January 3rd, 2018 | 3 min. read
By Jackie Oken
If you’re interested in speeding up your metabolism to lose weight, we are sorry to break this to you. A slow metabolism is rarely the main reason we gain excess weight. What you eat and drink and your level of physical activity have a much larger impact on weight gain or loss.
That said, you shouldn’t discount your metabolism entirely. It is possible to take action and rev up your metabolism to enhance weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
At its most basic level, metabolism is the process of converting food into the energy your body needs to function. (If you want to learn more about this complex process, you can find some great articles here or here.) When you’re awake and moving around, you’re going to need energy. Your body also needs energy while at rest. Even when you are sleeping, you’ll need energy for basic functions, such as breathing, circulating blood, repairing cell tissue, processing waste, etc. The number of calories your body needs to maintain these basic functions is your basal metabolic rate, add in energy used digesting food plus energy used in activity and you get …. (tah-dah!) your metabolism.
There are simply things that are beyond your control with regard to your metabolism. It’s best to accept these factors and focus on the areas you can change and see a meaningful impact.
The good news is that there are some factors you can control or influence with regard to your metabolism.
Implementing any one of these changes might lead to a modest 60 or so more calories burned per day and little noticeable change in resting metabolic rate. However, practicing several of these modifications can add up over the long run to make a positive impact that revs up your metabolism, enhances weight loss, and improves your overall health and wellness.
PartnerMD memberships include access to our members-only wellness program, Wellness University, which delivers more than 70 physician-approved courses and certified health coaching targeting the 4 areas most critical to your health, including stress and sleep, brain health, nutrition, and strength and mobility.
With offices in Richmond, VA; Midlothian, VA; Short Pump, VA; McLean, VA; Baltimore, MD; Greenville, SC; and Atlanta, GA, you can experience primary care built around you, one focused on wellness and prevention to help you stay as healthy as possible, as long as possible. Learn more about health coaching at PartnerMD.
Topics: