The topic of slow and fast metabolism is common in fitness circles, more precisely in almost all conversations related to body weight and a healthy lifestyle, but despite its popularity, there are still many myths associated with metabolism, which are not only in passing stories, but also in the media. leaving us confused for years.
If we just start from the fact that metabolism represents a set of all chemical reactions and physiological processes that take place in our body, thus keeping us alive, we will understand how much we have failed to learn about it – how much we have actually simplified something so extremely complex and yet so perfect harmonized and regulated. Maybe then it will be easier for us to look with a dose of skepticism at a new supplement that promises to speed up the metabolism overnight with its magical ingredients, or we will calm down knowing that we are not condemned to eternal stagnation with kilograms if we know how to properly approach solving our problem.
Can we lose weight if we have a slow metabolism or gain weight if we think it is accelerated? Can we do anything about metabolism and inevitable aging? What if we irreversibly damaged our metabolism with different diets? These are all questions that bring confusion to our efforts to be in shape and live a healthy life and often limit us in achieving the desired changes due to wrong assumptions.
Below are 6 myths, or false beliefs about metabolism that I hear most often from the people I work with. I share them with you, and you share them further – time to cross them off the list!
- I am condemned to a slow metabolism
Although it may seem that way considering how much people who hold this belief know how to struggle with losing weight, metabolism is not static but is an extremely dynamic process that is influenced by many external and internal factors, which is why it tends to change from moment to moment. The food we eat, the activities we carry out, how well we sleep, as well as our physiological state in which we are at a certain moment – these are all factors over which we have a certain degree of control, and they affect the direction in which our metabolism will go.
This is good news for all those who believe that they are forever condemned to a slow metabolism – if we know what factors we need to watch out for on a daily basis, we will be more prepared to take the right steps and encouraged to influence our metabolism in a positive way. Struggling with excess weight only means that the body is currently receiving too much energy compared to its needs, but not that it should stay that way forever.
I can't gain weight because of my fast metabolism
What troubles people who believe that they have a slow metabolism and therefore “get fat from the very sight of food”, also troubles those with a fast one, only with the opposite sign – how to gain kilos when they are already eating too much?
Although many people may seem to eat a lot during the day and this is a real concern, if you take a look at their food diary you will find a lot of space that can be filled with extra calories. The principle of energy balance works unmistakably – if you eat more than you burn, you will gain weight. The first law of thermodynamics teaches us that energy cannot disappear anywhere, but can only be transformed. Therefore, the main problem with people with a fast metabolism is not their metabolism, but their weak appetite, which limits them to eat more, that is, to eat as much as they need to be in surplus.
The solution? Simply try to eat more or achieve the same by reducing activity if it is excessive. As with weight loss, the power is in small changes and small shifts – and keeping a food diary could serve as a good foundation for corrections.
Metabolism refers only to body weight
Metabolic activity and speed certainly affect our body weight, and that's why we usually mention metabolism in that context, but when we realize that its influence goes far beyond that, it's as if taking care of our own body becomes even more important.
Understanding the fact that metabolism includes all the chemical reactions that take place in our body makes it easier to understand how our hormonal health, immunity, proper functioning of the digestive system, fertility – all this and much more is influenced by the work of metabolism, that is, our overall health depends on optimal functioning of the same. Isn't that a good motivation for us to try even harder to take small steps every day in the direction of healthy lifestyle habits?
- XY supplement is the best for speeding up the metabolism
If you have read this text from the beginning, you already know that the key to an accelerated metabolism is not hidden in some magical supplement, but in daily adherence to healthy habits, starting from a healthy diet that is in line with the body's energy needs, through regular activity to quality sleep. Every moment of the day we make choices that directly affect our metabolism, therefore it is important that we choose what serves us as often as possible. - It is normal to gain weight as we age
We'd all like to think that the extra pounds we've accumulated after the age of 40 or 50 are purely a result of the passage of time, but unfortunately, research tells us otherwise – we have more control over our bodies than we think. And although realistically we cannot completely stop aging, we can still influence a number of factors that keep our body in shape.
The fact is that, especially with an extremely sedentary lifestyle, after the age of twenty, active muscle, connective and bone tissue begins to gradually deteriorate, which entails an inevitable slowdown in metabolism as a result of a reduced need for energy, but it is important to understand that all of this can be greatly partly influenced by careful life choices.
By maintaining regular physical activity, the necessary quality and quantity of sleep, and an optimal menu aligned with the body's needs, we can do a lot for the functioning of our metabolism even in old age. We cannot prevent aging, but we can slow it down and harmonize our eating habits with the body's new energy needs and activities, thus avoiding the accumulation of extra pounds – regardless of our age.
This question is asked by those who fear that they have somehow irreversibly damaged, “spoiled” or destroyed their metabolism with the series of diets they were on. If you are one of them don't worry, as soon as you read this means your metabolism is perfectly fine and is currently doing its most important job – keeping you alive.
You can read more about this myth or the wrong belief about a damaged metabolism in this article – Debunking myths: Is my metabolism damaged?
Let's repeat – metabolism is a set of dynamic processes that change from moment to moment. With each choice, we move in the direction of growth or decline, and the goal we reach will depend on a series of daily decisions we make regarding life habits. Your body, due to its extremely adaptive nature, has certainly reacted with reduced energy needs, but this does not mean that you are forever doomed to failure, just that you have to change something in your approach and be consistent and patient.
Because the journey towards a healthy lifestyle is not a short journey, with a clear road plan from the beginning and without deviating from the right direction. It is the journey that requires its time, perhaps a change of direction and offers us numerous lessons about ourselves. It's a process that, while essentially simple, isn't easy – but it's worth it.
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