Decrease in metabolism and weight gain: the doctor teaches how to avoid it

Restricting your diet too much can contribute to muscle loss, reducing your metabolism in the long term. Find out how to avoid it!

A study conducted by the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), together with the global public health organization Vital Strategies, recently found that 56.8% of the Brazilian population is overweight. Rates reach 68.5% among people aged 45 to 54; and 40.3% among the youngest, aged 18 to 24. Therefore, to avoid losses in your weight loss goal, with decrease in metabolism or weight gain, the endocrinologist Claudia ChangPhD and post-doctoral in Endocrinology and Metabolism at USP and member of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (SBEM), listed five important tips!

How to avoid a drop in metabolism and weight gain

Escape from stress

The Panorama of Mental Health survey, carried out by the Instituto Cactus and Atlas Intel, showed that almost a quarter of Brazilians (24%) feel exhausted and under pressure, while a fifth (21%) admitted to having difficulty coping the challenges of life.

“In these situations of stress and anxiety, people release the hormone cortisol, produced by the adrenal gland, which is directly involved in responding to the emotional state,” explains Claudia Chang.

According to her, increased cortisol during times of stress affects several organ functions, including metabolic processes. “Therefore, metabolic activity decreases, contributing to weight gain. For those who are already struggling with the scale, stress makes the goal of losing weight even more difficult.”

Quality of food

With a low metabolism, food must be much more controlled than for an individual with a high metabolism. By avoiding a balanced eating routine, you tend to gain weight quickly. However, restricting your diet too much can contribute to muscle loss, reducing your metabolism in the long term.

«The truth is that the organism has different needs for each period of life. For women over 40, for example, it is essential to include calcium, vitamin B12, potassium, magnesium, vitamin D and Omega in the diet. You can take these vitamins by consuming foods or supplements, under medical advice. The advantage of opting for foods is that, in addition to being healthier, they contain other nutrients not always present in capsules”, underlines Claudia Chang.

According to her, the body spends more energy digesting proteins than fats or carbohydrates. So, to increase your metabolism, the ideal is to replace some of your carbohydrates with lean foods and protein sources, such as white/lean meats, eggs, beans, nuts and low-fat dairy products.

Sleeping well is essential

Several studies have already shown that sleep deprivation increases stress, decreases metabolism, and even encourages the brain to make poor or impulsive decisions, such as overindulging in high-calorie foods, not exercising, or breaking regularity.

“Also, insufficient rest imbalances hunger hormones: ghrelin (which increases appetite) and leptin (responsible for satiety), which means overeating without realizing it.”

Focus on the right exercises

The body burns calories continuously, even when we sleep. However, this resting metabolic rate is higher in individuals with more muscle. The doctor explains that this happens because to gain one pound of muscle requires, on average, 60 calories a day just to maintain it.

“With your metabolism slowing, it’s important to not only do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day, but also include 4 to 5 resistance training sessions per week. Exercises such as leg abductions, stair climbing or sit-ups are ideal for maintaining muscle mass and also burn calories.”

He points out that after strength training, such as weight training, all muscles are activated, which increases your daily metabolic rate. Meanwhile, while aerobic activities typically don’t increase muscle gain as much, they can boost your metabolism in the hours after your workout. Good advice is to take at least 10,000 steps a day.

“The secret is the level of effort in high-intensity exercises, which causes a sustained increase in resting metabolism compared to low-intensity exercises, closing the ‘win-lose’ equation,” emphasizes Claudia Chang.

Avoid false promises

When your metabolism is no longer the same, the idea of ​​losing weight with unrealistic methods and promises becomes tempting, but you will soon realize that these “miracle” solutions do not work, as well as putting your health at risk.

“Avoid the physical and emotional stress that comes with wanting to lose weight at all costs. You may succeed at first, but the strategy will become an accordion effect. What really works is setting a healthy, attainable goal. Ideally, adopt the goal of 10% of basal weight, a percentage in which we observe a significant improvement in metabolic changes, such as blood sugar control and hypertension”, concludes Claudia Chang.

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.