If you look at these words “metabolic rate” and you wonder what that means, you’ve arrived to the right place. And, please, by all means, don’t feel like metabolic rate is strictly related to weight loss. Weight loss, weight gain, or weight maintenance – or no concerns to your weight at all – we should all be a tad bit familiar with how metabolic rate impacts our body and our energy levels.
But hey, maybe weight and calories mean nothing to you or you’re not wanting to be too obsessive about them. That’s okay! Let’s just talk about energy we take in, how well we burn it, and what’s left over.
Metabolic Rate is the rate in which your body burns calories. Some people have a very fast metabolic rate (metabolism), while others have a slower rate of burning. Some people fall in between and can maintain weight really easily. An individual with lower metabolic rate probably gains weight easily, while one with higher metabolic rate struggles to maintain weight. Both situations can become frustrating and dangerous.
Majority of my followers/readers come to me in search of help to manage their weight in a weight loss sense. Thus, majority of this blog addresses the manners in which we can IMPROVE our metabolic rate in order to achieve the weight we are striving for or manage the weight in which we are currently at.
If you are feeling “Stuck” with poor or slower metabolic rate, we’re going to talk about the various ways in which you can improve your metabolic rate. Later in this blog we will address the components of weight loss. Keep reading.
How can you improve your metabolic rate in five steps:
- Become educated on what metabolism is and YOUR BODY
- Know that your metabolic rate involves your ENTIRE body: brain, breathe, organs, muscle fibers, fat cells. You have to be willing to work your brain, practice breathing techniques, have healthy functions organs (liver, kidneys, gut, intestines, digestive system), strive for muscle gains, and work towards eliminating fat.
- Understand the three main ways to BURN calories: basic life functioning, breaking down food, and physical activity.
- Apply the strategies listed in the weight loss lists and chart below.
- CONSISTENCY.
Let’s chat about the rumor that our metabolism slows down as we age. For women specifically, we hear that our metabolism slows down after kids, during/after menopause, and as we age. Is this true? Sure, it is true. There are a few things can slow our metabolic rate. But, let’s be stronger than these obstacles. Let’s learn about these obstacles and overcome them.
Top there components that slow your metabolic rate:
- Inactivity – your resistance to exercise, your hesitation to move your body, your excuses of “why” you cannot even go out walking slows your metabolic rate. But you can overcoming this obstacle by getting up and MOVE your body. Every. Darn. Day.
- Poor Nutrition Choices – choosing crash diets, skipping meals, or cutting out a certain macro will slow your metabolism. Because your metabolic rate involve the brain, muscles, organs, and fat cells – you do need all three macro components. You need the correct meals each day. Cutting these out slows the metabolism and halts your metabolic rate.
- Inconsistency – choosing to only apply these strategies a few days a week isn’t enough. You need consistency EVERY DAY for SEVERAL days/weeks/months in a row. Once you find a program or coach that does work for you, you probably need to stick to this for 18+ months in order to keep that consistency and maintain a healthy metabolic rate for the long haul.
Where does weight loss come into play?
Being that metabolic rate is relevant to how you burn the calories you eat, that plays a huge role in weight loss. Everyone will tell you that weight loss is “easy” and “just a calorie deficit” and “eat less.” Absolute myth. Not true. Weight loss is so much more than eating in a calorie deficit.
The list above is also show in a pie chart below. These are the 8 components; these are the 8 pieces of the pie that I believe are the most crucial to weight loss. Without one, you cannot complete the pie. You really do need to work towards all 8 pieces for optimal success.
In the list above, and in the pie chart I have given them a number order of what I believe to be the most crucial, to the lesser of importance.
Let’s talk about these.
#1 Relationship with Yourself + Self Belief – if you believe you can achieve the body/weight/look/health you want, you absolutely can do it. But you must first believe, see, visualize, and then DO. This takes a solid relationship with yourself and healthy dose of self belief.
#2 Sleep – This is where we lack the most organization and value to our weight loss journey. But remember back to metabolic rate where I said our internal organs and digestive systems has a play. We need to give our internal time to recover, and regenerate before expecting to work all day. Without sleep, our body cannot even work enough to have a high metabolic rate in order to burn calories. So, give your body the rest it deserves and it will work for you during the day.
#3 Hydration – again, brain, breath, organs, muscle fibers – they cannot work properly and in a correct metabolic rate without water. Drink your water.
#4 Nutrition – this goes without saying and explaining. And, if you’re confused about nutrition, we really need to chat about the Nail Down Your Nutrition Program + Coaching.
#5 Physical Activity – exercise not only burns calories during the minutes in which you are you moving, but keeps your heart and blood system working throughout the day for higher calorie burn. For weight management, 30 minutes a day will be sufficient. For weight loss, 60 minutes a day is ideal. Not sure where to start with the activity, let’s chat about my Actively Ageless program for workouts all all abilities.
#6 Behaviors: Affirmations, Tracking, Portion, Discipline – This in itself could be an entire blog. But, your behaviors play a part. Behaviors are how you speak to yourself, how you track your foods, how you portion your macros, your discipline to stick to a workout calendar, your discipline to follow a nutrition plan. Behaviors also include giving up some indulgences such as alcohols, breads, sweets, pastries and so much more. Behaviors also include your consistency that we mentioned above.
#7 Community – You absolutely can achieve goals by yourself. But statistics and experiences demonstrate that the ladies in virtual or in person communities are more like to DO + Follow through with what they talk about. Without a community, it is easy to just talk talk talk. But, once you say it to someone in a community (our virtual facebook groups), you will do + follow through.
#8 Effort – If you have ever taken one of my spin or cardio classes, you hear me talk about effort levels in percentages, but also in score 1-10. I always ask for a 7, 8, 9, or 10. If you are really really really dedicated to your weight loss, I am asking for a level 10 effort – all in. To become all in, I highly suggest printing this blog. Having the list / pie chart in a visible place. Highlight these top 8 components of weight loss and bring them to life.