Friday, April 25, 2008
Ways to Increase Your Metabolism
It's 8 p.m. The kids are in bed. You're eating a bowl of ice cream and surfing the internet. It's 11 p.m. You fall asleep. At 7
a.m. the alarm rings. You get up, shower, dress, wake the kids, dress them and, by 8:30, you're out the door. By 9 a.m. you
are at the office and getting prepared for your weekly staff meeting. What's wrong with this scenario?
For 13 hours, your body has been fasting. How can you expect to run efficiently throughout the day if you haven't fueled up?
When you go without eating for an extended period of time, the brain reacts by sending signals to the body that you are
"starving" - the metabolism slows to conserve energy.
When you finally eat again, the body thinks it needs to reserve energy in preparation for more food deprivation. Therefore it
stores calories in the form of fat. So, not eating can actually lead to weight gain. Some people think that they actually eat more
on the days that they consume a morning meal, than on days that they don't eat. Recent research debunks this belief. The
study examined how eating and then skipping breakfast altered the participants' daily caloric intake. During the two-week
interval when participants skipped breakfast, they consumed 100 more calories than during the two weeks when they ate
breakfast. Studies have also shown that people who eat breakfast increase their metabolism and also:
Are less likely to be overweight
Eat less fat and cholesterol
Have more energy and better concentration throughout the day
Have healthier cholesterol levels
To keep you fuller longer, your morning meal should provide a combo of carbohydrate, protein and fat. Also, aim for at least 5
grams of fiber. Dodge the doughnuts, croissants and high-sugar cereals, which provide little nutritional benefit. Although your
body physically needs calories, optimizing the health impact of the calories you eat will have a positive result on your health,
energy and weight goals.
It's 8 p.m. The kids are in bed. You're eating a bowl of ice cream and surfing the internet. It's 11 p.m. You fall asleep. At 7
a.m. the alarm rings. You get up, shower, dress, wake the kids, dress them and, by 8:30, you're out the door. By 9 a.m. you
are at the office and getting prepared for your weekly staff meeting. What's wrong with this scenario?
For 13 hours, your body has been fasting. How can you expect to run efficiently throughout the day if you haven't fueled up?
When you go without eating for an extended period of time, the brain reacts by sending signals to the body that you are
"starving" - the metabolism slows to conserve energy.
When you finally eat again, the body thinks it needs to reserve energy in preparation for more food deprivation. Therefore it
stores calories in the form of fat. So, not eating can actually lead to weight gain. Some people think that they actually eat more
on the days that they consume a morning meal, than on days that they don't eat. Recent research debunks this belief. The
study examined how eating and then skipping breakfast altered the participants' daily caloric intake. During the two-week
interval when participants skipped breakfast, they consumed 100 more calories than during the two weeks when they ate
breakfast. Studies have also shown that people who eat breakfast increase their metabolism and also:
Are less likely to be overweight
Eat less fat and cholesterol
Have more energy and better concentration throughout the day
Have healthier cholesterol levels
To keep you fuller longer, your morning meal should provide a combo of carbohydrate, protein and fat. Also, aim for at least 5
grams of fiber. Dodge the doughnuts, croissants and high-sugar cereals, which provide little nutritional benefit. Although your
body physically needs calories, optimizing the health impact of the calories you eat will have a positive result on your health,
energy and weight goals.
