Slow metabolism? Find out how to accelerate weight loss

The nutritionist explains how to speed up the metabolism, the main tool for weight control and slimming

Metabolism is one of the main factors associated with weight maintenance: whether to lose or increase the numbers on the scale. Anyone who wants to lose weight knows that maintaining a fast metabolism is ideal. But how to control the rhythm of the organism?

The nutrologist of the Brazilian Association of Nutrology (ABRAN) and executive director of Sculpt ClinicDr. Renato Loboexplains that first you need to know if your metabolism is slow or not.

First step

“For this you need to do the indirect calorimetry test. In this test the patient uses a mask that analyzes the gases entering and leaving his breath,” he says.

According to him, in this way the specialist will know the amount of oxygen absorbed and the amount of carbon dioxide that is eliminated, so it will be possible to analyze the metabolism due to energy expenditure. “This method also makes it possible to identify whether the patient spends more carbohydrates or fats as a source of energy,” explains the doctor.

Through a calculation that allows you to have a prediction of the metabolism, the specialist makes a real comparison in relation to the result obtained from the prediction. From this, you can determine whether your metabolism is slower or faster.

How to speed up slow metabolism?

According to Renato, some daily attitudes can help speed up the metabolism and therefore to lose weight. The professional indicates the main measures that will help in this goal. Watch:

Practice physical activity

“Engaging in some physical activity, as well as speeding up your metabolism at the time and having a calorie burn, up to 48 hours later, you will typically still burn a lot more fat. This is because your metabolism will be speeded up even though you are in a state of rest, therefore any type of physical activity is essential”, underlines the specialist.

The “Hiit” mode, for example, is the one that activates the metabolism the most, as it uses high-intensity physical exercises spaced out in a short time that oscillate between high and low intensity. According to the doctor, this optimizes fat burning during training, throughout the day and up to two days.

“The more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism is. If you have a lot of fat and want to lose weight, the idea is to lose fat and gain muscle instead,” she points out.

Renato also adds that if a very restricted diet is adopted, without medical supervision and control, there will be a strong loss of muscle mass, which will make the metabolism slower and, consequently, it will be difficult to maintain the weight loss.

Prioritize protein and maintain a balanced diet

In general, the consumption of carbohydrates and fats ends up being higher than that of proteins. However, the protein of the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) is what activates the metabolism the most, since a lot of energy is spent on digesting this food. This process is known as the thermic effect of food, and proteins have the greatest evidence of this effect, explains the nutologist.

“A diet rich in proteins and with fewer carbohydrates, without the need to limit it, but only to reduce the proportion, is already capable of activating your metabolism. Remembering that having the follow-up of a nutritionist is essential to evaluate the case by chance and its particularities”, underlines the doctor.

There are some compounds that can be consumed, in a balanced way, in nature or in the form of capsules. This is the case, for example, of pepper, green tea, yerba mate and coffee, which can also speed up the metabolism.

Quality sleep

When someone sleeps less or too little, a hormone is released that causes more hunger and another that is responsible for giving less satiety. “That is, by sleeping less you want to eat more and in any case without control and, in this way, the metabolism tends to decrease to save itself due to the few hours of sleep”, warns the specialist.

This is why it is important to sleep better, according to each one’s needs, which can vary between 7 and 8 hours of sleep. Sleeping well will also activate the metabolism.

Drink water and avoid sitting down

Drinking water will keep your metabolism going and force you to go to the bathroom, which will help generate some movement. “The ideal is to always get up at intervals of 1 or 2 hours so as not to remain completely still or seated. You can get up and enjoy yourself by drinking water, coffee or simply stretching your legs”, advises Dr. Renato.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.