Debunking metabolism myths: How to actually boost your metabolism

We all have that friend who can eat anything and never gain a pound. You know, the one who’s dipping her cheese fries in mayo while you’re measuring out your low-cal vinegarette. Let’s face it: some people are genetically blessed with a super-speedy metabolism. But for the rest of us, there’s still hope!

First thing’s first: what is metabolism? Basically, it’s the number of calories we burn throughout the day. Regardless of our physical activity level, calories are always needed to keep us going. At any given time, these calories keep us breathing regularly, keep our heart pumping, and maintain our body temperature.

The number of calories we burn at rest is our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This number is dependent on a number of factors, like our age, gender, physical activity level, and the amount of fat and muscle in our body. Because our bodies use more calories to maintain muscle than fat, muscular people will have a higher BMR than their non-muscular peers. The amount of calories we burn also depends on the food we eat. For example, it takes more calories to digest a meal of complex carbs, like multigrain pasta, than simple carbs, like a bag of chips (see my previous post titled “In defense of carbs” for a definition of complex and simple carbs).

So how do you figure out your BMR and what does this number mean? You can calculate your BMR using the below formula. This number indicates the number of calories your body burns at rest daily. For example, my BMR is 1220, which means that if I sat on the couch all day and did absolutely nothing, I could consume 1220 calories without gaining weight. Realistically, our bodies require more calories, though, to account for the extra energy we expel by walking to work, exercising, vacuuming, talking etc.

Your BMR:
Female: [ 655+(9.6 x Weight in kilograms) + (1.7 x Height in centimeters) – (4.7 x Age) ]

Male: [ 66+(13.7 x Weight in kilograms) + (5 x Height in centimeters) – (6.8 x Age) ]


So now back to that poutine-loving-deep-fried-cheese-eating-skinny-bitch friend. How do you become her? Sorry to break it to you, but you can’t. While you can chalk your average metabolism up to genetics, there are, however, a few ways to help you speed it up. You probably sill want to hold off on the deep-fried Mars bars though. Bahhh, in a perfect world.

Tips:
EAT: For the love of God, don’t stop eating! This actually has an adverse effect on our metabolism, as it causes our bodies to go into crisis mode and store calories, resulting in a slower metabolism. Cleansing and dieting: also no-gos. You’re best to eat 5-6 small meals a day and snack every 2-3 hours.

But eat “healthy”: Whatever calories we don’t expend by the end of the day are stored in our body as fat. Not necessarily a bad thing since our bodies need fat, but if you’re trying to lose weight it’s best to lower your caloric intake to a number that’s below your outtake (what you expend). So if you have a BMR of 1500 and are burning 300 calories at the gym, you should aim to intake less than 1800 calories (don’t forget you’re also burning calories by walking, cleaning, and living your everyday life, so try not to go too much lower than 1800 or your body will panic and begin to store fat- it's a vicious cycle!). In short, if we take in more calories than we use, we will gain weight.

Say no to Sugar: This includes candy, cola, and cakes. These simple sugars have little to no nutritional value and take a very small amount of calories to break down. Thus, they are stored as fat.

EXERCISE: Even after we exercise our body continues to burn calories at a high rate. So if you’re only burning 200 calories on the treadmill, you’re BMR will still increase. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Build muscle: An increase in muscle mass increases your metabolic rate. For example, one pound of fat only burns two calories a day, while one pound of muscle burns 50. That’s a huge difference! The answer: strength training exercises that will help build lean muscle.

Eat these foods (maybe): Some studies show that chili, mustard, green tea, water, and dietary fibers can marginally increase your metabolism. However, you’re best to look at the whole picture and not just the foods you eat if you want to see any drastic changes.

All that being said, you're perfect just the way you are! Yes, even you. Now pass me my fibre-enriched chili-mustard-flavoured green tea.