination of toxins that accumulate in the body due to pollution, such as active and passive smoking, preservatives and food adulteration. If it is difficult to drink water, teas, herbal teas and infusions are also allowed, preferably unsweetened.
6. Prefer complex carbohydrates associated with fiber , for example pasta and bread made of wholemeal flour, barley, spelt, etc., while excessive consumption of simple sugars is not recommended, especially in the evening (sugar, honey, jam, etc.). An excess of carbohydrates with a high glycemic index promotes the accumulation of adipose tissue and could cause, in the long term, insulin resistance. This condition tends to reduce metabolic activity and food thermogenesis.
7. Consume foods rich in iodine. Unless otherwise indicated by a doctor, as in the case of hyperthyroidism, consuming foods rich in iodine promotes the proper functioning of the metabolism: fish and crustaceans, in particular, are very rich in it, help thyroid function and, consequently, can also promote metabolic activity. The same result is also obtained with spicy foods (eg chili pepper ), which contain some substances that can determine, albeit temporarily, the increase in metabolic activity. Other foods such as coffee and chocolate can also slightly increase the action of metabolism, however they should be consumed in moderation since their excessive consumption can cause negative effects on health: agitation, nervousness, insomnia in the case of coffee, weight gain in the case of chocolate.
8. Increases lean body mass. Muscles burn calories and therefore the more they are developed and the more calories they will burn, even while resting. The muscle, in fact, is a living tissue and in continuous renewal, with metabolic demands much higher - almost 10 times - than those of adipose tissue (fat). Therefore it is advisable to practice a minimum of 150 minutes (300 optimal) of physical activity per week, both aerobic and anaerobic , in order to increase and tone the muscles.
