You’re working out and eating well, but just can’t seem to lose weight.
Could a slow metabolism be keeping you from your weight-loss goals? It just might.
What is your metabolism and what relationship does it have to weight gain? Can you speed up your metabolism to help your body burn more calories?
Hang on tight, ‘cause you’re heading for a crash course in metabolism!
What is Metabolism?
The calories in your food or beverages combine with oxygen and create the energy necessary for your body to function. Metabolism is the complex, biochemical process in which your body takes what you eat and drink and converts it into energy. Your metabolism is constantly at work, even during rest and sleep when your body needs energy to breath, circulate blood, adjust hormones, repair cells, and grow new cells.
Your basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories it takes for your body to perform its basic functions. It affects how much energy your body needs to do its job and helps determine the number of calories you’ll burn each day. Many factors play a role in your basal metabolic rate.
The first is your body composition and size. Larger people and those with more muscle mass burn more calories even while resting. This means overweight people usually have a faster metabolic rate than their thinner peers.
The second factor affecting your metabolic rate is your sex. Men generally have more muscle and less fat and therefore burn more calories, giving them the advantage when it comes to metabolic rate.
Third, your metabolic rate changes with age. The older you are, the less muscle you’re likely to have. As a result, you burn calories slower.
Forth, your stress load and your ability to adapt to stress can have an effect on your metabolism. With increased stress, your body will slow down its metabolic rate to conserve energy. This is noted by a sluggish thyroid, which can be assessed by a simple basal thermometer test. The lower temperature of your body and the resulting slowing of your metabolism is a protective mechanism, so you do not burn out as fast with the various stressors we encounter daily (mental/emotional/spiritual, physical, chemical, nutritional, physical, electromagnetic and thermal).
Besides your basal metabolic rate, the amount of physical activity you get and the way your body digests and processes food determines how many calories you burn. While many factors go into your metabolism, the most variable is physical activity. So, it would seem as if all you needed to do was workout more. If that was all there was to it my job would be a lot easier and many more people would be in shape.
Slow Metabolism = Weight Gain?
Contrary to popular belief, a slow metabolism, determined by traditional thyroid lab testing is rare, although it is rising due to increasing stress in our lives. Many who have weight issues believe their metabolism is slow, do the traditional thyroid tests (TSH, T4, T3) with their docs and their numbers fall into the norms of a healthy individual. The doc says their weight gain is not related to their thyroid and they are left baffled.
Although the thyroid may not be clinically diagnosed as a problem by the traditional lab testing, does that mean your metabolism is normal and healthy?
Try the Basal Thermometer Test for another assessment of your thyroid and metabolism. Dr. Sklovsky has a good article on thyroid and basal thermometer testing here: Slugglish Metabolism
This is only one simple test you can do to assess your metabolism quickly . You can do additional functional lab testing with urine and saliva to test the sex and stress hormones as explained here: Testing
If you want to get your metabolism back again, let’s talk about a more holistic mode besides just calories in- calories out.
Some just need to be more active and eat less, but from what I have witnessed in the last 22 years, it can be quite a bit more complicated.
Call or email me today and let’s work on a plan together.
Your friend & coach,
Brien
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I work with those who desire weight & fat loss, pain reduction and stress management through comprehensive exercise, nutrition & lifestyle strategies. My dream is to coach those who seek my help live their passions with happiness & love.
Thank you for allowing me to help you.
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Brien Shamp BS CSCS CMT CHEK NLC II
Personal Trainer, Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach
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