Some Tangle-Free Metabolism Advice

Metabolism. Who hasn’t felt like it’s something that must be cracked or decoded – like you’re a government agent standing in front of one of those boards with all the data points connected by bits of string?  Fast. Slow. Eat less. Reverse age. Eat more. Move more. Tea. Caffeine. Peppercorns. Hormone replacement. It might seem like there’s a whole lot of dots on that board and you just can’t connect them to find the right code.

And you’d be somewhat correct. Metabolism, as Karen will talk about this week, IS a bit of a black box. We don’t yet know all the factors that influence our metabolic rates. Anyone who says they do is not telling the truth. What DO we know? Age, height, weight, gender, physical activity, body composition, health status, medical conditions, medications, genetics. These can all influence metabolism. Some of these we can control to a varying degree through behavior, and some of these we can’t.

These behaviors may sound, ahem, somewhat familiar. Incorporate strength training (and yes, body weight DOES count). Try to improve your sleep habits if you know that is a problem for you. Choose nutrient-dense foods as consistently as you can. Avoid diet plans that promise “fast and easy” weight loss. Ignore food and supplement claims that claim to hold the secrets to boosting metabolism. We know that you’ve heard these tips before – it’s because they are supported by the evidence research supports. The other advice you may have heard? It will just get you all tangled up.