15 things you should know about metabolism, to keep yourself in shape

1. Improve metabolism - it does not mean simply to exercise more and eat less harmful products

In addition to the mode feeding and type of physical activity, there are plenty of other factors that affect the metabolism. Here are some of them: sleep, hormonal parameters, the work of the thyroid gland, structural features of the body and so on. However, we'll talk about this later.

2. No need to compare yourself to others

No two people with the same metabolism. What I mean is that there are no uniform rules that would work equally well for each of us. To fully understand how the metabolism is you, you need to examine themselves, their features and their genetics.

I have friends, they are twins. Boys about eight years has been actively practicing in the gym. And you know what the best part? They have different training programs. Because one day they noticed that one program, and the results it gives different.

Once again: there are no people with the same metabolism.

3. Calculators and formulas for calculating calorie consumption inaccurate

Such formulas and calculators have an error within 10%. That is, if the calculator shows 2100 kcal, in fact, it turns out that spent 210 calories less (or more).

Such calculators can still help people with "predictable" metabolism, but most of us do not fall into this category. There are many people who have the metabolic rate above or below the average rate. For their error in counting can reach 20%. That is, if the calculator displays 2 100 kcal, it may actually disappear 420 kcal. And this is too many to be ignored.

4. Sleep affects your metabolism as much as food and sport

More and more scientists around the world say that chronic sleep deprivation leads to a set of overweight and is the cause of diseases associated with obesity.

Experiments show that when a person enough sleep, the body begins to demand more high-calorie food (and the carbohydrates) and worse than it absorbs, which leads to excess body fat.

5. Stress also affects the metabolism

long stress It promotes the deposition of fat in the abdomen. And the problem is that this type of obesity (as compared to the excess fat on the thighs and buttocks) more often leads to diabetes, heart problems and other diseases.

This is explained by the fact that in times of stress in large numbers to release the hormone cortisol, which interferes with their metabolism rate.

6. The body burns calories even when we do not do anything

There is such a thing as a "basic metabolic rate" (BMR) - the number of calories the body spends on maintaining their livelihoods. That is, it is the energy that we spend, even when doing nothing. And most people on the planet lion's share of their daily energy expenditure is on this process.

7. With age, metabolism slows down

Approximately every 10 years the rate of metabolism decreases. The older we get, the more effort you need to exert to keep fit. And interestingly, scientists still can not figure out what is the cause of age-related decline in metabolic rate.

8. Muscles consume more calories than fat

The more slim and fit person, the more calories the body requires it. This is because the muscles need more calories than fat tissue.

For this reason, the metabolic rate is calculated differently for women and men. For example, if you take the typical man and woman of the same weight, the man will burn more calories per day. Only because the male body is usually more muscle mass than women.

9. Protein will help increase muscle and decrease the amount of carbohydrates accelerate the fat burning process

To grow muscle you need to feed the body protein. And to get rid of excess fat, you need to reduce your intake of carbohydrates.

The fact is that when we eat carbohydrates, our body begins to draw energy from them, rather than to break down fatty tissue. In other words, if the goal - to get rid of body fat, reduction in the amount of carbohydrates will help to achieve this goal faster. And if the plans to build up or strengthen your muscles, you need to ensure that the body gets enough protein.

10. Interval training and resistance training improve metabolism

Interval training and weight training - it is a signal to the body that you need to build muscle mass. The more muscle mass, the better metabolism. 25 minutes of heavy load with the change of activity is better than 45 minutes of monotonous exercises at a moderate pace.

If your goal - to speed up the metabolism, the fastest way to achieve this - exercises that will help to expend more energy.

11. Coffee before exercise helps to burn more fat

Caffeine in coffeeFrees the fat cells that the body uses as a power source. And the more the free energy in the body, the harder we exercise.

12. Protein obtained not later than 30 minutes after training, promotes the growth of muscles

During training we destroy muscle tissue. And so the body could repair it, he needs building materials. This material is for muscle protein. Therefore it is better to take protein, not later than 30 minutes after the workout.

13. hour walk on the street useful hours of deliberation the next diet

Simple things such as walking outdoors or jogging - is a much more reliable way to burn more calories than attempts to manipulate the metabolism by a selection of some diets and food additives.

Do you want to burn more calories? Come out for a three-stop to your house and go on foot, give up the elevator, walk before going to bed. Believe me, it's time-tested ways to burn more calories.

14. You will learn a lot more about your metabolism, if you keep track of what you eat, what you do and your weight

The best way to understand how the metabolism - it is to keep track of what you eat, what you are doing (physical activity) and its weight.

Watching how the weight of the body, depending on what you eat and what kind of physical is actively engaged to help determine what changes you need to make in order to bring itself to the desired result.

15. If you think that everything is done correctly, but there is no result - see a doctor

Metabolism and your ability to gain, lose and maintain your weight - it's much more complicated process than just control of intake and calorie consumption and physical activity.

Many factors affect the rate of metabolism. You can eat right, exercise actively, but problems with the thyroid gland, hormones or banal inheritance will spoil the whole picture. Therefore, if you see that something is wrong, contact your doctor, hand over analyzes to understand where your body's weak link.

And remember: you are the other. And you have your metabolism.