What Is Metabolism?

Understanding your body’s metabolism is critical when it comes to weight loss. If you are attempting to lose weight and take an extreme approach you will slow down your metabolic rate, which will effect your overall weight loss efforts. It is never a good idea to undertake a period of extreme weight loss by starving yourself as you will only slow down your metabolic rate. Slowing down your metabolic rate will work against your efforts to lose weight despite the effort and sacrifice you are undertaking. Please understand that extreme measures are never the best way to lose weight.

Metabolism by definition equates to the amount of energy your body requires to carry out regular function. For example your body will use some energy with every function it performs including sleeping believe it or not. Those with higher fat percentages will typically have a slower metabolism while those with a higher percentage of muscle will have a faster metabolism. In recent times it has been proven that promoting muscle growth by doing regular weight resistance training will actually increase your metabolic rate. This will in turn help you to lose weight more rapidly. If you take the wrong approach to losing weight over a two week period you will slow down your metabolism by starving your body of the energy it requires to carry out normal day to day activities.

Kickstart Weight Loss by Avoiding These Foods

 There are some basic principles to follow if you are attempting to lose weight. The first and most obvious is to reduce your intake of fatty foods. Foods that are high in fat include:

• Butter
• Cream
• Processed Meats such as Sausages, Salami.
• Cheese
• Ice Cream
• Animal Meats – such as lamb
• Chocolate
• Soft Drinks
• There are good fats and bad fats however. Saturated fats are associated with poor health and heart diseases. While polyunsaturated fats will actually lower your cholesterol and are actually good for you.

 Foodstuffs which contain low saturated fats are as follows:

Fruit and Vegetables

Lean meats

Grains such as cereal, pasta and rice.

By reducing your saturated fat intake and replacing this with foods high in protein and fibre you will be promoting muscle growth which as noted above promotes a faster metabolism. A faster metabolism will assist with burning fat.

 Thanks for taking the time to read, I hope this articles inspires you to take real action and avoid any fad/miracle diets. The only thing a miracle diet is good for is making you unhealthy over the longer term. Learn to respect your body and you might be surprised with the results you can achieve.