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Some of the first thoughts that come to mind for many as they begin a weight loss or healthy lifestyle journey is how to boost your metabolism, is metabolism genetic, and what dietary changes to make for increased metabolism.
At its basic definition, metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this process, calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function.
Our bodies burn calories in several ways:
- Through the energy required to keep the body functioning at rest. This is known as your basal metabolic rate (BMR)
- Through everyday activities
- Through exercise
There are many factors which can influence a person’s metabolism, such as body size, age, gender, and genetics.
Your metabolism may be partly determined by your genes. Genetics certainly play a role in muscle size and your ability to grow muscles, both of which affect your metabolism. Since muscle cells require more energy to maintain than fat cells, people with more muscle than fat tend to have a faster metabolism.
As we get older, we tend to gain fat and lose muscle. This explains why your metabolism may slow down as you get older. In general, men tend to have a faster metabolism because they have more muscle mass, heavier bones and less body fat than women.
Metabolism and Weight Gain:
It’s part truth and part myth that a slow or fast metabolism is the key to weight gain or weight loss. The rising tide of obesity in the United States cannot be blamed entirely on an inherited tendency to have a slow metabolism. Genes do not change that quickly. Something environmental—such as poor diet choices and not enough exercise—are much more likely to blame.
Regardless of whether your metabolism is fast or slow, our bodies are designed to store excess energy in fat cells. If you eat and drink more calories than your body uses, you will gain weight. Consequently, if you eat and drink fewer calories than are burned through everyday activities, including exercise, when your body is at rest, and sleep, you will lose weight.
The human body is also programmed to sense a lack of food as starvation. In response, our BMR slows down, which means fewer calories burned over time. This is one reason why losing weight is often difficult and involves more than simply eating less food.
Foods That Boost Metabolism:
Aside from maintaining a balance between the number of calories you consume and the number of calories your body converts into energy, there are a few important factors to consider when choosing food based on your metabolism.
To begin with, choose foods that will keep you full and won’t cause major spikes in your blood sugar. Satiety is a term used to explain the feeling of fullness and loss of appetite that happens after eating. If you eat foods that score high on the Satiety Index, you are likely to eat fewer calories overall.
Filling foods tend to be high in protein and/or fiber:
- Boiled Potatoes
- Eggs
- Oatmeal
- Fish
- Soups
- Meat
- Greek Yogurt
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Chia seeds
- Quinoa
- Lentils
- Hummus
- Avocado
Vitamins That Boost Metabolism:
Some vitamins and minerals may help keep the metabolism working effectively. While supplements can help, many of the whole foods listed above are the best source of vitamins and minerals while also helping you eat less without depriving your body from what it needs to function properly.
Consider the following vitamins to aid metabolism:
- B Vitamins: B-12, Biotin, Folate, B-6, pantothenic acid or B-5, Niacin or B-3, Riboflavin or B-2, Thiamine or B-1. These vitamins can assist the body in its ability to process fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, which is the basis of metabolism.
- Magnesium: Magnesium is second only to potassium as having the greatest impact in cellular function and is crucial for several enzyme systems as well as neuromuscular transmission. Without magnesium, the chemical reactions that produce energy in the body cannot happen—which is what our metabolism is based upon. Nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, and fish are all high in magnesium. Nova Vita Wellness Centers offers vitamin infusions such as our popular Meyers IV and Alleviate IV that contain magnesium and other important nutrients.
- Iron: The body needs iron for correct cell functioning and the creation of some hormones, all of which play a role in your metabolism. Iron essentialfor carrying oxygen in red blood cells which carry oxygen to and from muscles and tissues in the body—helping your body’s metabolic processes. Muscles that are low in oxygen cannot burn fat for fuel as well as they should.
How Nova Vita Wellness Centers Can Help:
Lipo-B Booster Shot: Like the name suggests, this intramuscular shot contains all of the B Vitamins your body needs to reset your metabolism, help your body burn fat by converting it into energy, which in turn aids in mental clarity.
Slim Infusion: To give your body’s metabolic process a full restart, the Slim Infusion enhances your weight loss performance by introducing your body to a concentration of powerful amino acids, electrolytes, and nutrients including Carnitine, B-Complex, and our Lipo-B mixture. This combination naturally improves your energy levels, boosts your metabolism, and restores mental well-being. Other benefits include fat burning, reduced appetite, and building the foundation for lean muscles.
For more information about all of the ways Nova Vita Wellness Centers can help you reset your metabolism give us a call at 512-387-5920, 512-200-7311 or you can schedule an appointment online.
