Your favorite Company/Influencer Lied
As long as I have been immersed in the fitness industry it seems that year after year influencers and companies develop diets, supplements, and particular training protocols to "Speed Up" the metabolism of the consumer.
However, before getting into the meat and potatoes of todays post it is crucial to understand what metabolism is and what is meant/targeted when trying to "speed" it up.
Metabolism
Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions in the body's cells that change food into energy. Our bodies need this energy to operate and perform the tasks that are placed in our daily lives. These reactions and process are extremely complexed and as a result the key takeaway here is to understand that the metabolism can be regarded in some sorts as a "machine" consisting of numerous parts that need to be maintained and taken care of for the most efficient operation possible.
Usually, when trying to "speed up" the metabolism the goal is increase RMR. That is Resting Metabolic Rate, you may also have heard of BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate. Key difference between the two?
BMR is usually measured in the morning, ideally after an overnight fast, no exercise performed in the last day, free from emotional stress, completely rested. Whereas RMR involves your daily movements and light activities as well. Note that the basal metabolic rate is usually slightly lower than the resting metabolic rate.
So RMR is the focus huh?
Correct, reasoning is pretty simple. If the sum of someone’s daily calories consumed minus calories burned exceeds that person’s RMR, weight gain will follow and vice versa (Move more, eat less = weight loss). To figure out your RMR aside from being a lab rat there are resting metabolic rate calculators that can give you an estimate on the calories needed to stay the same weight, gain, or lose weight as well.
Factors that ACTUALLY influence RMR.
Three notable factors that contribute to a persons RMR:
- Hormone Function (Complicated, but makes sense)
- Body Composition (Muscle in relation to Fat)
- Diet (Duh)
Easier to "Slow" down, than "Speed" up metabolism?
Woah, Woah. This is suppose to be a blog post on how to speed up the metabolism and lose weight in 30 days right?
Wrong. It is has been suggested in studies that in the pursuit of your weight loss goals you may actually cause adverse results. Remember The Biggest Loser?, that show in itself demonstrates the catastrophic effects that can happen when you misunderstand the metabolism. Most contestants at the conclusion of the show actually regained the weight loss (and more) or reported having a harder time keeping the weight off in the long run. By having such a substantial initial loss in weight, and by doing so as fast as they did, their resting metabolism was lowered long-term and perhaps indefinitely.
Takeaway.
If you've read up to this point, I would like to say thank you first and foremost. Secondly, I would say there is no magic supplement, diet, or workout protocol to assist in "speeding" up your metabolism. Instead you should be focusing on staying hydrated, eating more protein / fiber, while focusing on building muscle and performing 2-3x a week structured cardio sessions.