Nutrition and Metabolism Disorder

What is the relationship between intake of nutrition and metabolism disorder? Is slow metabolism the cause of my overweight? Are there any types of nutrition that can speed it up? Could a pill speed it up?

There are many myths and misconceptions about metabolism. The idea that a low metabolic rate is always responsible for excess weight is one of them. Another is that a slower-than-average metabolism, means you're destined to be obese.

What is metabolism?

Metabolism is the rate at which your body breaks down the nutrients in food to produce energy. A person with a "fast" metabolism, for example, utilizes calories more quickly, in some cases making it easier to stave off excess pounds.

Your metabolism is primary determined by your body composition: the more total fat-free mass you have the higher your resting metabolic rate will be.

Other factors that determine your metabolism is

• heredity
• hormones such as thyroid and insulin
• stress
• calorie intake
• exercise
• medications
• Your baseline metabolism is determined at birth.
• When you've passed the age of 30 and without exercising, the metabolism decreases with the age.
• However, you can increase your metabolism to a certain extent by exercising and building lean muscle.
• Each time you significantly reduce calories to lose weight you'll experience a temporary decrease of 5-10 percent in metabolism.

Workouts for increasing your metabolism

• A high-intensity cardio workout that really increases your heart rate will make you lose the most calories and represent the most significant short-term metabolic booster; between 20 and 30 percent. However, it won't have a permanent effect on your metabolism. After your workout, your metabolism will return to its previous level over several hours--but you'll continue burning extra calories in the meantime.
• Though weight training is the most effective way to build and preserve your lean muscles, the muscle influence on metabolism is pretty slight. Each pound of muscle gained, can raise your metabolism up to 15 calories per day.

Can certain foods affect your metabolism?

• Most of the scientific research reports that the type of food you eat has no significant impact on your long term metabolism rate. So fats, proteins and carbs seem to affect metabolism similarly.
• Scientific data also tells that protein can slightly increase metabolic rate, but only temporarly.
• The more calories you cut, the lower your metabolism rate will drop. An extremely low-calorie diet with fewer than 800 calories a day could cause your metabolic rate to decrease by more than 10 percent.
• It is not what you eat but how much you eat what really matters. For a safe,sustainable weight loss, the average person shouldn't eat less than 1,200 calories a day.
• Spicy foods, such as chili peppers and curry can increase metabolism, but not enough to have a weight loss effect. It's too small and short-lived.

Pills and Supplements

• No pills or supplements have proven to increase metabolism enough to help you lose weight.
• Some pills, have been shown to lower metabolism, and thus cause a weight gain. Examples of such pills are those used to treat depression and bipolar disorder.

Find out your daily calorie need

For losing one pound of body fat a week, you must create a deficit of 500 calories a day. The most reasonable way to do that, and thus avoid a big metabolic decrease, is through a combination of exercise and diet. You could for example eliminate 2.50 calories from your diet, and add enough activity to burn an extra 250.

Here is how you do it:

Determine your basic metabolism rate or RMR

1 RMR = 655 + (9.6 X your weight in kilograms*) + (1.8 X your height in centimetres**) - (4.7 X your age in years)

2 Factor in your daily activity: Multiply your RMR by the appropriate activity factor:

• If you have little or no activity: RMR X 1.2
• If you are performing light exercise 1-3 days a week: RMR X 1.375
• If you are performing moderate exercise 3-5 days a week: RMR X 1.55
• If you are performing strenuous exercise 6-7 days a week: RMR X 1.725
• If you perform very strenuous daily exercise, sports or physical job or training twice a day: RMR X 1.9

3 Your final figure represents the minimum number of daily calories that you need to maintain your current weight.

Notes:
(*) Your weight in kilograms = your weight in pounds divided by 2.2.
(**) Your height in centimeters = your height in inches multiplied by 2.54.

About the Author

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the website 11-Weight-Loss.net. Terje enjoys to give advice and help people to burn fat with weight loss products and workout.

---

Three Sure-Fire Ways To Lose Weight Get Healthier & Feel Great Without Dieting

--ONE--Learn how to reduce the fat, sugar and salt content... Read More

Fake Weight Loss Claims: Identify Them

Its crowded..really crowded..every other site offers Weight Loss Programs and... Read More

Choose to Lose - The Simplicity of Weight Loss and Understanding Emotional Eating

Permanent Weight loss is not about Diet. If you are... Read More

Safe and Permanent Weight Loss Cannot Be Achieved in the Fed State

Weight Loss Axiom Number ThreeInsulin and GlucagonThese are the two... Read More

Breakfast -How Not To Start The Day Part II

The Order of Energy UtilizationBack to our table of stored... Read More

Lose Weight and Get Fit by Getting Fat

Getting enough of the good fats will help you lose... Read More

What are Fats?

Fat is fuel. That is basically what it is. A... Read More

Coris Creations - Salmon Burger Atop Veggies

There's nothing more fun then being creative with food and... Read More

The Evil of Carbohydrates (?)

In recent years, carbohydrates have been labeled as the nutrition... Read More

Weight Loss Efficiency ? 10 Ways To Make The Most Out Of Your Gym Workout!

My name is Greg Ryan. I am a high profile... Read More

Grains and Weight Loss--Do Whole Grains Help You Lose Weight?

Whole grains and weight loss have a definite, scientific, and... Read More

Are Weight Loss Supplements Worth It?

What do you think of the hundreds of weight loss... Read More

Losing Weight is Like Eating Ice Cream

"Life is like a box of chocolates," drawled Forrest Gump.Metaphors... Read More

The Secret To Permanent Weight Loss

AND SAVE MONEY IN THE PROCESS. The secret is simple... Read More

Good Food/Bad Food Whats Left to Eat?

We've entered the Twilight Zone when it comes to the... Read More

Are Fiber Supplements Fat Burning Food?

If you're taking a fiber supplement or eating a high... Read More

Weight Control For Webmasters

Are you gaining weight sitting in front of the computer?... Read More

Weightless Workout - Strength Training Without Equipment

Resistance training, also known as strength training, does not require... Read More

Weight Loss Methods: Its Advantage - Natural Therapy!

Natural therapies uphold the importance of minerals, vitamins and herbs... Read More

Mexican Living: Too Dang Fat!

I thought I could avoid this when we moved to... Read More

The Mysterious Dr. Atkins Death

Dr. Atkins death was unexpected. On 8 April 2003, he... Read More

Hydrate to Lose Weight: The Real Skinny On Water Retention and Sodium

If you've been scouring the news, devouring as much information... Read More

Weight Loss Discipline

Why is it so hard to lose weight and keep... Read More

Fighting Obesity - My Pyramid Dietary Guidelines

If you are fighting the battle of the bulge (overweight... Read More

Free Weight Loss Tips - Help For Beginning a New Diet

If you are about to begin a diet, the number... Read More

The Dangers of Liposuction

One Reality TV show, The Swan, thrives on makeovers. Often... Read More

Be a Loser: 50 Reasons to Get Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery is fast becoming a very popular way... Read More

Changing Our Eating Behaviour

Changing our eating behaviour is one of the critical lifestyle... Read More

Eat Fat to Burn Fat

For about 50 years now, Americans have been eating low... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #7

Well, look at you go! You keep moving closer and... Read More

Liberate Your Set Esteem and Lose Weight

Are you a 'look-and-lose' dieter? Have you studied every diet... Read More

Weight Loss Surgery: Benefits and Risks

You may be considering weight loss surgery if you are... Read More

Exercise: Essential

The only absolute truth in the area of exercise and... Read More