Metabolism

Our metabolism is the rate at which our bodies use the food we ingest. Our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories we burn while laying in bed all day.

Everyone's BMR is different. For instance, I burn roughly 1200 calories while laying in bed all day. My husband, roughly 2000. Find out your BMR HERE.

What do we do with this information? Use the Harris Benedict Equation to discover how many calories you need to eat per day to STAY at your current weight. I always tell clients to LOSE weight we need to subtract about 500 from that number. But NEVER get below 1500 calories in a day. We need the calories to do the hard workouts.

But I've been reading a lot about metabolism lately (I know nerd city) and am shocked at how many things slow down our ability to burn our fat.

1) Genetics: It is true that everyone is born with different metabolic rates. However, we CAN change our metabolic rate.
2) Artificial Sweeteners: Hmmm.....Diet Coke drinkers?
3) Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): Man-made chemical.
4) Lack of Water: I am guilty with this one!! I have heard recently that we should be drinking 1 oz. of water for every 1 lb of our weight. Whoa. I honestly only know one person who drinks that much. She's a personal trainer and carries around a gallon jug of water with her everywhere she goes. She's also kind of a freak. (Just kidding Jill:)
5) Carbonated drinks: Hmmmm...Diet Coke drinkers?
6) Lack of sleep: This means less than seven hours per night. Research show this leads to obesity. In that case I guess children indirectly lead to obesity too.
7) Lack of sun: This, my friends, is why the tanning bed is not ALL bad.
8) Nutritional deficiencies: Bring on the vitamins!
9) Lack of sweating: I know all my clients are not lacking in this area.
10) Low muscle mass: Strength training, strength training, strength training!
11) Air conditioning: I tell people this all the time, but really, no one listens.
12) Breakfast: Eating no breakfast keeps metabolism low.
13) Eating before bed:
14) Genetically modified food: Unfortunately in America most of our fruit, veggies, and dairy products have been modified.
15) Lack of walking: In America the average person walks less than one-tenth of a mile per day. In other countries people walk five miles or more a day. Take the stairs!

These are just a few of the GOBS of things that slow down our metabolism.
But we know that exercise temporarily SPEEDS UP your metabolism.
Let that be your motivation for the day!


*Portions of today's blog were borrowed from The Weight Loss Cure by Kevin Trudeau.