There is so much misinformation on what influence your metabolism has on your life, and so many myths about how little control you have over your metabolism. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be so complicated, and we’re going to break it down together.
Metabolic Health 101
Metabolic health is a broad way to describe the overall state of your metabolism. Your metabolism is responsible for major processes in the body like nutrient absorption, converting food to energy, maintaining blood sugar levels and cholesterol.
The key components of your metabolic health include:
- Insulin Sensitivity
- Blood Sugar Regulation
- Inflammation
- Hormone Balance
- Body Composition
- + More
What we hear about most often when it comes to metabolism is how it influences our body composition and how quickly or slowly we break down food and convert it to energy – right? The stories we hear about people with a fast metabolism who can eat anything stick with us. But, your metabolism is influenced by both genetics and lifestyle factors, so there is really no need to fear your metabolism.
Lifestyle Factors That Will Positively Influence Your Metabolism
I hate to sound like a broken record, but your metabolism can be majorly influenced by diet and exercise. It might feel like diet and exercise is the prescription for every ailment, but once you get into the science it’s hard to ignore the truth – making small changes to your lifestyle choices has a huge impact.
Regular Exercise
Really any physical activity will have a positive impact on your life, but strength training is one of the best things you can do for your lean muscle mass, which in turn increases your basal metabolic rate (BMR) because muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue does.
In short: more muscle = improved metabolism. Insane!
Strength training changed my life (read more about that in this blog post) and I wish I could tell my younger self how simple it can be, instead of doing endless cardio and HIIT workouts. I follow my GOOD // SWEAT Strength Collection, and I’ve even been keeping up with the workouts well into my second trimester.
Lifting weights is not just for the boys, will not make you bulky, and really will have a profound impact on all areas of your health. Read more about the importance of maintaining lean muscle mass as you age here.
Diet & Nutrition
The best thing you can do for your metabolism is to eat high-quality, close-to-nature foods and eat them often. I hope we have fully moved beyond the myth that eating less is the answer to weight loss, because that is the least sustainable weight loss method and actually very harmful to your metabolism.
It’s so important to understand how your dietary choices influence your metabolism. Understanding the difference between macronutrients (carbs, proteins, and fats), micronutrients, protein timing, and blood sugar balance will unlock the ability to influence your metabolism.
For example, protein-dense foods require more energy to digest, metabolize, and store compared to fats and carbohydrates, which will help keep your metabolism elevated and contribute to overall lean muscle mass.
Read more about the importance of protein timing here.
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