Why is my metabolism slowing down. 15 Factors That Slow Down Your Metabolism: Understanding and Optimizing Your Body’s Energy Process
What causes metabolism to slow down. How does age affect metabolic rate. Can certain foods boost metabolism. Is it possible to naturally increase metabolism. Do genetics play a role in metabolic speed. How does sleep impact metabolic function. Are there exercises that rev up metabolism.
Understanding Metabolism: The Body’s Energy Factory
Metabolism is often misunderstood, yet it plays a crucial role in our overall health and weight management. At its core, metabolism encompasses all the chemical processes that occur within our bodies to keep us alive and functioning. These processes require energy, and the minimum amount needed for basic bodily functions is called the basal metabolic rate (BMR).
BMR can account for up to 80% of our daily energy requirements, depending on factors such as age and lifestyle. When people refer to a “slow metabolism,” they’re typically describing a low BMR. But what exactly influences our metabolic rate, and can we do anything to change it?
Factors That Influence Metabolic Rate
Several factors contribute to the speed of our metabolism:
- Body composition
- Age
- Gender
- Genetics
- Lifestyle habits
Muscle cells require more energy to maintain than fat cells, which is why individuals with higher muscle mass tend to have a faster metabolism. As we age, we naturally lose muscle and gain fat, leading to a gradual slowdown in metabolic rate.
Gender also plays a role, with men generally having a faster metabolism due to higher muscle mass, heavier bones, and lower body fat percentage compared to women. Genetics influence muscle size and growth potential, indirectly affecting metabolism.
Debunking the “Slow Metabolism” Myth
Many people blame weight gain on a slow metabolism, but research suggests this may not be accurate. Contrary to popular belief, studies have shown that overweight individuals often have faster metabolisms than their leaner counterparts. This is because larger bodies require more energy to maintain basic functions.
So, if a slow metabolism isn’t the culprit, what factors contribute to weight gain and difficulty losing weight?
The Role of Diet and Lifestyle in Metabolic Function
While we can’t control all aspects of our metabolism, certain dietary and lifestyle choices can significantly impact our metabolic rate:
Calorie Intake and Quality
Consuming too few calories can actually slow down metabolism as the body tries to conserve energy. On the other hand, overeating can lead to weight gain regardless of metabolic speed. The quality of calories matters too – nutrient-dense foods support optimal metabolic function.
Protein Consumption
Protein has a higher thermic effect compared to carbohydrates and fats, meaning the body burns more calories digesting and processing protein. Including adequate protein in your diet can help boost metabolism.
Hydration
Proper hydration is essential for all bodily functions, including metabolism. Some studies suggest that drinking water can temporarily increase metabolic rate.
Physical Activity and Its Impact on Metabolism
Regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways to boost metabolism. Exercise not only burns calories during the activity but also increases metabolic rate for hours afterward. This phenomenon is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) or the “afterburn effect.”
Types of Exercise That Boost Metabolism
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- Strength Training
- Cardiovascular Exercise
Incorporating a mix of these exercises into your routine can help optimize metabolic function and support weight management goals.
The Importance of Sleep in Metabolic Health
Sleep plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to hormonal imbalances that can affect appetite, energy expenditure, and insulin sensitivity. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to support optimal metabolic function.
How Sleep Deprivation Affects Metabolism
- Increased production of the hunger hormone ghrelin
- Decreased production of the satiety hormone leptin
- Impaired glucose tolerance
- Increased cortisol levels
These changes can lead to increased appetite, cravings for high-calorie foods, and potential weight gain over time.
Stress and Its Effects on Metabolic Rate
Chronic stress can have a significant impact on metabolism through various mechanisms:
Cortisol and Metabolism
Elevated cortisol levels, often associated with chronic stress, can lead to increased appetite, cravings for high-calorie foods, and potential weight gain, particularly around the abdominal area.
Stress-Induced Behaviors
Stress can also lead to behaviors that negatively impact metabolism, such as emotional eating, decreased physical activity, and disrupted sleep patterns.
Managing stress through techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises can help support healthy metabolic function.
Metabolic Myths and Misconceptions
Several myths surrounding metabolism persist in popular culture. Let’s address some common misconceptions:
Myth: Eating Small, Frequent Meals Boosts Metabolism
While some believe that eating small, frequent meals throughout the day can “stoke the metabolic fire,” research suggests that meal frequency has little impact on overall metabolic rate. Total calorie intake and macronutrient balance are more important factors.
Myth: Certain Foods Can Significantly Boost Metabolism
While some foods, like spicy peppers or green tea, may have a slight thermogenic effect, the impact on overall metabolism is generally minimal. A balanced diet rich in whole foods is more beneficial for long-term metabolic health.
Myth: Metabolism Stops After 30
While metabolism naturally slows with age, it doesn’t come to a screeching halt at any particular age. Regular physical activity and maintaining muscle mass can help mitigate age-related metabolic decline.
Medical Conditions and Medications Affecting Metabolism
Certain medical conditions and medications can impact metabolic rate:
Thyroid Disorders
The thyroid gland plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism. Conditions like hypothyroidism can slow metabolism, while hyperthyroidism can increase it.
Medications
Some medications, particularly certain antidepressants and antipsychotics, can affect metabolism and lead to weight gain. Always consult with a healthcare provider about potential side effects of medications.
Optimizing Metabolism: Practical Tips and Strategies
While we can’t completely control our metabolism, there are several strategies to support optimal metabolic function:
- Build and maintain muscle mass through strength training
- Stay hydrated
- Prioritize sleep
- Manage stress
- Eat a balanced diet rich in whole foods
- Include protein in every meal
- Stay active throughout the day
- Consider high-intensity interval training
Remember, sustainable weight management is about creating a healthy lifestyle that supports overall well-being, rather than focusing solely on boosting metabolism.
The Future of Metabolic Research
As our understanding of metabolism continues to evolve, researchers are exploring new avenues for metabolic optimization:
Chronobiology and Metabolism
Emerging research suggests that aligning eating patterns with our circadian rhythms may have beneficial effects on metabolic health. This field, known as chrono-nutrition, is an exciting area of study.
Personalized Nutrition
Advances in genetic testing and microbiome analysis may lead to more personalized approaches to nutrition and metabolism, allowing for tailored dietary recommendations based on individual metabolic profiles.
Brown Fat Activation
Scientists are investigating ways to activate brown adipose tissue, a type of fat that burns calories to generate heat. This could potentially offer new strategies for boosting metabolism and managing weight.
As research in these areas progresses, we may gain new insights into how to optimize metabolic function and support overall health. However, the foundations of a healthy lifestyle – balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management – remain crucial for maintaining a healthy metabolism.
Understanding the complexities of metabolism can help us make informed decisions about our health and well-being. While we may not have complete control over our metabolic rate, we have the power to make choices that support optimal metabolic function. By focusing on sustainable lifestyle habits rather than quick fixes or fad diets, we can work with our bodies to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and overall wellness.
15 Things That Slow Your Metabolism
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Cleveland Clinic: “Eat These Foods – Your Metabolism Will Thank You.”
American Psychological Association: “The Risks of Night Work.”
How can I speed up my metabolism?
It’s not unusual to hear people blame their weight gain on a slow metabolism.
They’ve cut down on calories and they’re more active, but they’re not losing weight.
Could the culprit be a slow metabolism?
What is metabolism?
Metabolism describes all the chemical processes that go on continuously inside your body to keep you alive and your organs functioning normally, such as breathing, repairing cells and digesting food.
These chemical processes require energy. The minimum amount of energy your body requires to carry out these chemical processes is called the basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Your BMR may account for up to 80% of your body’s daily energy requirements, depending on your age and lifestyle. A “slow metabolism” is more accurately described as a low BMR.
There are lots of online calculators that can work out your daily energy needs. Look out for those that use the Harris-Benedict equation.
Do some people have a faster metabolism than others?
Body size, age, gender and genes all play a role in the speed of your metabolism.
Muscle cells require more energy to maintain than fat cells, so people with more muscle than fat tend to have a faster metabolism.
As we get older, we tend to gain fat and lose muscle. This explains why your metabolism may slow down as you get older.
In general, men tend to have a faster metabolism because they have more muscle mass, heavier bones and less body fat than women.
Your metabolism may be partly determined by your genes, although this is not yet fully understood.
Genes definitely play a role in muscle size and your ability to grow muscles, both of which affect your metabolism.
Am I fat because of a slow metabolism?
People who struggle to lose weight often blame a slow metabolism. But there’s little evidence to support this claim.
Research actually shows that overweight people have faster metabolisms than thinner people. Larger bodies require more energy to carry out basic bodily functions.
Putting a “slow metabolism” to one side, something else may be at play here.
Research suggests people tend to eat more than they think they do. When asked to write down everything they’ve consumed in a day, many people tend to report eating far less than they actually do.
More often than not, the reason you’re putting on weight is not because of a slow metabolism, it’s because you’re eating and drinking more calories than you’re burning.
It may be hard to accept, but staying on top of the number of calories you eat is key to losing weight and keeping it off.
Our 12-week weight loss plan will help you lose weight by tracking your calories.
Can losing weight too fast slow my metabolism?
Crash diets and other calorie-restricted diets can slow your metabolism.
With some diets, your body is forced to break down muscle to use for energy. The lower your muscle mass, the slower your metabolism.
With less muscle and a slower metabolism, it then becomes a lot easier to put body fat back on after coming off the diet.
What can I do to speed up my metabolism?
It’s claimed that certain foods and drinks can boost your metabolism, including green tea, black coffee, spices and energy drinks. The evidence behind these claims is weak or they are not effective long-term solutions.
While you do not have much control over the speed of your metabolism, you can control how many calories you burn through your level of physical activity.
The more active you are, the more calories you burn.
Some people who are said to have a fast metabolism are probably just more active – and maybe more fidgety – than others.
Here are the 3 most effective ways of burning calories:
Aerobic activity
Aerobic exercise is the most effective way to burn calories. You should aim to do at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity, such as walking, cycling and swimming, a week.
You can achieve this target by doing 30 minutes, 5 days a week and breaking down your activity sessions in chunks of 10 minutes.
To lose weight, you’re likely to need to do more than 150 minutes a week and make changes to your diet.
Read our physical activity guidelines for adults
Strength training
Muscle burns more calories than fat, so increasing your muscle mass will help you lose weight.
Aim to do muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on 2 or more days a week.
Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include lifting weights and high-intensity bouts of exercise. Heavy gardening may also do the job.
Be active
Try to make activity part of your daily routine. That could include walking or cycling all or part of your journey to work. You could also take the stairs instead of the lift.
Get ideas on fitting more activity into your day
Can certain medical conditions cause a slow metabolism?
Some diseases and conditions can slow a person’s metabolism, such as Cushing’s syndrome and hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid).
But more often than not, people’s weight is a matter of consuming more calories than they burn.
If you feel you may have a problem that’s not responding to lifestyle changes, speak to a doctor.
Read 9 medical reasons for putting on weight
Page last reviewed: 26 October 2020
Next review due: 26 October 2023
9 Subtle Signs Your Metabolism Is Slowing Down
Being in my late twenties has some advantages: I’m completely comfortable with staying in on a Friday night, and I can still consume a few glasses of wine without feeling like a truck had hit me the following day. However, my age comes with a few complications — and my metabolism is one of them.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed a change in how my body processes food. Gone are the days when I could get chocolate wasted and eat a large bin of brownies or live off pizza for a solid week straight (no, just me?) without my body freaking out or slowing down. Now if I want my metabolism to actually work, I need to drink more water and exercise — basically, things I’d avoided when I was 20 years old.
But is having a slow metabolism actually a bad thing? Can we all live a life where we indulge in our vices? Well, there could actually be some advantages to having a slower metabolism.
According to SFGATE, a study published in a 2010 edition of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism stated that having low levels of thyroid hormones usually correlates with having a slow metabolism. In return, this activity could indicate a longer life expectancy. Dr. Joel Fuhrman further explained that this probably happens because the body doesn’t have to work as hard to burn calories and may experience less stress.
Either way, if you can relate to my story and want to know if your metabolism is slow, then you came to the right place. Here are nine subtle signs that could indicate you have a slow metabolism.
1
You Constantly Feel Tired
When your metabolism slows down, it could have something to do with your lack of exercise. You may feel sluggish and out of tune with your body because you’re “too tired” to do anything. “You feel sluggish, slow moving and tired,” says psychologist Nicole Martinez in an email with Bustle about people who may show signs of a slow metabolism.
2
You Have A Weary Mind
Ever have those moments when you can’t get your stuff together at work because you can’t focus or you feel completely anxious? It could have something to do with your metabolism. “[You’re feeling] anxious, or feeling down. [You’re] just feeling a little unfocused,” says nutritional expert and owner of NAO Nutrition Nikki Ostrower over the phone with Bustle about people who show subtle signs of their metabolism slowing down.
3
Your Weight Doesn’t Stabilize Like It Used To
According to Ostrower, people with slow metabolisms “[Gain] weight easily and [have] difficulty losing it.” This is because your metabolism cannot burn a lot of calories at once to help fuel your body with energy. Instead, your body produces more fat. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this, it just indicates that you’re getting older and your metabolism is slowing down. Someone pass the wine, please.
4
You’re Showing Physical Signs Of Hormonal Changes
According to Ostrower, people who have “skin issues/conditions, irregular menstrual symptoms, and thinning hair” most likely have a slower metabolism. This could be because your thyroid hormone levels are low, which can cause your metabolism to slow down.
5
You’re Developing Food Intollerances
“They’re noticing a pattern in their body that is not normal, like IBS symptoms,” says Ostrower about people who may have slow metabolisms. If you’re not being mindful of your food intolerances, you may be hurting your metabolism. If your body is aggravated by a particular food group, it may cause your body to freak out.
6
You’re Feeling Cold Or Have Dry Skin
Because your thyroid levels help regulate your metabolism, lower hormone levels could make your skin and hair feel dull and dry. “You have dry skin and nothing that you’re doing is motorizing it,” says Ostrower.
7
You Have An Underlying Medical Issue
Sometimes your slow metabolism has nothing to do with your diet or lack of exercise. Having a slow metabolism might have something to do with an underlying medical issue.
According to LIVESTRONG, Sylvie Tremblay, MSC, explained, “For example, low thyroid activity or hypothyroidism, causes a slow metabolism. That’s because thyroid hormones typically control your metabolic rate, and lower-than-normal thyroid hormone levels can make your metabolism slow to a crawl, even if you’re not overeating. You might also notice other symptoms, such as dry hair and skin, difficulty concentrating and feeling cold, lethargic or depressed.”
8
You’re Constantly Stressed Out
“However, cortisol is also considered a catabolic hormone, which means it breaks down muscle for energy. So while the stress may initially increase your body’s calorie-burning furnace, the loss of muscle — which is one way your body burns calories — may ultimately cause an overall decrease in your metabolism. Muscle breakdown from one stressful incident may not have much of an effect on your metabolism, but long-term chronic stress might,” said Jill Corleone, RDN, LD, in a LIVESTRONG article. Essentially, if you want your metabolism to speed up, make sure you are taking care of your well-being.
9
Eating Healthy Has No Impact On Your Weight
Eating healthy usually coincides with losing weight because you’re not consuming refined sugars or unhealthy fats. But if you’re eating healthy and you notice that your weight still fluctuates, then you might have a slow metabolism. “You eat very healthy but you still can not lose weight, or you gain weight. [Healthy] foods do not have the impact on you that they do on others,” says Martinez about people who show signs of a slow metabolism.
While it’s not the end of the world if you have a slow metabolism, it’s good to know so you know how to take care of your body. If you want to boost your metabolism, try to drink a lot of water, exercise, and get your thyroid checked. Your doctor will be able to tell you if your thyroid is slowing your metabolism down.
Images: Pexels
Metabolism: Important Info 💪 | What Is Metabolic Testing?
Understanding how your body works is essential for improving your health and achieving your fitness goals. Getting to know your body better includes learning more about your metabolism since it greatly affects your weight and impacts your ability to stay fit. One of the most efficient ways to gain an in-depth understanding of your metabolism is to undergo metabolic testing. “But, what is metabolic testing and what steps does it entail?”
This type of science-based testing is a highly beneficial tool that will provide you with important data about your metabolism and how it functions. However, before committing to undergoing metabolic testing, you should first take some time to get to know your metabolism.
What are the signs of a slow metabolism?
Your metabolism determines how your body processes and utilizes food to produce and burn energy. Some individuals have a slow metabolism by nature since there are different types of metabolism. In most others, their metabolism slows down as they age.
Either way, a slow metabolism can hinder your attempts to lose weight and get fit without you even knowing it. You may even think that you’re not trying hard enough or that working out simply doesn’t offer the benefits you once thought. Believe it or not, this can just be a sign that your metabolism is working against you.
Here are some common signs of a slow metabolism:
- Ongoing fatigue. If you have a slow metabolism, you may feel exhausted all the time even after a good night’s sleep.
- Continuous headache. A slow metabolism can also cause frequent headaches, sudden onsets of pain, or severe migraines due to thyroid glands that aren’t active enough.
- Weight gain. If you experience weight gain for no apparent reason, it’s likely this is caused by hypothyroidism that leads to a slow metabolism. This can happen even if you exercise regularly and stick to a healthy diet.
- Constipation. Your body needs more time to process food due to a slow metabolic rate, which then results in constipation.
- Depression. Since a slow metabolism affects your gut, this can also have an impact on your mind and mood.
- Thin hair, brittle nails, dry skin. Individuals with a slow metabolism also have low thyroid hormone levels that cause skin, hair, and nail issues.
Can you measure your metabolism?
If you’ve noticed any of the previous signs and believe your metabolism has slowed down, you can take certain steps to boost your metabolism. However, it’s important that you determine whether you have a slow metabolism for certain before opting for a specific approach.
You can obtain in-depth information on your metabolism by undergoing metabolic testing. There are different ways to measure your metabolism, but not all of them are as reliable. In addition, it’s important to note that certain factors can affect your metabolic testing results. For instance, your eating habits, movement, and body temperature prior to metabolic testing can affect the final rate.
Should you decide to opt for a calculation to determine your metabolic rate, you should also consider the following factors: age, gender, activity levels, and diet.
What is a metabolic test?
It’s important you know what a metabolic test is and what kind of information it provides. Metabolic testing is a type of assessment that enables you to measure your metabolic rate. It shows you how your body uses oxygen, burns calories, utilizes energy, etc.
Of course, there are different types of metabolic testing and each shows a different kind of data. To fully understand what your preferred metabolic test involves, you should discuss it with the professionals who will conduct your testing.
The three types of metabolic testing include:
- Lactate threshold test is meant for athletes and determines the level at which your body stops supplying oxygen for maximum athletic performance.
- Resting metabolic test determines your metabolic rate while you rest.
- VO2 max test measures your rate during physical activity.
Find out what our metabolic testing is at Leo’s Fitness Lab in San Diego
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Slow Metabolism | 8 Things that Slow Down Your Metabolism
How many times have you thought to yourself, “I can’t lose weight because of my slow metabolism?” Over the past two decades as nutritionists, we’ve heard that time and again from our clients. How do you know if your metabolism is actually slow? Can it be fixed? And is the problem really your metabolism?
Simply put, metabolism is the way your body converts the food and drink you consume for energy, and is usually measured in calories. We can determine how many calories your body burns each day by plugging information into a variety of formulas that have been designed to measure this. Click here to access the formulas and see what you get. As there is no single calculation that is considered the best, we recommend that you do all of the formulas, which will give you a range in which your metabolism may fall. A more accurate way is to have your metabolism measured through indirect calorimetry, which uses a machine to measure oxygen consumption. In less than 10 minutes you can know your resting metabolic rate (RMR).
Metabolism is a complex process that’s affected by more than just what you eat and how much you exercise. There are a number of factors that might be sabotaging your metabolism, and you might not even know it.
1. INCONSISTENT MEAL TIMES
When your meals times come at regularly spaced intervals, your body uses up the calories for fuel and burns more calories in between meals. If your eating pattern is erratic, your body gets confused and isn’t quite sure when the next meal is coming, so it goes into conservation mode. Calorie burn is reduced and more food is put into storage (fat cells and glycogen stores).
2. GETTING TOO LITTLE SLEEP
Numerous studies have shown that sleep is a key factor in gaining and losing weight. When you do not get enough sleep, hormones that control hunger and fullness go haywire. Too much ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and too little leptin (the fullness hormone) get produced, which leaves you feeling hungry all day and you lose the ability to know when you are full. Plus, more cortisol gets produced, which increases cravings for starchy, sugary and fatty foods. Recent studies on chronic sleep deprivation suggest that the calories you eat are burned less efficiently. Aim for 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
3. NOT EATING ENOUGH
If you are “dieting” to lose weight, eating too few calories can actually backfire and keep you from achieving your goal. Yes, creating a calorie deficit will help you lose weight, but there is a point in each individual that cutting calories too low will put the body into starvation mode and slow down metabolism to keep you alive. Make sure you get enough calories and a balance of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) to keep your metabolism from crashing. Read more about how to determine your macronutrient needs.
4. SKIPPING OUT ON STRENGTH TRAINING
Most people make the mistake of only doing cardio (aerobic) exercise because it burns a good amount of calories while it’s being done. But after the exercise is over, calorie burn returns to resting levels. Strength training is a key component of metabolism because it is directly linked to muscle mass. The more active muscle tissue you have, the higher your metabolic rate. Whether you lift weights, use resistance bands or use your own body weight for resistance, resistance creates microtears in the muscle tissue. As your body repairs these tears, muscle tissue grows and requires more calories to stay alive. One of the best ways to strength train to get the best response from your muscle is to focus on the eccentric (or lowering) portion of any move. Eccentric moves are more muscularly damaging and require more effort to repair than concentric movements (the lifting portion of a move), and thus increase metabolism more. So, slow down when you strength train to increase your metabolism.
5. SITTING TOO MUCH
If you exercise an hour a day, but spend the other 23 hours sitting or lying down, your metabolism will slow down. Sitting for longer than 20 minutes can put your body into a more relaxed, non-energy-burning state. If your job keeps you chained to a desk or behind the wheel, get up once an hour to move around for a few minutes. Periodically moving is shown to help decrease triglycerides, blood sugar, waistlines and cholesterol as well as cause a small spike in metabolism.
6. WHAT YOU DRINK
Consider this tip a two-for-one: Drinking too little water leads to dehydration, which can cause you to burn up to 2% fewer calories. All your body’s cellular functions require water, so sip it often. Drinking ice cold water can increase your metabolism by a few calories as your body heats the water to body temperature. Aim for at least 2 liters of water a day; drink more during hot and humid weather and when you sweat. At the other extreme, too much alcohol can impact your metabolism because excessive alcohol causes your liver to focus on breaking down alcohol molecules instead of burning fat. Plus, the calories from alcohol can add up quickly and impact weight.
7. YOU’RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH CALCIUM
The mineral best known for building strong bones plays a key role in fat metabolism, which determines whether you burn calories or store them as fat. Some of the best dietary sources of calcium come from dairy—organic milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese—which also benefit muscles because they contain whey and casein, proteins that help to build muscle and prevent muscle breakdown. Research from McMaster University showed that women who consumed more dairy lost more fat and gained more muscle mass than those who consumed less.
8. STRESS
We’ve saved the best for last. Stress is probably the number-one factor impacting metabolism. It increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that increases appetite and makes us reach for comfort foods. It can decrease our desire for exercise, even though exercise is a powerful stress-buster. Stress slows digestion, causing a lower need to metabolize calories. Plus, stress can impact both the quality of sleep and number hours we sleep, which, as described earlier, can decrease metabolism and promote weight gain
7 Ways to Slow Down Your Metabolism!
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Metabolism in adulthood does not slow as commonly believed, study finds
Blaming those extra pounds on a slowing metabolism as you age? Not so fast.
A new international study counters the common belief that our metabolism inevitably declines during our adult lives. Well, not until we’re in our 60s, anyway.
Researchers found that metabolism peaks around age 1, when babies burn calories 50 percent faster than adults, and then gradually declines roughly 3 percent a year until around age 20. From there, metabolism plateaus until about age 60, when it starts to slowly decline again, by less than 1 percent annually, according to findings published Thursday in the journal Science.
To tease out the specific impact of age on metabolism, the researchers adjusted for factors such as body size (bigger bodies burn more calories overall than smaller ones) and fat-free muscle mass (muscles burn more calories than fat).
“Metabolic rate is really stable all through adult life, 20 to 60 years old,” said study author Herman Pontzer, an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University and author of “Burn,” a new book about metabolism. “There’s no effect of menopause that we can see, for example. And you know, people will say, ‘Well when I hit 30 years old, my metabolism fell apart.’ We don’t see any evidence for that, actually.”
Pontzer and colleagues studied a database of more than 6,400 people, ages 8 days to 95 years, from 29 countries worldwide who had participated in “doubly labeled water” tests. With this method, individuals drink water in which some of the hydrogen and oxygen have been replaced with isotopes of these elements that can be traced in urine samples.
“By calculating how much hydrogen you lose per day, and how much oxygen you lose per day, we can calculate how much carbon dioxide your body produces every day,” Pontzer explained. “And that’s a very precise measurement of how many calories you burn every day, because you can’t burn calories without making carbon dioxide.”
The researchers analyzed average total daily energy expenditures, which include the calories we burn doing everything from breathing and digesting food to thinking and moving our bodies.
“There’s nothing sort of more fundamental and basic than how our bodies burn energy, because that represents how all our cells are busy all day doing their various tasks, and we didn’t have a good sense of how that changes over the course of a lifespan,” Pontzer said. “You need really big data sets to be able to answer that question. And this was the first time that we had the ability to do this with a really big data set that would allow us to pull apart the effects of body size and age and gender and all these things on our energy expenditures over the day.”
Take, for instance, the finding that metabolic rate declines in seniors, which might have been expected.
“People thought, ‘Well, maybe it’s because you’re less active, or maybe it’s because people tend to lose muscle mass as they get into their 60s, 70s and older,'” he said. “But we can correct for all those things. We can say, ‘No, no, no, it’s more than that.’ It’s that our cells are actually changing.”
Results did not show that metabolic rates spiked upward during the teen years or pregnancy, as commonly thought, or that there were specific differences between men and women after accounting for body size and composition.
What factors cause weight gain?
Registered dietitian Colleen Tewksbury, a senior research investigator at the University of Pennsylvania and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said the new study is surprising.
“Historical convention was really that with different life cycle changes — of puberty, of pregnancy, of menopause — we thought that there was some shift in metabolism and it impacted nutrition status and how we approached things from a nutrition standpoint,” she said. “This high-level rigorous assessment does not show that.”
It’s not as if the weight gain is occurring because you don’t ‘burn the same calories’ anymore.
But if changing metabolism is not playing a role in weight gain at certain points in adult life, there could be other contributing factors, she said.
“There are lots of things that impact weight status and also someone’s nutritional status,” Tewksbury said. “It’s not as simple as just one food or one lifestyle change or one change from a biological standpoint. It’s more likely a much more complex web of lots of different changes happening at once. So that could be changes to food intake. It could be changes in activity levels. It can be where they’re living, what they have access to, what are their sleep changes.”
Steven Malin, an associate professor of kinesiology and health and director of the Rutgers Applied Metabolism and Physiology Laboratory, called the study results “illuminating on something that we thought we know a lot about and realize that there’s more to be discovered.”
Malin said the findings, for instance, contradict the belief that adults experience a decline in metabolism as they move from their 20s into their 30s and that this may be contributing to the obesity epidemic.
“It’s not as if the weight gain is occurring because you don’t ‘burn the same calories’ anymore,” he said.
Pontzer said the findings in early life highlight the critical importance of infant nutrition meeting the increasing energy demands of growing babies.
In addition, he said, the study results could have implications for how much medicine people need at various ages, when they could be metabolizing drugs differently.
In a commentary published with the new study, Timothy Rhoads and Rozalyn Anderson, who work in geriatrics at the University of Wisconsin, said the findings also may have implications for the study of age-related diseases.
“The decline from age 60 is thought to reflect a change in tissue-specific metabolism, the energy expended on maintenance,” they wrote. “It cannot be a coincidence that the increase in incidence of noncommunicable diseases and disorders begins in this same time frame.”
90,000 Eat and lose weight. How does metabolism change with age and is it possible to influence it
https://ria.ru/20210907/metabolizm-1748596716.html
Eat and lose weight. How metabolism changes with age and is it possible to influence it
Eat and lose weight. How metabolism changes with age and is it possible to influence it – RIA Novosti, 09. 09.2021
Eat and lose weight. How metabolism changes with age and is it possible to influence it
In childhood, the metabolism in the human body is very fast, and after 20 years it slows down, but not as dramatically and radically as previously thought.Therefore … RIA Novosti, 09.09.2021
2021-09-07T08: 00
2021-09-07T08: 00
2021-09-09T20: 29
science
sleep
diet
health
biology
aging
sleep
metabolism
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MOSCOW, September 7 – RIA Novosti, Alfiya Enikeeva. In childhood, the metabolism in the human body is very fast, and after 20 years it slows down, but not as dramatically and radically as previously thought. Therefore, you should not justify the extra pounds by metabolism. Age without features By the end of the 1990s, physiologists agreed that after 30, due to a slowdown in metabolism in the body, you can not get fat only by changing your dietary habits and lifestyle. In 2018, American scientists lowered the critical age to 25.In addition, experts noted that it is more difficult for women to control weight, especially after menopause. However, as an international group of scientists recently found out, extra pounds have nothing to do with metabolism. It stays the same for a significant part of its life – and only slows down after 60 years. Experts came to such conclusions after analyzing the data of about six and a half thousand people aged from eight days to 95 years. In the morning, the subjects drank a glass of water, some of the molecules of which, instead of the usual hydrogen and oxygen atoms, contained heavy isotopes.By the rate at which they were washed out of the body – for this, samples of saliva and urine were collected – and by the volume of carbon dioxide exhaled by the participants during their daily activities, the number of calories burned was monitored. This method is called “double-labeled water” and is often used in experiments. After processing the obtained data, scientists noticed that the human metabolic rate reaches its peak at the age of 12 months. Adjusted for body size, babies consume 50 percent more energy than adults.Throughout childhood and adolescence, the metabolic rate drops by about three percent per year. This continues until 20 years, after which it remains stable up to 60. Then the indicator gradually decreases – by 0.7 percent per year. The authors of the work explain the slowdown of metabolism at sixty by the fact that at this time a person’s muscle mass is reduced. Therefore, by the age of 90, the body needs one third less energy than in middle age. Slow Down Cannot Be Accelerated However, as the researchers note, their formula for slowing metabolism does not work the same for everyone.Some have a normal metabolism 25 percent lower than the average for their age, others a quarter higher. These borderline values do not change the overall picture. But scientists do not understand why two people of the same height and complexion can have very different metabolic rates. No hypotheses have yet been confirmed. At least, experts have refuted the assumptions that gender and age play a leading role. But there is evidence that the metabolic rate may depend on lifestyle.In particular, all kinds of diets have a big impact. American scientists have observed 14 volunteers for six years and found that if you lose weight dramatically, your metabolism slows down, and significantly. They measured body weight, fat, hormone levels, and metabolic rate among participants in the reality show The Biggest Loser. Those in 30 weeks lost tens of kilograms – but after six years, 13 of them returned to their previous weight or even gained even more. At the same time, the participant’s body burned on average five hundred kilocalories less daily than would be expected given the weight.In addition, the concentration of the hunger hormone leptin was reduced by about 40 percent compared to that recorded before the show. However, as the authors of the study note, this effect can be avoided if you lose weight gradually over a long period of time. Getting Fat from Sleep Judging by the work of South Korean scientists, poor sleep patterns can also inhibit metabolism. Experts came to such conclusions after studying data on the health and lifestyle of more than 133 thousand people aged 40 to 69.Information has been collected for nine years. As a result, it turned out that one in three men and one in four women have metabolic problems that lead to hypertension, obesity, high sugar and low levels of good cholesterol in the blood. At the same time, all these people either do not get enough sleep, or they sleep too much. Sleep deficiency (less than six hours a day) negatively affects the health of men, and an excess of it (more than ten hours a day) affects the condition of women. The ideal duration of sleep, according to the authors of the work, is seven to eight hours a day.In those observing this regime, the metabolic rate corresponds to the age and size of the body. Chocolate for metabolism One of the few ways to somehow speed up metabolism was found by Spanish and American scientists – however, it is suitable only for women. For six weeks, experts observed 19 participants in the experiment, who for the first 14 days, in addition to the usual diet, ate one hundred grams of milk chocolate for breakfast, the next 14 days for dinner, and then abstained from it. At the beginning and at the end of each stage, the researchers measured their metabolic and calorimetric parameters.They found that a morning serving of chocolate reduced your calorie intake by three hundred a day, lowered fasting glucose levels, and increased lipid oxidation levels by 25 percent. Evening chocolate also reduced calorie intake by only 150 per day, increased physical activity by nearly seven percent and oxidized carbohydrates by 35.3 percent. It is worth noting that the weight of the participants during the study did not change in any way, although one hundred grams of chocolate is an additional 542 kilocalories. Scientists suggest that a similar effect is caused by substances that make up chocolate, in particular, epicatechin, which has been proven to affect appetite.However, in order to confirm or disprove the results obtained, additional experiments are needed.
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sleep, diet, health, biology, aging, sleep, metabolism, coronavirus covid-19
MOSCOW, September 7 – RIA Novosti, Alfiya Enikeeva. In childhood, the metabolism in the human body is very fast, and after 20 years it slows down, but not as dramatically and radically as previously thought. Therefore, you should not justify the extra pounds by metabolism.
Age without features
By the end of the 1990s, physiologists agreed that after 30, due to a slowdown in metabolism in the body, you can not get fat only by changing your dietary habits and lifestyle. In 2018, American scientists lowered the critical age to 25. In addition, experts noted that it is more difficult for women to control weight, especially after menopause. However, as an international group of scientists recently found out, extra pounds have nothing to do with metabolism. It stays the same for a significant part of its life – and only slows down after 60 years. Experts came to such conclusions after analyzing the data of about six and a half thousand people aged from eight days to 95 years.
In the morning, the subjects drank a glass of water, some of the molecules of which, instead of the usual atoms of hydrogen and oxygen, contained heavy isotopes.By the rate at which they were washed out of the body – for this, samples of saliva and urine were collected – and by the volume of carbon dioxide exhaled by the participants during their daily activities, the number of calories burned was monitored. This method is called “double-labeled water” and is often used in experiments.
Having processed the obtained data, scientists noticed that the metabolic rate in humans reaches its peak at the age of 12 months. Adjusted for body size, babies consume 50 percent more energy than adults.
Throughout childhood and adolescence, the metabolic rate drops by about three percent per year. This continues until 20 years, after which it remains stable up to 60. Then the indicator gradually decreases – by 0.7 percent per year. The authors of the work explain the slowdown of metabolism at sixty by the fact that at this time a person’s muscle mass is reduced. Therefore, by the age of 90, the body needs one third less energy than in middle age.
December 6, 2018, 16:56Some have a normal metabolism 25 percent lower than the average for their age, others a quarter higher. These borderline values do not change the overall picture. But scientists do not understand why two people of the same height and complexion can have very different metabolic rates. No hypotheses have yet been confirmed. At least, experts have refuted the assumptions that gender and age play a leading role.
But there is evidence that the metabolic rate may depend on the lifestyle.In particular, all kinds of diets have a big impact. May 26, 2020, 18:45 They measured body weight, fat, hormone levels, and metabolic rate among participants in the reality show The Biggest Loser. Those in 30 weeks lost tens of kilograms – but after six years, 13 of them returned to their previous weight or even gained even more.
At the same time, the participant’s body burned on average five hundred kilocalories less daily than could be expected given the mass. In addition, the concentration of the hunger hormone leptin was reduced by about 40 percent compared to that recorded before the show.
However, as the authors of the study note, this effect can be avoided if you lose weight gradually over a long period of time.
September 4, 2018, 09:46Experts came to such conclusions after studying data on the health and lifestyle of more than 133 thousand people aged 40 to 69. The information was collected for nine years. As a result, it turned out that one in three men and one in four women have metabolic problems that lead to hypertension, obesity, high sugar and low levels of good cholesterol in the blood.
At the same time, all these people either do not get enough sleep, or they sleep too much. Sleep deficiency (less than six hours a day) negatively affects the health of men, and an excess of it (more than ten hours a day) affects the condition of women.The ideal duration of sleep, according to the authors of the work, is seven to eight hours a day. In those observing this regime, the metabolic rate corresponds to the age and body size.
24 May 2018, 15:08 ScienceScientists talked about the benefits of sleep for future use on the weekend
Chocolate for metabolism
For six weeks, experts observed 19 participants in the experiment, who for the first 14 days, in addition to the usual diet, ate one hundred grams of milk chocolate for breakfast, the next 14 days for dinner, and then abstained from it. At the beginning and at the end of each stage, the researchers measured their metabolic and calorimetric parameters.
Morning chocolate was found to reduce calorie intake by three hundred per day, lower fasting glucose levels, and increase lipid oxidation levels by 25 percent. Evening chocolate also reduced calorie intake by only 150 per day, increased physical activity by nearly seven percent and oxidized carbohydrates by 35.3 percent.
March 1, 09:23
American scientists have revealed an unexpected property of chocolate
It is worth noting that the weight of the participants did not change during the study, although one hundred grams of chocolate is an additional 542 kilocalories.
Scientists suggest that a similar effect is caused by substances that make up chocolate – in particular, epicatechin, which has been proven to affect appetite. However, in order to confirm or disprove the results obtained, additional experiments are needed.
Named 5 ways to boost your metabolism – Rossiyskaya Gazeta
Many people who find it difficult to lose weight blame their slow metabolism for this.
Metabolism is a complex natural process that takes place in the cells of the body and helps to convert the received food into energy necessary for life.Of course, a person is not able to change some things that affect his work (for example, age or medical history). But something is still in his power. There are some simple tips on how to increase your metabolism, writes Zee News.
1. Eat well.
The fact is that when you cut yourself down in nutrition, the body, in order to conserve energy, begins to reduce the rate at which calories are burned. Thus, the metabolism slows down. Therefore, instead of diets that inhibit metabolism, it is better to take care of providing yourself with enough calories to maintain normal metabolic function.
2. Don’t skip breakfast.
Many people skip breakfast or other meals in an effort to limit their calorie intake and lose weight. But it’s not right. Regular meals, frequent meals, especially breakfast, help to kick-start the digestion process and with it metabolism, as well as regulate blood sugar levels.
3. Include foods with omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. These beneficial substances help to increase metabolism.In addition, they seem to help balance blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation in the body, which helps in regulating metabolism.
4. Remain physically active. It is well known that aerobic exercise is a great way to burn extra calories. According to the recommendations, a week for such active activities (they include, for example, walking, riding a bicycle), you should devote at least 150 minutes (for example, half an hour a day, five days a week). Physical activity coupled with sensible eating habits can help you lose weight faster.
5. Get enough sleep. Sleep plays an important role in the regulation of metabolism and appetite. There has been a proven link between lack of sleep and inadequate metabolic rate. Sleep loss can affect basic metabolic functions, such as those related to hormone regulation. Previously, researchers found that lack of sleep leads to an increased need for food.
ASICS Frontrunner – How to speed up your metabolism
Metabolism (metabolism) are chemical reactions in the body that are aimed at converting food intake into energy and calories.The slowed down metabolism in humans does not contribute to the appearance of excess weight and fatty deposits in the tissues. First of all, the cause of excess weight is low physical activity and high consumption of unhealthy high-calorie foods, as well as drinks in the form of soda or alcohol.
Here are the main factors that will help you speed up your metabolism.
1. Regular food
Eating food has been proven to speed up your metabolism much better than anything else.
Well … seems to be true, but not quite. Food triggers the metabolism, if you eat too much, this effect will be in vain. But more importantly, if you eat at the wrong time, you are also making a mistake.
The best thing to do is to eat several times during the day. But there should be only three main (main and nutritious) meals and two or three additional small meals, which can be called a “healthy snack.” Thus, you speed up your metabolism constantly throughout the day.
Another very important thing is to eat right after you wake up, in other words, a full breakfast. Why?
During sleep, the body’s metabolism slows down by up to 30%. Therefore, when you wake up, the body is still in a safe mode, and thus it prepares for another possible wave of fasting, similar to the one it had overnight. In short, it starts to store nutrients in fat storage.
By eating in the morning, as soon as you wake up, you stop this process, and instead of slowing down, you actually speed up your metabolism.Fasting, on the other hand, will only slow down your metabolism, and you will begin to waste your body’s potential for burning calories.
2. Water
I have already written about this many times. You must understand the simple mechanism behind this word.
We know that water is used by the body to process calories, and is also used by any other mechanism that works inside our body (not directly here, but mild dehydration can slow down the processes that occur daily in our body).Because of this, a lack of water is known to slow down metabolism, as well as many other unpleasant things. Drink pure natural water and eat fruits and vegetables for a snack.
Just as a warning, if you thought that the water intake could be increased and think that you can speed up the process by drinking five times the recommended amount, this is a misconception. The body is not adapted to work with this amount of water, so be careful.
3.Spicy food
Chili peppers, when added to food, are known to boost your metabolism. But there are also many other spices that can add to this effect. Almost all of them have chemical compounds that make your metabolism go wild.
It is a well-known fact that many spices have hundreds of other benefits. For example, curry. It can prevent serious diseases and it can also burn fat cells. So don’t be afraid to add spice to your food if you love it.I really love spicy food and this item is exactly for me.
4. Protein
Speaking of nutrition, I’ve already told you why protein is so good, but now let’s focus on its power to speed up your metabolism. The fact is that the digestive system of our body needs more energy to process protein.
Protein is necessary for the body, like air, do not forget about its regular consumption. However, by including protein in the diet, a person stays full longer, and thanks to protein food, metabolism speeds up its work processes.
5. Coffee
I myself love coffee.
It has long been no secret that coffee and green tea are the most effective metabolism boosters. They are also high in antioxidants, help lower blood sugar and burn more fat.
The main thing is to understand that coffee, like green tea, must be of high quality and consumed in moderation.
Although caffeine can increase metabolism in the short term, this effect decreases in the long term due to addiction.If you are interested in coffee for the sake of burning fat, then it is better to drink it in cycles to prevent the accumulation of tolerance. For example, cycles of two weeks of drinking coffee, two weeks of rest.
6. Morning workout
Did you feel like you don’t want to get out of bed in the morning? If so, try this: Start with a simple exercise that flows into more time-consuming exercise. And over time, day after day, you will be able to overpower yourself and go to your first morning run.
Not only will it give you a huge amount of energy for the short as well as the long term, but it will also increase your metabolism. Morning workouts improve my concentration and help me stay alert throughout the day.
7. Divide workout
It’s interesting to know that splitting your workout in two can have a huge impact on getting rid of a lot of calories.
This is not always practical for many, but for those whose schedule allows it, it can be quite a tricky trick.And if you’re asking how, keep in mind that it’s best to focus on the harder part first and then move on to the easier part in the afternoon.
However, never do any heavy exercises in the first workout, otherwise the energy will not remain for the second one. Many people say that it is not advisable to exercise before bedtime, since preparing the body for sleep is one of the principles of a healthy lifestyle. But I often deviate from this rule. But that’s another topic for conversation.
8. Muscles
When people are in their twenties or thirties, the metabolism is faster. So during the day, their bodies burn a lot more calories simply by sitting, lying down and in their usual calm position. It slows down with time and age.
But here’s what’s interesting:
Just by adding a little muscle, you will double and even triple this process. Imagine burning calories while watching TV, or even now as you read this. Pretty cool, huh?
The answer behind this is that the muscles require more maintenance, so more calories are wasted.So adding some muscle will do wonders for your metabolism in the long run.
9. Breathing
What the body needs in order to work and keep all systems in working order is oxygen.
The trick here is to be where the air quality is best. Less polluted places, nature, etc. So take a walk in a nearby park or forest, or spend a long weekend out in nature. Camping, hiking, running in the mountains …
I myself adore suburban life.I am very tired of the metropolis in which I was born and raised. From time to time I go out of town, into nature and fresh air. It’s no surprise that people living in rural areas have faster metabolic rates. At the moment, I have been living in nature for the second month already, without feeling exhaust gases, extraneous noise, etc., and believe me, I have tested the effect of increased metabolism on myself.
There are also now a huge number of different breathing techniques that can be learned. They will teach you how to breathe in and out better to get more oxygen.
10.Sleep
During sleep, we go through several 90-minute cycles of deep and light sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation (less than seven hours a day) also slows down metabolism. Sleep should be natural and healthy.
The delayed fat burning effect after intense exercise may not be realized if adequate sleep is not ensured, sugar is taken during or after exercise.
A high level of the hormone cortisol not only disrupts the deep sleep phase, but also neutralizes the work of growth hormones.This leads to the accumulation of fat.
Due to lack of sleep, not only the body’s ability to get rid of excess fat is blocked, it also causes the hormonal system to go astray, the feeling of hunger intensifies, the aging process accelerates, we lose more energy and lose clarity of thought.
When we sleep, we have fat burning hormones at work. Their level begins to rise within the first two hours after falling asleep. Growth hormone levels rise especially intensely from midnight to four in the morning.By skipping sleep during this period, we inhibit the metabolic process.
In other words, WHILE WE’RE SLEEPING, WE LET WEIGHT, thanks to the bursts of growth hormones during the deep phase of sleep. It will be difficult to catch up in the event of a lack of sleep.
That’s all I wanted to tell you about today. Try to implement as many points from my article as possible and your metabolism will fly. It is very difficult to focus on everyone, but now, during the period of self-isolation, you can try many of them.
All of these points will also take you one step closer to leading a healthy lifestyle.Have fun implementing these recommendations and be healthy!
How to speed up metabolism: 10 ways :: Health :: RBC Style
author
Frida Moreva
04 October 2021
RBC Style understands how to expend more calories effortlessly.
1. Lie on the couch
Usually, lying on the couch is associated only with immobility and excess weight, but at the same time, these are moments of comfort and relaxation. Stress stimulates the production of the hormone cortisol.Increased cortisol causes metabolic disorders in the long term. Therefore, if you are not one of those happy people who can find peace of mind through walking or dancing, take time to just recover. If necessary – on the couch with your favorite TV series.
2. Skip the evening glass of wine
The same stress can introduce the habit of relaxing in the evening with a glass of red. But it is known that even one glass of alcohol can negatively affect metabolism, causing metabolic diseases such as diabetes.If you need a ritual for an evening break, try to build it not around alcohol, but around warm, healthy drinks – herbal or berry teas.
3. Choose healthy desserts
Simple carbohydrates – sweets and white flour products – quickly raise blood sugar levels, trigger the process of fat storage and make the body insulin resistant. At the same time, desserts are an important part of a social ritual that you often don’t want to miss.Compromise – fruit desserts, cottage cheese treats with nuts without added sugar, whole wheat cookies with banana and raisins. Yes, fruits also contain sugar, but together with fiber, it is absorbed and enters the blood more slowly.
4. Dance
Even the smallest activity during the day – dancing in line, striking a rhythm with your feet while working at the table, walking around the bus stop while waiting for the bus – burns calories and forces you to get rid of excess supplies.An hour of such activity per day without changing other factors can allow you to lose up to one kilogram per month!
5. Drink coffee
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, and with it the metabolism, which can accelerate by 5-8% (100-150 kcal per day). Plus, having a cup of coffee before your workout can help you feel energized and exercise more efficiently. It is important to discuss this issue with your gastroenterologist – for some gastrointestinal problems, this drink is undesirable.
6. Compensate for deficiencies in a sedentary lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle causes a range of health problems and slows down the metabolism. To feel better and increase your daily activity, make it a habit to do a 10-minute warm-up every hour. Alternatively, try a desk that allows you to work while standing.
7. Eat more vegetables
Fiber in vegetables requires additional energy (calories) from the body for digestion and assimilation.In addition, vegetables in most cases are low in calories and high in vitamins, which is also good for weight loss.
8. Don’t forget about snacks
Long breaks between meals or fasting can slow down the metabolism. So make sure you eat more or less regularly. In addition, such a trick as a light snack a couple of hours before the main meal (a glass of kefir, vegetable salad, a plate of light soup) will help to avoid overeating.
9. Exercise at least five minutes a day
High intensity cardio workout burns calories primarily through high oxygen consumption. Plus, it boosts metabolic activity by 24 hours, even if it’s only five minutes a day. Take this time for yourself, and after a couple of weeks you will feel more fit.
10.Try to walk more
Walking is a load that is easy for most of us to do every day. It helps to warm up, relieve stress, speed up metabolism and stimulate the body to burn more calories. Half an hour a day is a serious investment in your health.
90,000 do food and pills help speed up metabolism
Vika Vishnyakova
nutritionist
Author’s profile
I am a nutritionist, I advise people on healthy eating.
People regularly come to me, confident that they do not lose weight due to a slow metabolism, and that they will not lose weight until it is accelerated. In reality, this theory has never been confirmed, but the consequences of an independent “acceleration” of metabolism, I repeatedly had to eliminate together with the doctors. I’ll tell you if metabolism can really be controlled and if there is any benefit from trying to do it.
See your doctor
Our articles are written with a passion for evidence-based medicine.We refer to reputable sources and go for comments from reputable doctors. But remember: the responsibility for your health lies with you and your doctor. We do not write prescriptions, we make recommendations. It is up to you to rely on our point of view or not.
What is metabolism
For everything in our body to work – the heart beats, the lungs breathe and the blood flows through the veins – we need energy and building materials. The body converts everything that we eat and drink into energy and building material, and the conversion process is called metabolism or metabolism.Every living thing has metabolism, even bacteria and plants.
The amount of energy that each food contains is called caloric value, and the amount of building material is called nutrients. These are the same proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
Metabolism is a complex biochemical process. In short, food is broken down into molecules in the body using enzymes. These molecules enter the Krebs cycle – a sequence of chemical reactions during which molecules are converted into compounds the body needs, and energy is released.The cycle – because the reactions go on continuously, and whatever we eat, it will “spin” in a cycle until it is completely split.
How Metabolism Works – Harvard Medical School
The metabolic rate, that is, the rate of biochemical processes, does not obey our consciousness and cannot be changed in any way. It is regulated by hormones of the thyroid and pancreas, adrenal glands, ovaries and pituitary gland.
In a healthy person, the metabolism works in such a way that the processes of energy consumption and energy expenditure are balanced.That is, if any of the reactions proceeds faster or slower than usual, then hormones help compensate for this acceleration or slowdown in other places of metabolism.
And if any of the processes slows down or accelerates without compensation, then this is a pathology that a doctor should deal with. For example, this happens in people with hypothyroidism, a disease in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, so the balance is disturbed.
Hypothyroidism – NHS
If we could make the molecules run faster in the Krebs cycle, this would not lead to a change in weight: after all, the whole cycle boils down to converting food into energy and building materials.Even if the body very, very quickly turns buckwheat into energy, it will be deposited in a reserve if more of it has come than is needed to cover all energy needs.
When do you need to contact an endocrinologist
Denis Lebedev
Endocrinologist
Sometimes excess body weight really speaks of disorders in the endocrine system associated with a particular hormone. In these cases, in addition to weight gain, the person will experience certain health problems.
For example, if there is a thyroid disorder, fatigue, dry skin, muscle pain and an irregular menstrual cycle may be troublesome. It is easy to exclude the pathology of the thyroid gland; for this, the attending physician will prescribe an analysis for thyroid-stimulating hormone – TSH. If its concentration in the blood is normal, then the increase in body weight is not associated with the thyroid gland.
What is the problem with metabolic boosters
It is a myth that metabolism can be accelerated through diet, special foods or supplements.Neither regular exercise, nor celery, nor dietary supplements can change the rate at which food turns into energy and nutrients.
Power mode. The theory that eating just a little bit will speed up your metabolism has no scientific basis. According to research, those who ate often – six times a day – did not lose weight, but more often felt hungry. Conversely, those who ate once a day did not gain weight and did not feel discomfort. Therefore, you can eat as often as you feel comfortable: this will not have any effect on metabolism.
How Food Frequency Affects Weight – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
“Fat burning” products. Green tea, grapefruit or red hot peppers also do not increase your metabolism. They briefly increase the thermic effect of food – the amount of calories the body uses to digest. But this is insignificant compared to the entire volume of calories that our body spends to maintain daily physiological processes and does not affect weight in any way.
dietary supplements. Most metabolic drugs are dummies. They contain vitamins in micro doses, plants or extracts that act as placebo. Take garcinia cambogia, chitosan, chromium picolinate, pyruvate, and glucomannan, for example. Scientific studies have not found any effect of these supplements on metabolic rate or weight loss.
Review of Nutritional Supplements for Weight Loss – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
In addition to useless plant extracts, some dietary supplements may contain diuretics or laxatives, such as senna extract.A person thinks that he is losing weight, but in fact he loses water, which soon returns to its usual volume.
The problem is that dietary supplements do not undergo such strict control as drugs, so we cannot be completely sure that there are no dangerous substances in dietary supplements to speed up metabolism. For example, a study of 52 caffeinated dietary supplements showed that 28 samples contain sibutramine, a prescription drug that can only be taken under medical supervision, phenolphthalein, a laxative that is dangerous to health, and psychotropic substances amfepramone and fenproporex.
It is even worse if the supplements affect the thyroid gland. They can really speed up the metabolism, since thyroid hormones regulate its rate, but such an intervention can lead to diseases of the gland itself. In the USA, the drug Triax had just such a mechanism of action, and has been banned for sale for more than 20 years. Such substances can be found in any dietary supplement, since they do not undergo strict control.
Banning Triax – American Thyroid Association
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Why are we gaining weight
When people talk about fast or slow metabolism, they usually mean weight loss or gain. The fact is that in most cases we lose weight or gain weight not because of the metabolic rate, but because of the deficit or excess of calories that we consume every day. Unlike the speed of biochemical processes, this parameter can be influenced.
Basic calorie requirement – NHS
Calorie expenditure for physical activity – International Journal of the Sports Nutrition Society
During the day, about 70% of all calories, the body spends on functions that occur without our conscious participation: respiration, heartbeat, hormone production, cell growth and repair.This is the basic expense. Another 5-10% is spent on digestion and assimilation of food. The body spends the remaining 20% on physical activity.
Contribution of organs and tissues to body weight and the amount of energy they need to function
% of our weight | % of required energy | |
---|---|---|
Muscle | 40% | 20% |
Adipose tissue | 31% | 3% |
Liver | 2.6% | 19% |
Brain | 2.0% | 17% |
Digestive system | 1.7% | 10% |
Heart | 0.5% | 8% |
Kidneys | 0.4% | 7% |
Remaining | 31% | 16% |
% of our weight
40%
% of required energy
20%
Adipose tissue
% of our weight
31%
% of required energy
3%
% of our weight
2.6%
% of required energy
19%
% of our weight
2.0%
% of required energy
17%
Digestive system
% of our weight
1.7%
% of required energy
10%
% of our weight
0.5%
% of required energy
8%
% of our weight
0.4%
% of required energy
7%
% of our weight
31%
% of required energy
16%
Source: Comparison of sedentary lifestyles and physical activity in obese children and adolescents – European Childhood Obesity Group
With an excess of calories, the body stores the excess in the reserve, with a deficit, it spends it from the reserve.First, the extra calories are stored in the form of bound glucose molecules called glycogen. The maximum supply of glycogen is small – about 100 g. It is stored in the liver and goes to nourish the cells of the brain and central nervous system. The rest of the excess is stored in the body in the form of adipose tissue, and this reserve has no limit of accumulation. If we eat more calories than the body needs, then we gain weight, and vice versa, if not enough, we lose weight.
How many calories do we need
The required number of calories depends on the lifestyle, which we will talk about below, and on individual parameters: gender, age, weight, height and volume of muscle mass.
Weight and height. Everything is simple here: the more a person, the more calories he needs to feed the entire body. For example, if a person weighing 70 kg and a height of 178 cm needs 2500 calories per day, then for a person weighing 55 kg and a height of 165 cm this will be a lot.
Muscle mass. Nutrition of muscles requires almost twice as many calories as nutrition of body fat. Therefore, for the same weight, people with less muscle need fewer calories.
Calorie requirements for men and women – American Journal of Human Biology
Pol. In most cases, men need more calories because they have more muscle mass and less fat than women.
Age. As we get older, there is less muscle tissue and more fatty tissue. Therefore, with age, a person needs less and less calories. For example, the same 2500 kilocalories that were required at 20 years old will be a lot at 60 years old.
To find out how many calories a particular person needs, you can use special formulas. There are several of them, but the American Dietetic Association considers the Mifflin-San Geor formula to be the most accurate. It takes into account the lifestyle and individual parameters of a person: weight, height, muscle mass, gender and age.
Why you don’t have to count calories all your life
You don’t need to count calories all the time to stay healthy. A person who does not have problems with hormones needs to maintain physical activity, improve sleep, eat balanced and with pleasure, relying on the feeling of hunger and satiety.This will be enough so that the weight does not change up or down in an unpredictable scenario.
None of the world’s leading nutrition organizations suggest that all people, without exception, count calories. This is just one of the tools to help you lose weight. But regularly writing down and weighing each meal is an unhealthy relationship with food. Endless calorie counting and weighing food can trigger eating disorders – diseases in which a person has no control over their diet.For example, eats too little for fear of gaining weight, breaks down and overeats. Such a diet is ultimately harmful to health.
Eating disorders are a type of mental disorder, and most often they cannot be dealt with alone, so the help of specialists may be required: a psychotherapist, nutritionist, endocrinologist.
How to regulate the number of calories
Physical activity
Daily expenditure on physical activity – about 20% of all incoming calories.At the same time, the lion’s share of the calories spent from this group are not special workouts in the gym, but the most common everyday activities: go to the store, wash the floor, walk from the entrance to the car. On them, we spend up to 800 kcal per day, which is about two to three times more than during training in the gym. As a result, moving more in everyday life can be no less useful than working out in the gym three times a week, and the rest of the time working while sitting at the computer and relaxing lying on the couch.
Role of daily activity in obesity – Mayo Clinic
Physical activity guidelines – WHO
Lack of daily physical activity is one of the causes of obesity. For the prevention of obesity, WHO recommends 150 to 300 minutes of activity per week at moderate intensity. This is about 22 minutes of brisk walking every day. If we move more, we will spend more calories.
How to regulate the number of calories
Nutrition
If a person wants to stay in his weight, it is enough not to exceed the required calorie intake.If the goal is to lose weight, then you need to create a calorie deficit: consume less than you spend. Then the body will burn reserves from adipose tissue and the weight will begin to decrease. Scientists recommend a small deficit – up to 700 kilocalories per day. Weight will decrease slowly, up to a kilogram per week, but without negative health effects.
It is generally accepted that for weight loss it is necessary to exclude fast food from the diet: burgers, french fries, donuts. In fact, with a calorie deficit, you can lose weight even with the most unhealthy diet options.Another issue is that unhealthy food – with an abundance of sweet, fatty and salty foods – is a risk factor for diabetes, ischemia and other diseases. And it is necessary to limit fast food in the diet not for the sake of weight loss, but for the prevention of diseases.
Comparison of low and high fat diets – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Association between consumption of ultraprocessed foods and mortality – British Medical Journal
The optimal diet is a balanced diet of all five food groups: vegetables and fruits, complex carbohydrates, fats, protein and dairy products.Scientists suggest using the plate rule: a meal should consist of half of vegetables and fruits, a quarter of proteins and another quarter of carbohydrates.
Complex carbohydrates should be in the most unrefined form, that is, together with the shell, for example, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, potatoes with peels, bread from second grade flour. And the protein part should include not only meat, but also fish, legumes, nuts and dairy products. Source: Health Canada If you think you are not eating much but are still gaining weight, review your diet.It is likely that the excess calories will not be in food at all, but in drinks. Energy drinks, so as not to fall asleep at work, fruit juices or coffee from your favorite coffee shop can contain up to ten teaspoons of sugar per mug. Source: The President and Fellows of Harvard College
In an effort to eat as few calories as possible, you should not go to the extreme: if you reduce your calorie intake below the norm that the body needs for basic expenditures, weight stops losing.
When calories are extremely low, the body is forced to break down muscles in order to maintain vital functions.And the less muscle mass, the less the body spends calories. But when you return to an adequate number of calories, you will gain fat mass, because the body will already consume fewer calories than before the diet.
How to regulate the number of calories
Healthy sleep
There is evidence to date that insomnia and other sleep disorders can increase the risks of obesity. Why this happens, scientists do not fully know. Perhaps with insomnia, people eat corny at night.Or maybe it’s the increasing stress levels of sleep deprivation, which some people eat.
Sleep and Metabolism Relationship – International Journal of Endocrinology
But even without an accurate understanding of how sleep affects weight, we can still focus on healthy, quality sleep to reduce the potential risk of gaining weight.
Remember
- Metabolism is the biochemical process of converting food into energy for the body.
- Metabolism cannot be accelerated with a diet, “fat burning” foods or dietary supplements.These methods will not affect your metabolic rate in any way, but they can harm your health.
- Most often, metabolism is not to blame for weight gain, but the regular inconspicuous calorie intake.
- It is not some special product or dietary supplement that will help maintain weight or return to healthy, but a change in lifestyle.
- If changes in lifestyle do not result in any changes in weight or well-being, consult a doctor. Sometimes this can be a symptom of endocrine disorders, which only a doctor can recognize.
Strong weight loss slows down metabolism for a long time / Habr
Researchers from the Research Institute of Diabetes and Kidney and Digestive System Diseases (USA) published a paper in Obesity magazine, which shares the results of observation of former participants in the reality show “The Biggest Loser”. According to the data obtained, fat men who lost a lot of weight retain an abnormally slow metabolism even several years after dramatic weight loss.
Scientists tracked the history of 14 TV show participants, and found that sudden weight loss led to a significant decrease in the rate at which the body spends calories during rest.A similar condition persisted for six years after losing weight. This leads to the fact that it becomes more difficult for people to maintain a normal weight – almost all participants have returned or approached their former weight.
In the description of the work, scientists put forward a hypothesis according to which the body deliberately slows down its metabolism in order to return weight to a certain constant value, which it tries to maintain. If the work is recognized, this hypothesis will explain why it is so difficult to maintain weight after shedding those extra pounds.
Metabolic measurements were taken from the participants immediately prior to filming, immediately after filming, and six years after the show. During the 30 weeks the show was filmed, the average participant lost 64 kg. At the beginning of filming, the participants spent 2607 ± 649 kcal per day. By the end of the process, this rate had dropped to 1996 ± 358 kcal per day. And the more the participant lost weight, the more his metabolism slowed down.
Six years after the show, only one competitor was lighter than at the end of the competition.The remaining 13 gained back – five of them came close to their original indicators. And still, their metabolic rate remained low – an average of 1903 ± 466 kcal per day, which is about 500 kcal per day less than the average person should have.
Researchers noted that during gastric bypass surgery, in which the working volume of this organ is significantly reduced to accelerate saturation, the metabolic rate does not change. This operation really helps to lose weight especially problem patients, and in this case there is no particular weight value that the body would strive for.
The Diabetes and Kidney and Digestive System Research Institute is affiliated with the US National Institutes of Health. This is an agency of the United States Department of Health. It is the main center of the US government responsible for health research and biomedicine. Consists of 27 institutes and research centers.
PREVENTION OF SECONDING METABOLISM. – cogito ergo sum, or notes of a blonde – LiveJournal
Recently, I had several mini-discussions in my and friendly LJ on the subject of the plateau.I advise everyone who is interested to read the article below.
PREVENTION OF DECELERATION OF METABOLISM.
DEVELOP A PLAN FIRST, AND THEN RIP THE ASS.
Cliff Wilson
Attention, the article has been arrogantly taken from the Internet. The theses voiced here are familiar to me, applied in practice by me, and I can confirm that it works. But you, of course, have a unique organism that works differently than nature laid down in all sotalnye …
I post it here, maybe someone else does not know and will be useful.
I constantly see compromised metabolism and severe metabolic problems rampant in bodybuilding. A disrupted metabolism is essentially a drastic slowdown caused by excessive calorie restriction, a lot of cardio and stress. Speaking on behalf of all good trainers, there are not so many things in the world worse than a completely killed metabolism of your new client. But even worse, when I find out that another trainer brought him to this point, it all upsets me, because before we start fat burning with a new client, we need to restore his metabolism.This is not an easy task that can take from several months to a year. So, I’m officially stating that cardio hours cut to the minimum calorie level are not the way to get dry. The female sex is particularly affected by this problem. For most women, fat burning is not as easy as for men. As a result, many of them resort to drastic measures in an attempt to lose weight; only the most motivated men and women suffer from this problem. Low-motivated comrades will give up long before this level, while especially stubborn ones will push ahead and do everything possible to reduce the percentage of fat.The expression “do your best” is common in this sport. Anyone who “does his best” is ready for fasting and hours of cardio.
How metabolism slows down
Let me tell you a scenario that many are familiar with. Let’s say we have an athlete who is preparing for a bodybuilding competition. He’s put on too much fat in the offseason to get in shape. But the question over time is acute and the bodybuilder goes on an aggressive diet. His maintenance calorie in the off-season of 3000 calories, he cuts to 1600 and adds an hour of cardio a day.It really works and he loses a few pounds in the first weeks. Eventually, this process slows down. After a few weeks, the fat loss stopped, and then our friend, who already eats little, decides to cut the amount of carbohydrates and lower the fat to 20-30 g per day. The weight starts to decrease again, but not as quickly as in the beginning. Then the fat loss stops again. Since he can no longer eat less, he has no choice but to add more cardio. Further, the weight loss goes insignificantly and soon completely stops.The bodybuilder is very exhausted, he has no strength to train, he eats very little carbs and fats, he has several hours of cardio a day, but his weight does not change. He still has fat to remove, but he’s out of luck. His metabolism has stalled and will not allow him to burn any more fat. This is exactly the kind of situation that leads to a slowdown in metabolism and makes it almost impossible to further lose fat. Now that it is clear how this situation arises, we are left with the question of why this is happening. and what to do to prevent such a development of events.
Why metabolic slowdown occurs
Let’s be clear about one thing right now. It’s normal for your metabolism to slow down on a calorie-restricted diet. This is all due to metabolic adaptation. To prepare successfully, you must understand how the body adapts in order to survive. The human body is an incredible adaptation machine that will always strive for homeostasis. Regardless of the conditions in which the body is placed, it will try to survive in them.If you remember our bodybuilder from the previous example, who ate 3000 calories to maintain his weight and 1600 to lose it. As soon as he lowers his calories, his metabolism starts to slow down. Many people don’t realize that the body uses calories to digest and process food. This is called the thermic effect of food. Thus, less food means less energy. As soon as the body senses that fat loss is occurring, it begins to reduce thyroid hormones and nervous system activity in order to stop the loss.After further reductions in calories and an increase in cardio, fat loss will resume, but the body further reduces hormones and nervous system activity. Testosterone will also drop, and cortisol levels will rise and destroy your muscles. Since muscle is a metabolically active tissue that requires calories to exist, metabolism is further reduced, so why is the body sabotaging all of our efforts? It’s all about survival. If the body did not adapt to the change, it would have serious problems.If a bodybuilder reduced calories from 3000 calories to 2500, then adaptation would not have arisen, and he could lose weight constantly and without stopping until he died. Fortunately, no one dies of 2500 calories a day hunger (even if they are hungry). So now you can see that this is a normal adaptation necessary for survival. Always remember that as soon as you make changes in calorie intake / expenditure, your body will immediately begin to take action to achieve homeostasis.
Slowing down the metabolism, like a vicious circle
From my experience, metabolic failure is a cycle.People can shatter their metabolism while preparing for a competition, which leads to a serious slowdown. Someone with a compromised metabolism cannot process many calories at all. But after the end of the competition, the majority will tend to over-overeat, because the restrictions have already gotten them for many months. But their metabolism cannot cope with such a high calorie content and fat is stored quickly and furiously. This leads the bodybuilder to an even more deplorable state, because his metabolism is still lowered.
I have noticed that most people with metabolic problems do not get dry enough. As a result, many of them are not happy with their successes and again strive to the stage to correct their mistakes. These guys usually spend very little time preparing for the next competition. As a result, they start their training already with a reduced metabolism, a lot of fat and no time to burn it. It’s a vicious circle.
How to prevent metabolic slowdown?
Fortunately, there are several ways to prevent this major change.While metabolism slows down on any diet, it shouldn’t lead to drastic calorie drops and hours of cardio. This is not only unhealthy, but also the wrong strategy for losing weight. Below are the rules for the best results.
1. Be patient
Fat burning should not be rushed. You need to spend enough time on your diet. You should be losing no more than 900 grams of fat per week, but it is best to stick to 400-600 grams. This is a guarantee that muscle loss is minimized.Remember that muscle tissue is metabolically active and requires calories to maintain it. It goes a long way towards maintaining a healthy metabolism.
Another side of patience: Making small changes to your diet is better than cutting it down dramatically. Keep in mind, as soon as you change something, lower your carbs, or increase your cardio, your body will begin to adapt to these changes. Every change you make is your tool in the fight against fat.
Do not use all of them at once for the first few weeks.If fat loss has slowed down and you can’t cut calories further, and you no longer have the strength to do more cardio, then you need a trump card in your sleeve to use it when you need it most.
2. Keep your carbohydrates
There is no doubt that if you want to have a low fat percentage, you need to reduce your carbohydrate intake from time to time. But this does not mean that they need to be removed altogether. Carbohydrates increase the osmotic pressure in the cell (cell hydration), thereby increasing its volume.
When muscle cells fill with fluid and become bulky, they send a signal to the body that it is full. And the body in this state maintains a high metabolic rate. It is clear that if you eat a lot of carbohydrates, then fat will not leave you, but in order to continue fat burning, carbohydrates must remain in the diet.
3. Use a carbohydrate load
Carbohydrates help maintain a high metabolic rate, and leptin is the main reason for this. This hormone helps burn fat, and its level depends on the consumption of carbohydrates and the amount of body fat.Leptin has many functions, including controlling energy expenditure.
As we noted, for a low fat percentage, the carbohydrate level must be lowered. As carbohydrates decrease, fat decreases, and with it leptin levels decrease. But this can be dealt with with high-carb days. Carbohydrate loading every 4-8 days will help increase the production of leptin, which is very sensitive to glucose metabolism.
Adding high-carb days will not only help increase leptin levels, but also improve overall hormonal levels.This can lead to higher production of thyroid hormone T3, and will also help keep testosterone levels elevated, which will further fuel fat burning.
4. Do not reduce your fat intake too much
Fatty acids are the precursors for cholesterol, from which testosterone is synthesized. Accordingly, if the level of fat intake is too low, then there will be insufficient fatty acids to produce testosterone, which will lead to a decrease in it.Low testosterone leads to loss of muscle mass, which means a slower metabolism.
The body has an adaptation mechanism for chronically low fat intake. When the body senses that its fat intake has become very low, it begins to tighter guard its stores and store even more fat. Moderate fat loss guarantees a calorie deficit for weight loss without being perceived by the body as hunger.
5. Use the reverse diet
Changing your diet is necessary to prevent the metabolism from stopping or slowing down, or if you are already in such a situation.Even after the end of the competition, you should not eat everything and everyone, you must definitely use proper nutrition.
With the reverse diet, you add calories as slowly as you reduce them. This will prevent you from building up a lot of fat in the first months after the competition.
Even the best competition preparation in the world will lower your metabolism. But metabolism can be increased by the systematic and slow addition of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. If your metabolism is already slow, then a slow and methodical reverse diet is a good way to speed it up.
6. Don’t Gain Too Much Weight In The Offseason
Gaining a lot of weight in the offseason is a direct path to metabolic problems. I have already said that over-adaptation can lead to severe metabolic decline. New research has shown that the loss of massive amounts of fat causes a dramatic slowdown in resting metabolism, proportional to weight loss, even when lean mass is maintained. These adaptations can be maintained on maintenance calories (Johannsen et al., 2012). By starting their training at too much weight, the athlete sets the stage for drastic measures that pull metabolic decline with them.
All other factors are very important, but it all starts in the offseason. You put on 30 kg in the offseason and try to lose it all in one training. Those willing to do whatever it takes in the offseason will be rewarded on the day of the competition.
Everything you need
Doing what it takes to win is not so bad.The problem is that too few people understand what it takes. Exercising hard while dieting is not an option. Even when you train harder than anyone else, it does not guarantee effectiveness. It’s also like a marathon. If a marathon is 42 km, then some bodybuilders will run 56, just to say that they plowed the most.