Myth No. 2 – Dropping Calorie Intake
As we discussed earlier in this blog series (but it’s so important that it deserves an encore near the end), trying to lose weight by drastically cutting down on your calories doesn’t work; in fact, it’s unhealthy.
The thing to remember is that the body’s ability to lose weight is not controlled by calories. Calories are the input. The real control mechanism is that famous concept that you’ve become very familiar with now: metabolism.
Calories are merely units of energy. It’s how your body deals with that energy that determines whether weight is gained or lost.
So with that being said, cutting down your caloric intake to, say, 1000 calories a day isn’t necessarily going to help you lose weight; because it doesn’t necessarily change your metabolism.
Indeed, as you know, if you slow down your caloric intake, your body – which is always trying to help you in the best way that it knows how – will slow down its metabolism.
Really, it makes sense: the body says that something has gone wrong; instead of the 2000 calories that it needs, it’s only getting 1000. The body doesn’t know why this is happening; it doesn’t know that you want to lose weight.
It just senses that something is wrong; perhaps you’re trapped in a cave or something, or stuck in a snowstorm. So the body, trying to help you, will slow down its metabolism; it will do its best to slow down the conversion rate, so that you have as much energy on hand as possible.
Now, if your body was able to read this book and you could say: look, please just do what you normally do, but do it with 1000 fewer calories a day for a while, then we might actually get somewhere.
But the body doesn’t work that way. It won’t help you lose weight if you dramatically cut down on calories.
It will not only slow down metabolism, but also (and here’s the worst part), if and when you ever increase calories again, your body will have to deal with that via a slower metabolic engine. So you can actually gain weight if, after cutting down your calories for a period of time, you consume extra calories (say while on a vacation for instance).
See you next time with Myth No. 3.
Take care and best wishes
Sandra
Sunday, 31 October 2010
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 21 - Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths
Hi again, as we move towards the end of our ’Boosting Your Metabolism’ series, we thought it might be useful to talk about the 4 most prevalent myths concerning metabolism and metabolism-boosting.
Since this blog has been about reality and not myths, we didn’t cover any of them in the actual blog. Yet, considering how common these myths are, it is still useful for you to know them; and to know that they’re myths.
That way, if you come across them in a magazine, at a fitness club, or just from the well-intentioned but misguided advice of a friend, you can confidently say (or at least just think), sorry, but that’s a myth and I’m not going to fall for that one!
Myth No. 1: Diet Pills
The general consensus on diet pills are contained in two powerful words: BUYER BEWARE.
The problem here is that many makers of diet pills offer claims that simply aren’t realistic; and if you read the fine-print of most of these advertisements, you’ll see that they’re really too good to be true. Little notes like the claims made in this advertisement are not typical should be enough of a wake-up call to realize that there’s more to the story.
In some cases, diet pills can help boost metabolism temporarily. This, however, can be risky and generally shouldn’t be done without a doctor’s say-so. Unfortunately, people can become somewhat addicted to diet pills, which can lead to disaster.
Remember that some diet pills are water loss pills. That is, they are diuretics that promote water loss, usually through excess urination. The jury on water-loss diet pills is somewhat less open-minded than diet pills in general – three words this time …… THEY DON’T WORK!
Seriously: water loss diet pills are taken on the principle that you’ll lose weight through water. And, yes, that’s true: if you urinate 15 times a day, you’re physically going to weigh less.
But this is not actual weight loss! This is merely unhealthy temporary weight loss, and it will come roaring back the minute that water stores are replenished through diet.
Or, worse still, if a person taking these water pills fails to restore their body’s fluid needs, they can actually suffer dehydration; which can, and has, led to coma and death.
Now granted, that’s a pretty bleak picture, so it is wise to keep an open mind and a balanced view. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of pills available on the market that can aid weight loss in healthier ways that water loss, it’s just that ‘BUYER BEWARE’ has been written in capital letters for good reason!
In the next blog we’ll look at Myth No. 2 – Drop Calorie Intake.
So until then,
Take care
Sandra
Since this blog has been about reality and not myths, we didn’t cover any of them in the actual blog. Yet, considering how common these myths are, it is still useful for you to know them; and to know that they’re myths.
That way, if you come across them in a magazine, at a fitness club, or just from the well-intentioned but misguided advice of a friend, you can confidently say (or at least just think), sorry, but that’s a myth and I’m not going to fall for that one!
Myth No. 1: Diet Pills
The general consensus on diet pills are contained in two powerful words: BUYER BEWARE.
The problem here is that many makers of diet pills offer claims that simply aren’t realistic; and if you read the fine-print of most of these advertisements, you’ll see that they’re really too good to be true. Little notes like the claims made in this advertisement are not typical should be enough of a wake-up call to realize that there’s more to the story.
In some cases, diet pills can help boost metabolism temporarily. This, however, can be risky and generally shouldn’t be done without a doctor’s say-so. Unfortunately, people can become somewhat addicted to diet pills, which can lead to disaster.
Remember that some diet pills are water loss pills. That is, they are diuretics that promote water loss, usually through excess urination. The jury on water-loss diet pills is somewhat less open-minded than diet pills in general – three words this time …… THEY DON’T WORK!
Seriously: water loss diet pills are taken on the principle that you’ll lose weight through water. And, yes, that’s true: if you urinate 15 times a day, you’re physically going to weigh less.
But this is not actual weight loss! This is merely unhealthy temporary weight loss, and it will come roaring back the minute that water stores are replenished through diet.
Or, worse still, if a person taking these water pills fails to restore their body’s fluid needs, they can actually suffer dehydration; which can, and has, led to coma and death.
Now granted, that’s a pretty bleak picture, so it is wise to keep an open mind and a balanced view. That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of pills available on the market that can aid weight loss in healthier ways that water loss, it’s just that ‘BUYER BEWARE’ has been written in capital letters for good reason!
In the next blog we’ll look at Myth No. 2 – Drop Calorie Intake.
So until then,
Take care
Sandra
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 20 - Build Muscle
Many people, particularly some women, are very cautious about undertaking any exercise regimen that can lead to muscle building.
The old perception was that muscle building leads to muscle bulking, and before long, gorging forearm veins and other unwanted results. This is, frankly, not the case.
Provided that women aren’t supporting their workouts with specific muscle-building supplements, there is no need to be concerned; because building lean muscle won’t make them bulk up.
Still, however, the question remains: why would women (and, of course, men) who want to boost their metabolism focus on muscle building? Isn’t cardiovascular exercising the only thing that matters?
Again, the answer is: No! In addition to a healthy and responsible cardiovascular program, muscle building is an exceptionally powerful way to boost metabolism.
How? Because, a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat.
And what does this mean? It means (and get ready to stare in awe) that if you have more muscle on your body – anywhere on your body – you will simply burn more calories as a result.
You don’t even have to do anything. You’ll simply burn more calories, because muscle requires more of an energy investment.
Of course, it’s common-sense that if you build muscle and then leave it alone, over time, the muscle fibres will weaken and you’ll lose that wonderful calorie-burning factory. But that’s no problem, because all you need to do is build and maintain healthy muscle.
It may sound daunting; especially if at the moment you believe you have much more fat than muscle. Yet the important thing for you to remember is that once you start building muscle – through any kind of strength training – your body will itself start burning more calories.
It has to, even while you sleep, or go to a movie, or read a book. It’s like putting your calorie-burning (catabolism) program on auto-pilot. So don’t let a little (or even a lot) of extra flab, at the moment, deter you from believing that muscle building is important.
Yes, you should enjoy cardiovascular exercise too, because that’s ultimately how your body is going to burn existing fat. But muscle building plays a profoundly supportive role in that pursuit.
And it’s an exponential one, too: the more fat you transform into muscle, the more calories you’ll burn simply to maintain that new muscle (and the wonderful cycle goes on and on!).
So you see, building muscle isn’t so scary and it can boost your metabolism too.
Next time, we’ll take a look at what the Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths are, starting with Myth No.1.
Bye for now
Sandra
The old perception was that muscle building leads to muscle bulking, and before long, gorging forearm veins and other unwanted results. This is, frankly, not the case.
Provided that women aren’t supporting their workouts with specific muscle-building supplements, there is no need to be concerned; because building lean muscle won’t make them bulk up.
Still, however, the question remains: why would women (and, of course, men) who want to boost their metabolism focus on muscle building? Isn’t cardiovascular exercising the only thing that matters?
Again, the answer is: No! In addition to a healthy and responsible cardiovascular program, muscle building is an exceptionally powerful way to boost metabolism.
How? Because, a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat.
And what does this mean? It means (and get ready to stare in awe) that if you have more muscle on your body – anywhere on your body – you will simply burn more calories as a result.
You don’t even have to do anything. You’ll simply burn more calories, because muscle requires more of an energy investment.
Of course, it’s common-sense that if you build muscle and then leave it alone, over time, the muscle fibres will weaken and you’ll lose that wonderful calorie-burning factory. But that’s no problem, because all you need to do is build and maintain healthy muscle.
It may sound daunting; especially if at the moment you believe you have much more fat than muscle. Yet the important thing for you to remember is that once you start building muscle – through any kind of strength training – your body will itself start burning more calories.
It has to, even while you sleep, or go to a movie, or read a book. It’s like putting your calorie-burning (catabolism) program on auto-pilot. So don’t let a little (or even a lot) of extra flab, at the moment, deter you from believing that muscle building is important.
Yes, you should enjoy cardiovascular exercise too, because that’s ultimately how your body is going to burn existing fat. But muscle building plays a profoundly supportive role in that pursuit.
And it’s an exponential one, too: the more fat you transform into muscle, the more calories you’ll burn simply to maintain that new muscle (and the wonderful cycle goes on and on!).
So you see, building muscle isn’t so scary and it can boost your metabolism too.
Next time, we’ll take a look at what the Common Metabolism-Boosting Myths are, starting with Myth No.1.
Bye for now
Sandra
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 19 - Food Lovers Fat Loss - Befriend Protein and Good Carbs
There is a dizzying array of things that you can eat these days. A trip to the grocery store can truly be an adventure. Everywhere you turn, there is yet another food promising you a healthy way to lose weight.
Added to this confusion is that there are some foods that are beneficial for metabolic boosting, and some that are not; and the differences are not always well-known. Fortunately, we are going to tackle this problem right now and describe the basic food groups/types that are good for a speedy metabolism; because boosting your metabolism is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is.
In terms of protein, studies have shown that having enough protein in your system can actually increase the speed of your metabolism. This is because protein is difficult to break down. Or rather, it requires more energy to break down. It is a bit like feeding the body a knot, it needs time to unravel it.
And, as you may know, when your body spends time on something, it spends energy (calories). And so the more time it can spend breaking down protein, the more calories it uses.
People will require different amounts of protein on a daily basis, but those who exercise and build muscle will typically need more than the average amount. The United States Food and Drug Administration Food Guide suggest around 50 grams of protein a day for a reasonably active adult. As a rough guide this equates to around 0.8grams per 2.2 pounds body weight.
Keep in mind that there are different sources of protein, some lean, and some high in fat. Fast food burgers may deliver up to 20 grams of protein (sometimes more), but they also deliver a great deal of fat; which makes them almost nutritionally worthless.
The benefits you enjoy from the protein are far outweighed by the immense fat intake; which, for some fast food burgers, can exceed 40 grams! And that is not including the fries (we will not even go there!). So try to ensure that your source of protein comes from lean protein, which you will typically find in chicken, and fish such as salmon, cod, sole, flounder and canned tuna (in water). Additionally shell fish such as clams, lobster, scallops and shrimps provide good sources of lean protein.
If you are a vegetarian, or simply looking for non-meat lean protein alternatives, low-fat cheese, legumes (lentils), and yogurt are all good sources. Simply check the food labels to determine if the source of protein is lean or fatty (does not deliver high fat content).
In terms of carbohydrates, there probably is not a more battered around micronutrient than this. It has gone from being the greatest thing in weight loss history, to one of the most reviled. And really, it is not the fault of the innocent carbohydrate! It is really just a matter of information and knowledge, instead of speculation.
The thing to try to remember is that when carbohydrates are refined, such as white bread and potatoes, they are what the diabetic world refers to as high glycemic index (GI) foods, because they require spikes in insulin in order to be digested.
As you may know, when insulin is released into the system, it promotes the storage of fat and some experts believe that it also pushes down metabolic speed (which makes sense).
Therefore, the good kinds of carbohydrate to consume are those that are high in fibre, and those from fruit and vegetable sources.
Why?
Because these sources of carbohydrates do not score high on the glycemic index. In other words, they do not cause a spike in insulin levels, and therefore, they do not promote fat storage.
So, for an easy and healthy way to lose weight, just make sure you have plenty of lean protein with high fibre carbohydrates, and you will find food lovers fat loss really become a reality for you!
Till next time, where you'll discover why building muscle isn't so scary and can boost your metabolism exponentially.
Bye for now
Sandra
Added to this confusion is that there are some foods that are beneficial for metabolic boosting, and some that are not; and the differences are not always well-known. Fortunately, we are going to tackle this problem right now and describe the basic food groups/types that are good for a speedy metabolism; because boosting your metabolism is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is.
In terms of protein, studies have shown that having enough protein in your system can actually increase the speed of your metabolism. This is because protein is difficult to break down. Or rather, it requires more energy to break down. It is a bit like feeding the body a knot, it needs time to unravel it.
And, as you may know, when your body spends time on something, it spends energy (calories). And so the more time it can spend breaking down protein, the more calories it uses.
People will require different amounts of protein on a daily basis, but those who exercise and build muscle will typically need more than the average amount. The United States Food and Drug Administration Food Guide suggest around 50 grams of protein a day for a reasonably active adult. As a rough guide this equates to around 0.8grams per 2.2 pounds body weight.
Keep in mind that there are different sources of protein, some lean, and some high in fat. Fast food burgers may deliver up to 20 grams of protein (sometimes more), but they also deliver a great deal of fat; which makes them almost nutritionally worthless.
The benefits you enjoy from the protein are far outweighed by the immense fat intake; which, for some fast food burgers, can exceed 40 grams! And that is not including the fries (we will not even go there!). So try to ensure that your source of protein comes from lean protein, which you will typically find in chicken, and fish such as salmon, cod, sole, flounder and canned tuna (in water). Additionally shell fish such as clams, lobster, scallops and shrimps provide good sources of lean protein.
If you are a vegetarian, or simply looking for non-meat lean protein alternatives, low-fat cheese, legumes (lentils), and yogurt are all good sources. Simply check the food labels to determine if the source of protein is lean or fatty (does not deliver high fat content).
In terms of carbohydrates, there probably is not a more battered around micronutrient than this. It has gone from being the greatest thing in weight loss history, to one of the most reviled. And really, it is not the fault of the innocent carbohydrate! It is really just a matter of information and knowledge, instead of speculation.
The thing to try to remember is that when carbohydrates are refined, such as white bread and potatoes, they are what the diabetic world refers to as high glycemic index (GI) foods, because they require spikes in insulin in order to be digested.
As you may know, when insulin is released into the system, it promotes the storage of fat and some experts believe that it also pushes down metabolic speed (which makes sense).
Therefore, the good kinds of carbohydrate to consume are those that are high in fibre, and those from fruit and vegetable sources.
Why?
Because these sources of carbohydrates do not score high on the glycemic index. In other words, they do not cause a spike in insulin levels, and therefore, they do not promote fat storage.
So, for an easy and healthy way to lose weight, just make sure you have plenty of lean protein with high fibre carbohydrates, and you will find food lovers fat loss really become a reality for you!
Till next time, where you'll discover why building muscle isn't so scary and can boost your metabolism exponentially.
Bye for now
Sandra
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 18 - Eat Yourself Slimmer
Eat Early!
We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In terms of boosting your metabolism, this is certainly true, because again people who do are much less inclined to snack throughout the morning. For instance, if you have a good breakfast of fruit and low-sugar cereal in the morning, the likelihood of you visiting the vending machine at work around 10:30am diminish significantly.
That does not mean you should avoid eating between breakfast and lunchtime of course, but by starting your day in a nutritious way, you will have more control over what you eat throughout the day, and be less inclined to eat anything you can get your hands on.
Another good reason to eat a healthy breakfast is because it directly boosts your metabolism. You see studies have shown that metabolism typically slows during sleep, and does not really get going again until you eat.
Therefore, starting the day with breakfast is like kick-starting your metabolism. You will actually burn more calories throughout the day, simply by eating breakfast.
When you prepare your breakfast, control both the portion size, and beware of high-fat content. High-fat breakfasts, like those including bacon and sausage deliver lots of calories (9 calories for every gram of fat, as compared to 4 for every gram of carbohydrate and protein). Worse still, if you eat such a breakfast, you will not only have ingested a lot of fat (and hence a lot of calories), but you may also still find yourself hungry again in a few hours.
This explains why many people who eat a high fat content breakfast find themselves painfully hungry by lunchtime - it is not their “overactive metabolism” at work, it is simply because the high fat content has been swiftly digested. Conversely, breakfasts that are high in fibre take much longer to digest, which will not only ensure your body is not hungry again for a while, but also help to boost your metabolism because your body is working longer to digest it.
So, eating more (in a controlled way) and eating early, can help you boost your metabolism and slash those pounds – it is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is!
See you next time, when we’ll take a look at the 3 food groups that are good for speeding up your metabolism.
Sandra
We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In terms of boosting your metabolism, this is certainly true, because again people who do are much less inclined to snack throughout the morning. For instance, if you have a good breakfast of fruit and low-sugar cereal in the morning, the likelihood of you visiting the vending machine at work around 10:30am diminish significantly.
That does not mean you should avoid eating between breakfast and lunchtime of course, but by starting your day in a nutritious way, you will have more control over what you eat throughout the day, and be less inclined to eat anything you can get your hands on.
Another good reason to eat a healthy breakfast is because it directly boosts your metabolism. You see studies have shown that metabolism typically slows during sleep, and does not really get going again until you eat.
Therefore, starting the day with breakfast is like kick-starting your metabolism. You will actually burn more calories throughout the day, simply by eating breakfast.
When you prepare your breakfast, control both the portion size, and beware of high-fat content. High-fat breakfasts, like those including bacon and sausage deliver lots of calories (9 calories for every gram of fat, as compared to 4 for every gram of carbohydrate and protein). Worse still, if you eat such a breakfast, you will not only have ingested a lot of fat (and hence a lot of calories), but you may also still find yourself hungry again in a few hours.
This explains why many people who eat a high fat content breakfast find themselves painfully hungry by lunchtime - it is not their “overactive metabolism” at work, it is simply because the high fat content has been swiftly digested. Conversely, breakfasts that are high in fibre take much longer to digest, which will not only ensure your body is not hungry again for a while, but also help to boost your metabolism because your body is working longer to digest it.
So, eating more (in a controlled way) and eating early, can help you boost your metabolism and slash those pounds – it is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is!
See you next time, when we’ll take a look at the 3 food groups that are good for speeding up your metabolism.
Sandra
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