So many times you hear people blame their weight on a slow metabolism. While it’s true that metabolism is linked to weight, it’s more about your food and calorie intake, as well as your physical activity that determines how much you weigh. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories to sustain life.
What is a RMR?
Your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the rate at which you burn energy or calories when resting. Calories are constantly required to perform essential body functions such as heartbeat, respiration, elimination of wastes, etc. On average around 50-75% of one’s daily energy expenditure is attributed towards this resting metabolic rate. Simply put, it converts the food we eat into energy.
What Makes Metabolism Slow Down?
Like so many think, it’s actually due to lack of muscle. You lose muscle due to the lack of physical activity. One common mistake of many is that they starve themselves instead of eating sensibly. Most people think that eating less often or skipping meals will do the trick when dieting. This actually is the worst thing you can do.
Going long periods of time without eating stimulates fat storage and can make fat cells even larger. By not eating frequently, three sensible meals and two snacks a day, you’re actually slowing down your metabolism. The longer you go between meals the more your metabolism slows down again to conserve energy.
People with a low or slow metabolism do not convert their food calories into energy efficiently, therefore making them gain weight due to lack of energy. A person with high or fast metabolism can burn the food calories before they are stored in your fat cells, helping them to maintain a healthy weight.
What’s the Solution?
It’s actually quite simple. Invest in yourself and have a willingness to make some changes.
Below is a list of 10 easy and effective ways to boost your metabolism:
1. Don’t starve yourself.
It actually causes you to lose much more water weight and muscle than fat. Dropping below 1,000 calories a day can cause your body to go into starvation mode.
2. Eat smaller meals more frequently.
Depending on your brain type– eat a balanced meal with enough calories to sustain energy to fuel metabolism.
3. Eat breakfast.
If you don’t eat breakfast, you slow your metabolism and send the body into “hoard mode”, thinking it’s starving because you’re going too long in between meals without food.
4. Drink water!
Drink a minimum of ½ your body weight in ounces. The energy burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively.
5. Schedule sleep.
Try to get in at least 7 hours of sleep a night and stick to a consistent sleep schedule.
6. Eat wholesome organic foods.
Eat foods that will stabilize blood sugar levels and assist in fat loss.
7. Incorporate strength training.
Two to three times a week incorporate some form of resistance training into your schedule. Muscle burns more calories than fat. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn.
8. Avoid alcohol.
It prevents fat burning and can add hundreds of calories. Can also reduce testosterone levels, which is a not good for men who want to lose fat and get lean.
9. Take your B vitamins.
If you’re feeling fatigued and lack energy, be sure to take a B complex.
10. Healthy fats.
Sources include nuts, extra virgin olive oil and Omega 3’s. Omega 3 supplements reduce your insulin levels throughout the day. When insulin levels are high you can’t burn fat. Fish oil directly increases the oxidation of fat within fat cells.
We Can Help
At Amen Clinics, we understand the pain and frustration trying to lose weight can cause. We approach each individual with a sense of compassion and respect. Our experienced clinical staff will take a full history of each patient using The Amen Clinics Method before beginning treatment with SPECT imaging or making other recommendations. Connect with us today by calling 888-288-9834 to learn more – we are waiting to help you, or schedule a visit today.
Your article on Metabolism inclusive of 10 conditions are very simple and exhaustive to practice .
Comment by venkat — May 4, 2018 @ 2:05 AM
My newest friend is encouraging me to fast to enable me to burn off fat via ketones. I’ve just recently realized sugar is way bad for me & affects my thinking when I have too much, so that’s why I was considering fasting cause the brain supposedly does better burning ketones versus sugar (especially as a person ages). But here you say not to go for long periods with out food cause it’ll cause my metabolism to drop. Do you have any suggestions that would work well with a Ketonic diet and still keep my metabolism up? Thx I appreciate your expertise.
Comment by TinaM — May 4, 2018 @ 2:25 AM
Proper sleep, diet, and exercise doesn’t seem complicated in the least. Creating good habits step by step can be achieved in due time.
The problem has to do with the pace of life, and how everyone never seems to have time to do the very simple things to maintain a healthier lifestyle.
Comment by Shoobee — May 4, 2018 @ 2:58 AM
I have been studying intermittent fasting to reduce insulin and blood sugar levels. There is no mention of any dangers of starvation or muscle atrophy or reduced basal metabolism. What about this? I am a type 2 diabetic who ceased use of insulin and lost 70 pounds of extra weight. I have kept this if f for 6 years. I now would like to lose 15-20 more pounds. Any thoughts on this? Thanks!
Comment by William Dresbach — May 4, 2018 @ 3:00 AM
Sorry for my typo, I have kept the weight off for 6 years.
Comment by William Dresbach — May 4, 2018 @ 3:17 AM
Wow, this article goes against all the prevailing research coming out. What research has shown is looking at different biomarkers is that intermittent fasting is incredibly beneficial. The science says that unless you have a certain gene you will start to convert fat in to fuel not store it.
Comment by Dawn — May 4, 2018 @ 5:02 AM
I agree with Dawn’s comment. This seems like the “old” way of thinking. I have tried intermittent fasting, and it was the only thing that finally kicked my entire system into gear. i.e.; losing weight, more energy, better blood test numbers all around, etc. etc. It also finally got my rocky blood sugar (I am not diabetic but I would get “hangry” if I didn’t have food every 2-3 hours, like a smoker not getting their cigg) and that is all under control now too, where I can go hours without food and not get that hangry feeling, as long as I have a healthy fat, such as Bulletproof coffee, avocado, nuts, in my system.
Comment by joyce — May 4, 2018 @ 6:25 AM
I agree Dawn. There has been extensive research on fasting. Personally, I like to have a 15-16 hour fast between dinner and the next day’s lunch. It works for me.
Comment by Pat Bennett — May 4, 2018 @ 6:48 AM
Have followed all of those recommendations for many decades. Metabolism still slowed down – with age. My healthy daily caloric intake is now 1/2 of what it was just 30 years ago.
Comment by Murray Duffin — May 4, 2018 @ 7:37 AM
My causing was doing exactly what this article suggests and being a diabetic he almost lost his one eye due to the illness. His doctor would tell him to eat carbs and several meals a day and take his pills. I suggested for him to fast and eat more healthy fats. He did and after 4 months he was diabetes free. He went back to the doctor and his tests were better than the doctor’s. Don’t believe this until you experiment yourself and get the right diet for your body type. I practice the ketogenic diet and I intermittently fast. I’m 50 and never felt, looked and lived my life like I do today. I’m 10 percent body fat and I look like I’m 35.
Hope this helps somebody do their own research and consult with others.
Comment by Giovanni — May 4, 2018 @ 10:40 AM
I know somebody with anxiety and depression who went to the Amen clinics. After paying $5000.00, He was told to be on a healthy diet and buy their supplements and continue with Zoloft. He could have spent a lot less going with a holistic doctor. That much just to see those images of low blood flow in certain parts of his brain. I wish they return the money spent.
Comment by Giovanni — May 4, 2018 @ 10:49 AM
Sorry for the misspell. Cousin not Causing.
Comment by Giovanni — May 4, 2018 @ 10:50 AM
I have heard most of my life that time between meals puts your body in starvation mode. Your article just told me again. And I believe now I GET IT. Thank you Amen Clinic.
Comment by Joyce — May 4, 2018 @ 2:09 PM
They are just trying to sell their brain scans. Charge you for the scan, then the scans are used for his research which he gets paid for again. We took my Dad here and they were not set up for an elder person to be scanned. It was actually dangerous. It was an expensive misadventure. I started my Dad on a ketogenic diet with nootropics and exercise (along with supplements, enzymes and pre and probiotics). This made a huge difference for my Dad. My Mom is doing the same protocol at 93 and is doing great. He appears on public TV and has a big following, but his operation is set up mostly for drug abusing kids (more money in that). I was extremely disappointed to pay so much for nothing.
Comment by Gretchen — May 5, 2018 @ 1:35 AM
Take a look at balancing your minerals if you haven’t already.
Comment by Melody Wilkes — May 5, 2018 @ 4:20 AM
I agree. Now I am really confused. I wish someone from the clinic would respond to the comments.
Comment by Betsy — May 5, 2018 @ 4:43 AM
Giovanni,
Did the images tell him anything else?
Comment by Debra — May 5, 2018 @ 10:09 AM
As a functionally trainer registered dietitian/nutritionist I am surprised at this article. While many people do well on a frequent feeding Whole Foods plan, it isn’t the best or only way to eat for everyone. Intermittent fasting is a great way to improve metabolism, reduce inflammation, lower triglycerides and lose weight if gone properly. It is incorrect to state not eating frequently throughout the day flies the metabolism. In fact the Journal of the American Dietetics Association published a study years ago that demonstrated the metabolism actually initially increases in a faster stated and doesn’t slow until 72 hours in a fasted state. Many other statements made in this list are equally arguable. Sometimes it takes a while for the research to hit the mainstream though.
Comment by Elyse — May 9, 2018 @ 6:43 PM
He also suggests fasting at night for 12 to 16 hours pg. 259 memory rescue and not eating 2 or 3 hours before bedtime pg 248. Memory Rescue. .
Comment by Melinda aziz — June 4, 2018 @ 7:14 PM
Dr Amen never said not to fast periodically. He said that eating regular meals and snacks is optimal for your metabolism. Dr Amen and Tana do a great Job.
Comment by Melinda aziz — June 4, 2018 @ 7:23 PM
I was 23 years of age loved exercise and was 5ft 7 and 8 stone (30 years ago). I reduced my intake of food calories to get to this weight from a size 16 to a size 10. I never wanted chocolate or sugary foods. The result I achieved and in my efforts found I gained type 1 Diabetes where basically I was rushed to hospital near unconscious and had ketones in my blood called ketosis. This meant poisonous toxins in my blood – life threatening. My pancreas was completely broken and I have had to take insulin and all it involves 4 times a day for 30 years causing potential kidney and sight problems. PLEASE AVOID messing with ketones it is dangerous. Choose a healthy way would be my sincere advice.
Comment by Isla smith — September 30, 2018 @ 11:26 PM