SHREVEPORT, La. – Some of these gimmicks may only result in taking your money, leaving you more confused, or promising bogus claims.
Metabolism booster pills, detox/slimming teas or powders, and fad diets, are among the many products that promise to solve all of your metabolism issues.
Metabolism, the amount of calories that you burn at rest, is determined by and based on many different factors, including your current height, weight, gender, age, activity level, the amount of muscle you have, and even the amount of times you eat per day, also known as the thermic effect of food (TEF)—the amount of energy it takes for your body to digest and absorb the nutrients from food.
Even the breakdown of macronutrients that you consume can affect your metabolism. Protein has a higher TEF, much higher than carbs and fat. Fiber (plants) may also have a positive effect on metabolism, as fiber is not broken down as glucose, rather it passes through the gastrointestinal system. Thus causing a beneficial effect on the metabolism.
However, one of the best ways to boost your metabolism is to participate in strength or resistance training. In other words, lifting weights, doing body weight exercises, exercises with resistance bands, or following a progressive overload program, can help you increase muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn at rest. This is the best and most effective way of increasing metabolism. Remember, when increasing strength training you’ll want to also increase intake in protein to maximize muscle growth.
The big takeaways:
- Eat more protein (meat, eggs, beans, peas)
- Eat more fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, legumes, nuts, and seeds)
- Participate in strength training exercises (lifting weights, body weight exercises, and resistance training exercises)
Courtney is a local dietitian and nutritionist in Shreveport/Bossier. With her private practice, Courtney Butts Nutrition LLC, she helps individuals through one-on-one nutrition counseling with her insurance-accepted and self-pay services. She enjoys helping with individuals with Medical Nutrition Therapy that helps improve lab values, chronic disease outcomes, and decreasing medications through implementing changes to diet. To learn more about how you can work with Courtney, please visit www.courtneybuttsnutrition.com/services.
Do you have a question for Courtney or a specific topic you’d like her to cover? You can ask the dietitian here!