Step 48

Ruthie’s Step 48…the M word!
The Metabolism

With help from an article.

Your metabolism is the way your body burns up all of the calories from the food that you eat. It’s a complex process that includes all of the chemical reactions that take place in your body to keep your organs working and to keep you alive. Read step 13.

The speed at which your body burns up calories is called your metabolic rate. Your sex, height, weight, genetics, age, lifestyle, and body composition affect your metabolism. Your metabolism plays a significant role in weight management: The faster your metabolism, the more calories you'll burn, and the less likely that you'll be overweight.

1. Don't fall for "fat-burning foods."
Can certain foods such as celery and grapefruit help you lose weight? Celery is low in calories and has a good deal of fiber, but it doesn't speed up your metabolism Shames. As for rumors that grapefruit increases your body's ability to burn calories because of its acidity, there are no studies to substantiate that myth. In fact, if you were to eat the same number of grapefruits as any other fruit, such as peaches, or oranges, you may actually be more likely to gain weight from eating the grapefruit because it is larger.

2. Don't fast or skip meals.
The idea that fasting or skipping meals regularly is a great way to cleanse the system of impurities, speed metabolism, and encourage weight loss is just another myth. Your body needs a certain amount of calories and nutrients each day for normal function. Denying the body of these essential elements throws the system into survival mode, slowing metabolism and encouraging the storage of energy in the form of fat. You have to eat in order to lose weight. Four to six small meals a day is a good way to keep your metabolism humming. Read steps 5, 10, 26.

3. Spice foods up for taste.
Spicy foods don't really help you burn calories but they may help you enjoy healthy choices such as vegetables and chicken.

4. Drink water.
Lack of water can slow the metabolic rate just as lack of food can.Since water is the body's most important nutrient, the liver will turn its concentration to water retention instead of doing other duties such as burning fat. Read steps 4, 35, 42.

5. Tone up.
Becoming more active will stimulate your metabolism. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so replacing your fat stores with lean muscle allows you to maintain your weight much more easily. Read step 8.

6. Get moving.
Aerobic exercise will burn calories, at least 60 minutes of moderate activity every day. Combined activity counts walk, skip, jog, or dance. Activity in your home counts, too. Garden, clean closets, or clean your house. You'll burn the most calories, however, with sustained activity that gets your heart rate up. Read step 32.

7. Watch those calories.
As you get older, your metabolism will slow down -- approximately 5% a decade. A slower metabolism is a natural part of aging.To maintain a stable weight, you must adjust your caloric intake and/or physical activity. If someone needs 1,500 calories a day to maintain his body weight at age 40, for example, he or she will need about 1425 calories a day at age 50 to maintain that weight, without changing anything else. Read steps 6, 10, 18, 36, 37, 38,40,43,46.

Keep on keeping on……making better choices for a healthier you!