What is metabolism?

I like to refer to our metabolism as our internal engine; breaking down proteins, carbohydrates and fats and transforming them into energy for the body. The rate at which this happens can be affected by our genetics, amount of food and kilojoules we consume and physical activity. Your age, gender and lean muscle mass will affect the rate at which your metabolism burns energy.

Metabolism builders:

Exercise – the number one metabolism booster. Different kinds of exercise boost your metabolism in different ways. The best results are achieved by combining both cardio (helps to burn kilojoules in the short term) and weight lifting or resistance exercise (builds muscle tissue which will keep the metabolism firing for the long term). Building and maintaining muscle mass will help naturally boost your metabolic rate.

Never Skip Meals – aim to stick to 3 meals a day and 2-3 mid meal healthy snacks. Skipping meals can cause a reduced metabolic rate, your body then converts to survival mode conserving energy rather than burning it up for fuel.

Lifestyle - don’t forget that how you live the rest of your life matters as well. Other lifestyle aspects to consider are sleep patterns, general level of incidental activity vs sedentary time and stress management.

 

As a dietitian I am here to provide individualised advice, so if you feel that your metabolism needs a boost, give me a call or make an appointment online.