The term metabolism, which describes all chemical reactions in the human body, has been widely used in recent times when a healthy lifestyle is popular. It is very important to increase the metabolic rate, especially for those who want to lose weight. Metabolism rate varies from body to body, so we recommend that you consult your doctor before following the recommendations in the article.
What is Metabolism?
Metabolism is the whole of the reactions that occur in each cell of the body and meet the body's energy needs. The energy obtained as a result of metabolism is used for all vital activities and the synthesis of new cells. All living things obtain the energy they need for movement, growth, development and reproduction from food. Food is broken down by enzymes to provide the energy needed for bodily functions.
The rate at which the body produces energy is called the metabolic rate. metabolic rate; It is affected by factors such as gender, race, physical activity status, age and health status. The higher the metabolic rate, the more energy the body needs, that is, the energy it spends for bodily functions. The reason why some people do not gain weight even if they eat a lot, and some people have a lot of fat accumulation even if they consume less food is the metabolic rate.
Why Is Fast Metabolism Important?
Whether you're doing yoga or a light walk, or lying on the couch watching TV, your body uses energy to work. body even during sleep; It works to maintain vital functions such as making the heart beat, breathing, and performing the synthesis and repair of cells. Metabolic rate determines how the body uses the energy it needs to maintain normal functioning. Basal metabolic rate, on the other hand, is the basic amount of energy the body needs for resting functions such as breathing and maintaining a constant body temperature.
Fast metabolism plays an important role in maintaining weight control. A slow metabolic rate leads to a decrease in the amount of calories expended during rest.
Bodies with slow metabolism are suitable for weight gain and their body fat rate is high. People with a fast metabolism have a higher lean body mass and these individuals have a more energetic structure.
So, how is metabolic rate measured? Since many factors such as consumed foods, physical activity status, gender, age can affect metabolic rate, it may not be possible to measure this data XNUMX% accurately. One of the classical calculation methods used to measure metabolic rate is the Harris Benedict Equation:
- Basal Metabolic Rate for Women: 655.1 + (9.56 × weight in kilograms) + (1.85 × height in centimeters) – (4,68 × age in years)
- Basal Metabolic Rate for Men: 66,5 + (13.75 × weight in kilograms) + (5.03 × height in centimeters) – (6,75 × age in years)
How to Speed Up Metabolism?
Metabolic rate is affected by genetic factors. In other words, it can vary from body to body, so some people have a faster metabolism than others. However, it may be possible to achieve success by applying the metabolism-boosting methods, examples of which are given below.
Increase Your Physical Activity
All physical activities require energy. The more intense your activity, the higher your metabolic rate will be. The number of times you get up during the day, your walks in the house, the housework you do affect your daily metabolic rate. To increase your daily metabolic rate outside of exercise:
- Get up and walk around the house at regular intervals
- Prefer to use stairs instead of elevator
- Try to do your own household chores such as washing dishes, hanging clothes and vacuuming.
- If you work at a desk at work, stand up from time to time or try to do your work standing up.
- Do activities such as opening and closing the arms, moving the feet while sitting
- Chew gum
Exercise Regularly
High-intensity workouts that increase heart rate; Exercises such as jogging, swimming, aerobics can help increase the metabolic rate. In addition, strength training that increases body muscle mass is also very effective in accelerating metabolism. Regular exercises also contribute to energy expenditure after training. The amount of muscle a person has is directly proportional to the metabolic rate. Muscle mass significantly affects the number of calories the body burns at rest. You can increase your metabolic rate by supporting your exercise program with weight training 3 days a week. If you do not have time for physical activity or do not like to train outside, you can increase your metabolic rate with nutrition and exercise recommendations for those who work from home.
Eat Adequate and Balanced Nutrition
You can meet the energy needs of your body with an adequate and balanced nutrition program suitable for your age, height, gender, weight and lifestyle. Although a low-calorie diet helps to lose weight, calorie restriction can have a negative effect on metabolic rate in the long run. The body adapts to low-calorie diets and tends to complete its functions with fewer calories. This situation, which is defined as metabolic adaptation, decreases the basal metabolic rate.
You can increase your routine calorie expenditure by adding metabolism-boosting foods to your daily diet. Another important factor that increases the metabolic rate is water consumption. In general, it may be enough to pay attention to clean eating rules in your diet.
Pay Attention to Sleep Quality
Sleep is an important process in which the body truly rests and repairs itself. It has the feature of protecting the general health status. When you don't get enough sleep or your sleep quality is not good, your metabolic rate may slow down and you may be at risk of gaining weight. You can regulate the time you spend in sleep and try to stay away from the factors that affect sleep quality.
Foods and Drinks That Boost Metabolism
It is an undeniable fact that the rate of metabolism varies from body to body. With the approval of your doctor, you can increase your daily calorie expenditure by adding foods with a high thermogenic effect to your nutrition program. The thermogenic effect can be defined as the energy expended by the body during the digestion of food. After these foods are digested, they can increase the metabolic rate. Here are the foods that speed up metabolism:
- Foods high in protein, such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, milk and cheese
- Selenium and iron-rich foods such as legumes, seafood, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds
- Chili pepper
- Coffee
- Green tea
- Ginger
- Cocoa
- Apple cider vinegar
- Coconut oil
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