Diet Awakens Metabolism: What And When To Eat

What Is Meant By Metabolism?

Metabolism means the set of all the chemical and biochemical reactions in our body to transform the food we eat into the energy our cells need. Metabolism is necessary for making our whole body work properly and keeping us alive.

Basal Metabolic Rate vs. Energy Metabolism

When we talk about metabolism, we have to distinguish between the following:

1. Basal metabolism, i.e., the minimum amount of energy required by our body when we are awake but in a total state of rest, to keep our vital functions active (breathing, blood circulation, digestion, etc.);
2. Energy metabolism, which includes the basal one, plus the energy necessary to carry out all the activities of the day and that derive from diet-induced thermogenesis, i.e., the extra energy that our body expends every time we eat food.

Therefore, when we speak of metabolism to be “awakened” or “accelerated,” we mean energy metabolism.

Factors That Slow Down The Metabolism

The main factors that affect our metabolism are:

1. Sex
2. Age
3. Weight
4. Height
5. Physical Activity Levels.

Therefore, if we want to make our energy metabolism work more effectively, the solution is certainly not to drastically reduce calories, but rather to increase the practice of physical activity (minimum 150 minutes a week, but better to get to 300 minutes to get good results ) and pay more attention to what we eat.

1. Drastically reducing energy intake (calories) only slows down or even blocks the metabolism, and, in order not to deplete the energy reserves, our body will slow down the metabolism further.
2. Very low-calorie diets tend to produce rapid weight loss and consume fat, but also muscles, i.e., lean mass, which most influences the variation of the basal metabolic rate. For this reason, rapid weight loss is followed by rapid weight gain as soon as you start eating normally again ( yoyo effect ).
3. The ideal diet is the Mediterranean type, in which the protein sources are varied and always combined with whole grains. Snacks should also contain proteins, especially after age 50, the phase of life in which a progressive and physiological loss of lean muscle mass begins.
4. Here you can subscribe to a healthy and balanced diet in nutrients to control your weight correctly. You will receive, completely free of charge, four personalized menus for your daily calories and a physical activity plan suited to your starting condition. Click here if you prefer to follow- an ovo-vegetarian diet without meat or fish.

How To Have A Fast Metabolism

Tips to make your metabolism work effectively

1. Get the right amount of protein. Grana Padano DOP is a food that contains good proteins with a high biological value, including the nine essential amino acids. This cheese provides the most significant amount of calcium among those most commonly consumed. It also contains vitamins necessary for health, such as B2 and B12, and antioxidants, such as vitamin A, zinc, and selenium. Grana Padano DOP can also be eaten grated daily to flavor first courses and vegetable purées instead of salt.
2. Don’t exclude sources of carbohydrates, such as pasta and bread, but rather take them together with proteins in the right proportion.
3. Divide the daily energy into five healthy and balanced meals: carbohydrates, proteins, and the right amount of fat ( snacks included ).
4. Avoid prolonged fasts and skip meals.
5. Always eat a full breakfast.
6.  Our body needs water to process calories. Even slight dehydration could slow down your metabolic capacity. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water – or another unsweetened drink – before each meal and snack. For snacks, choose fresh fruit and vegetables, which naturally contain water, rather than pretzels, chips, or other packaged snacks. Drinking green tea or oolong tea (also called blue tea) offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances that have been shown to speed up metabolism for a couple of hours. Research suggests that drinking 2 to 4 cups of either tea can prompt the body to burn 17 percent more calories during moderately intense exercise for a short time.
7. Physical activity. Practice continuously (at least three times a week) aerobic physical activity such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc., alternating with anaerobic exercises on the ground or with weights appropriate to your condition.

Read Also: Broccoli: Protection Against Skin Cancer