With our cultural obsession with esthetics it is impossible to not have heard of the word metabolism before. Metabolism is the series of chemical reactions required to sustain life of any organism. We often think of it as the speed in which our body is operating, or converting the food and water we consume into fuel or energy. The thyroid gland manages the metabolism for every cell in the body. It is common for us to think about slow or sluggish metabolism as being responsible for us carrying extra weight, but it's much more complicated than that. Optimizing your metabolism, however, brings with it many advantages like clearer thinking and more focus, easier elimination of waste products and toxins, warmer body temperatures, stronger immune systems, balanced hormones, positive mood, appropriate appetite and managed food cravings, more energy and yes - healthy body composition.
It can be so frustrating and defeating to be eating well and exercising without seeing ANY RESULTS. You start feeling like it's not worth all the extra effort and you feel like a failure :(
One easy way to check your body's rate of metabolism is to take your temperature, ideally two hours after waking and away from food. If you are regularly below 37oC you may have a slow metabolism. You may have heard me say before that your temperature is like your body's speedometer, and it's a great screening tool for metabolism.
Other great tests are to check your thyroid function, iron levels, vitamin B12, sex hormones, cortisol levels, and food sensitivities since these are variables that could interfere with optimal metabolism.
Sometimes, we just need some simple tweaks in order to give our metabolism a boost and create lasting changes in the body.
1. Protein 60-80g per day, 20-30g per meal
- the possibilities are endless but the fact is that protein takes more work to digest (break down) and it also supports the formation and maintenance of muscle tissue
- poultry, bison, protein powder, collagen, fish, legumes, pork, tempeh/tofu, grass fed beef and free range eggs are all good options
2. Build muscle
- keep your workouts short but intense (consider high intensity interval training or HIIT) so that you continue to burn energy even after exercise
- muscle tissue requires more energy than adipose tissue, so with more muscle in your body you burn more energy (calories) even when you're sitting in a chair at work
3. Eat fiber
- fiber expends more energy when digesting it than other simple foods, plus it has the added bonus of keeping you full longer and helping you to bind and expel toxins through your poop
- fiber also supports healthy gut flora, and certain bacteria actually help to dictate our metabolism
- great options are: chia, ground flax, greens, psyllium, oats
4. Thyroid support
- last but not least, the metabolism regulator itself
- thyroid hormones are made from iodine so make sure that your diet contains some sea salt
- selenium is also an important thyroid hormone nutrient, and it can be found in Brazil nuts (2 per day is a great goal)
- manage your stress levels, since this is a major cause of thyroid imbalances
BONUS Tip: It might not seem obvious but maximizing your digestion is a fantastic way to influence your metabolism, this is how lemon water can help you to kickstart your day. If lemon water isn't your thing, digestive enzymes or probiotics might be a better choice for you.
With kindness and encouragement (because you've got this!),
Dr. Christa
P.S. Click here if you'd like to book an appointment to discuss testing your metabolism obstacles through bloodwork, or anything else at all :)
It can be so frustrating and defeating to be eating well and exercising without seeing ANY RESULTS. You start feeling like it's not worth all the extra effort and you feel like a failure :(
One easy way to check your body's rate of metabolism is to take your temperature, ideally two hours after waking and away from food. If you are regularly below 37oC you may have a slow metabolism. You may have heard me say before that your temperature is like your body's speedometer, and it's a great screening tool for metabolism.
Other great tests are to check your thyroid function, iron levels, vitamin B12, sex hormones, cortisol levels, and food sensitivities since these are variables that could interfere with optimal metabolism.
Sometimes, we just need some simple tweaks in order to give our metabolism a boost and create lasting changes in the body.
1. Protein 60-80g per day, 20-30g per meal
- the possibilities are endless but the fact is that protein takes more work to digest (break down) and it also supports the formation and maintenance of muscle tissue
- poultry, bison, protein powder, collagen, fish, legumes, pork, tempeh/tofu, grass fed beef and free range eggs are all good options
2. Build muscle
- keep your workouts short but intense (consider high intensity interval training or HIIT) so that you continue to burn energy even after exercise
- muscle tissue requires more energy than adipose tissue, so with more muscle in your body you burn more energy (calories) even when you're sitting in a chair at work
3. Eat fiber
- fiber expends more energy when digesting it than other simple foods, plus it has the added bonus of keeping you full longer and helping you to bind and expel toxins through your poop
- fiber also supports healthy gut flora, and certain bacteria actually help to dictate our metabolism
- great options are: chia, ground flax, greens, psyllium, oats
4. Thyroid support
- last but not least, the metabolism regulator itself
- thyroid hormones are made from iodine so make sure that your diet contains some sea salt
- selenium is also an important thyroid hormone nutrient, and it can be found in Brazil nuts (2 per day is a great goal)
- manage your stress levels, since this is a major cause of thyroid imbalances
BONUS Tip: It might not seem obvious but maximizing your digestion is a fantastic way to influence your metabolism, this is how lemon water can help you to kickstart your day. If lemon water isn't your thing, digestive enzymes or probiotics might be a better choice for you.
With kindness and encouragement (because you've got this!),
Dr. Christa
P.S. Click here if you'd like to book an appointment to discuss testing your metabolism obstacles through bloodwork, or anything else at all :)
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