Is it really possible that those forever-eating slim individuals have a faster metabolism than overweight people?

A UK television programme completed a small study to find out, and the results were startling!

The documentary in the UK called “The Truth About Food” found two women who were best friends, but had very different body types. One of the women, Becky, was very slim and even a little underweight. The other woman, Jo, was shorter and 22 pounds overweight. They had known each other for years, and they both believed that Becky was slim because she had a much faster metabolism, even though she seemed to eat much more than Jo. Jo believed she was overweight because she had a slow metabolism. She also stated that she had tried to lose weight on numerous occasions in the past but to no avail.

They both agreed to be tested and closely monitored by scientists and nutritionists for the documentary. Both fasted for 24 hours before having their metabolic rate accurately measured in the lab using a ventilation hood. They were also told to drink a bottle of special water which would help measure their metabolism, but in fact, the water was double labelled water which has a non-radioactive isotope marker added to it. This water is well known in science and can accurately measure the total amount of calories someone consumes as well as the total number of calories burned off over the following week. The scientists didn’t reveal the truth about the water because they didn’t want the women to be influenced and adjust their normal food intake in any way. This made it much more accurate in relation to their normal everyday food consumption.

The results revealed that both had very similar activity levels, but in fact Jo actually had a higher metabolic rate than slimmer Becky!

It was revealed that the higher metabolism was basically due to the extra weight which Jo was carrying. This is logical because moving more weight requires more effort. However, it shows that Jo did not have a weight problem caused from a slow metabolism.

The study also revealed that Jo was in fact consuming about 50 percent more calories than Becky!
It also showed that Becky was underweight simply because she was consuming fewer calories than she needed.

After the results both women were astonished! It was the total opposite of what both had believed for years. Jo said Becky could eat a lot during the day but never seemed to gain any weight. Becky stated that Jo only had to look at food in order to gain weight. This is the reason they believed it was down to each having a different metabolic rate.

The documentary concluded that some scientists believe that a slow metabolism is NOT to blame for excess weight gain. It was also suggested that overweight people tend to have a higher metabolism than those who are slim and underweight. They also implied that people will for the most part gain weight, because, in some way, they have consumed more energy than their body requires.

It seems one fact remains: if we consume more calories than our body requires, we will put weight on. The trick is to find new ways to eat so you consume fewer total calories than your body requires.

But how can it seem that some people can eat loads and never gain weight?

On reflection, I thought it could be some sort of illusion that may be taking place. For example, if a slim person eats little and often, could it give an impression to others that they always seem to be eating? If so, this could give the illusion that they must be consuming tons of calories.

What if the snacks a slimmer person eats are generally low in calories, thus the total intake still only amounts to a balanced or even lower energy intake? Also, what if they don’t always eat the entire meal? Leaving some food on a plate means less calories consumed.

Another possibility is individual activity levels. Slimmer people could be more energetic because they are lighter and require less effort to move around. This could be helping them to move about enough during an average day to maintain or cause a negative energy balance.

In comparison to a slim person, a heavier individual has the potential to burn more calories during exercise, due to the extra effort to move the weight. However, the high effort may be slightly uncomfortable for some, and in general, they may not move around as much as a thinner person. This would result in a heavier person expending less total energy so they could end up struggling to lose weight.

Also, intake of food can sometimes become hidden through portion size. Portion sizes can easily become distorted because of what we are used to getting in restaurants. As a result, some overweight people could be thinking they don’t eat much because they only have 2 or 3 meals each day, but if portion size is large enough then total energy consumed can rise dramatically. As an example, a Chinese take-away meal for one can be as high as 1500 calories; this is near the total daily energy intake for an average woman in the UK!

Good News for the Slow Metabolism!

So, at least the study revealed some good news; many overweight people tend to have a higher metabolism. This can help tremendously as weight control is ultimately reliant on maintaining an effective rate of metabolism when calories are reduced. However it's still possible to increase your metabolism further, and at the same time, decrease your appetite with the right selection of foods and an effective exercise routine suited to your specific body type and lifestyle. It’s not as simple as just telling you to follow this diet or to do these exercises. You really need to discover your specific physiological needs and match them to your own food preferences and lifestyle. Doing this will require some work in learning about the basics of nutrition and physiology but it will put you on the right tracks to eliminating excess body fat for years to come!

Here is a link to the BBC study: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/slim/

If you want to invest the time and effort into learning what might be right for your body type and lifestyle, then I recommend Tom Venuto's best-selling E-book "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle". It illustrates how you can increase your metabolism through the science of nutrition & Physiology. You will not find a load of exercise programs in this book. There is a lot of information in this manual so it wont be completed in 5 minutes, it does however cover all the necessary areas required, and it will set you in good stead for permanent fat loss. People looking for a quick fix should maybe give this one a miss! This is NOT one of those quick fix programs (these never work long-term) Learn more by visiting: www.burnthefat.com.

Exercise, Stress and Lack of Sleep can Affect your Metabolism

Metabolism refers to the rate at which your body utilizes calories to meet energy demands. The Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) refers to the number of calories you burn while your body is at rest. Your BMR decreases as you age. This means that it is harder for your body to burn calories and harder for you to lose weight. A daily routine of cardiovascular exercise can improve your health and fitness and increase your BMR. Stress has both positive and negative impact on the metabolism. Initially, it increases it to provide extra fuel for the body to react to any stressful situation. Prolonged stress, however, can actually lower the BMR by disrupting the digestive system. Lack of sleep makes you too tired to exercise or to work out intensely. It reduces your BMR. If you reduce the amount of stress in your life and get more sleep each night, your normal BMR will return. Not easy in the modern world, with its fast pace and demands on your time, but it can be done.

Exercise

That exercise increases the BMR is a well known weight loss fact, but did you know that some exercises will cause the body to continue burning calories at a higher rate after the exercise is finished? The amount depends on how hard and how long you exercise. For example, a 154 pound person running 8 mph will burn 320 calories in 20 minutes. If that same person walks 3 mph for an hour, she will burn only 235 calories. Walking or jogging will restore the BMR within 60 minutes, meaning that, at best, you will lose 10-30 additional calories during your recovery period. Low-intensity exercise training does have a plus side. Studies have shown that fat oxidation increases by 40%. High-intensity exercise training, on the other hand, does not affect fat oxidation, but you will continue burning calories at the accelerated rate well into the next morning. So which form of exercise should you choose? Experts say that low-intensity exercise is preferable because the risk of musculoskeletal injuries is lower and you are more likely to stay with a low intensity exercise program.

Stress

During periods of stress, the hypothalamus instructs the adrenal glands to release epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine and cortisol into the bloodstream to speed up heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and metabolism. Epinephrine breaks down glycogen into glucose in the liver. Both hormones increase circulating free fatty acids. The extra glucose and fatty acids are used by the body as fuel in times of stress. Prolonged stress disrupts the digestive system. The stomach produces excessive amounts of digestive acids. Irritable bowel syndrome develops when the smooth muscular contractions that move food along the large become spastic. When the abdomen becomes bloated, a person experiences cramping, constipation and diarrhea. Studies suggest that stress may make a person more susceptible to peptic ulcers or sustain existing ulcers. Stress has also been related to increased flare-ups of ulcerative colitis. Such conditions serve to lower the BMR. If the stress is removed, the body improves and the Basal Metabolism is raised.

Lack of Sleep

The lack of sleep has been shown to change hormone levels in the body. As sleep decreases, the adrenal gland produces more of the hormone cortisol. It regulates appetite and when its levels increase people continue to feel hungry despite being full. Lack of sleep also causes levels of growth hormone to decline. This reduces muscle mass and strength, increases fat tissue, and weakens the immune system. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to carry sugar (glucose) from the blood to the muscles and other tissues within the body. Insulin levels increase when the body does not get enough sleep. Because insulin causes sugars to be stored as fats, increased insulin makes weight control difficult. Sleep deprived individuals often eat candy or cookies when they feel their energy level dropping. As their blood sugar rises, energy returns, but the unneeded calories are converted to fat. Tired people burn fewer calories because they lack the energy to exercise or work out intensely. They may exercise the same duration as a rested person, but they will burn fewer calories. Getting enough sleep reduces the effects of increased cortisol levels.

Raise Metabolism with little Exercise

Raising the metabolism is the best way to burn body fat stores, and experts will agree that exercising more will help raise your metabolism. The problem is many people don’t want to be exercising for hours in the gym just to speed up the metabolic rate. People want to spend less time exercising. So how little exercise needs to be done in order to boost the metabolism rate?

Can you raise the metabolic rate without long exercise sessions?

Is it possible to it with very little exercise, and without the need to exercise aerobically such as jogging, cycling or doing an hour of this or that?

The answer is yes! It is possible to raise the speed of metabolism without lots of exercise. I know this because my metabolism rose quickly when I first started weight training many years ago. At the time I wanted to build strength and muscle and I knew it was important to start light and gradually build strength without trying to do it within the first few workouts.

How the heck does this guy drop below 4% body fat without drugs or supplements? Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder who regularly competes at 4% body fat. The fact is, there are probably very few people who truly understand fat loss better than Tom does, simply because he doesn't just research it or write about it - he lives it! (and has the ripped abdominals to prove it!) What Tom reveals in his best-seller e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, is essential knowledge if you want to get really, really lean, and until you understand these principles, you can't even hope to get lean enough to see your abs - which is what we all want right? Find out how it's done by visiting Tom's website at: Click Here to Visit burnthefat.com & Learn More The only downside to this e-book is that it's chock full of useful info so it may take you a few days to get started.

I started weight training by performing only 3 main exercises; squats, dead lift and bench press. These are multi-joint exercises that target the major muscle groups of the body, thus I was getting a whole body routine with only 3 exercises. When performed correctly these three exercises tax the major muscles and stimulate muscular growth quickly. This is how I was able to raise my metabolism quickly without doing many exercises. By training all the biggest muscles of the body I was also burning a lot of energy within a small time span.

I performed the 3 exercises twice each week for a total workout time of around 30 minutes, that’s one hour per week to raise the metabolism quickly. I performed the routine in a progressive manner, starting off very light for the first few workouts then gradually worked at building up the resistance every session. If I managed to do ten repetitions with my regular weight I would raise the resistance for the next session and again keep trying to complete ten repetitions before increasing the resistance.

This routine helped speed up my metabolic rate within a week or two, but the only problem was it did take some effort and determination. In the beginning the workouts seemed far too easy, but after a few weeks when the weights started getting heavy I had to dig deep and keep pushing myself. I believe this is NOT a routine for obese people as it requires a certain degree of fitness; hard training places a lot of strain on the heart. For this reason I would recommend you consult with your doctor and a qualified instructor before attempting a routine of high intensity weight training. If you have a slow metabolism when dieting you should try to learn more about why this happens, then you can increase your metabolism quickly.

Weight Loss Plateau

How a Weight Loss Plateau occurs & how to reduce its effects

A weight loss plateau often occurs because the difference between energy intake and energy expenditure gradually balances. The human body must restore energy balance in order to survive. Imagine the potential for human survival if we kept losing weight because we couldn't find enough food (energy intake) when roaming the land thousands of years ago!

Our body needs these natural physiological mechanisms to help maintain energy balance relatively quickly.

Breaking Out of A Weight Loss Plateau

The Process of a Weight Loss Plateau

In order to lose weight we need to create a negative energy balance or a calorie deficit, this is fact. The number of calories we cut from our intake needs to be sufficient enough in order to see some results fairly quickly. So if we begin a new diet by cutting our calorie intake by about 500 per day we will lose weight over the course of a week or two.

During a calorie deficit our body still requires the same amount of energy thus, it starts using up energy stores to make up for this 500 calorie deficit. However, as our body inevitably uses up extra proteins for energy AND to maintain normal protein synthesis, we end up with a net loss of total protein. This results in a gradual loss of lean muscle, and this is the start of a lowered metabolism.

In fact, protein (muscle) loss may go unnoticed when looking in the mirror because the body will take it from other, less priority areas and not just from our skeletal muscles. The stomach is a classic area where protein is broken down for use, as there's less need for a large stomach capacity because we have lowered our food intake. Ever noticed how we can no longer eat those big meals we once used to eat before dieting?

A Decreased Metabolic Rate

The initial weight loss slows down as the body progressively loses further lean mass, this continues until the point where a calorie deficit is so minute that it no longer has any effect on fat loss. Our metabolism has decreased and we have reached that dreaded weight loss plateau. What it means is our body has gradually adapted to match our new energy intake, and we now require less energy to maintain the new weight. This process was ideal many years ago when our ancestors roamed the land, but unfortunately for us, this is a part in dieting where we cannot seem to lose any more weight. For this reason we need to view any long-term weight loss in different stages.

Is there really such a thing as starvation mode?

Secondary Effects of a Plateau; We Burn Less Calories

There is a second effect, as the body becomes progressively lighter, less calories are burned during movements so, the overall energy expenditure also reduces.

The reduction in lean mass and the lowered energy expenditure both help restore energy balance from any initial reduction in calorie intake, and can even slow progress from the extra exercise sessions often undertaken when attempting to lose weight.

The bottom line is the initial 500 calories per day reduction, no longer continues to be effective for losing further weight because the body no longer recognizes that there is a calorie deficit. There will always be an adaptation to match any lowered calorie intake simply because the body needs to conserve energy for survival!

Limit the effects of the Weight Loss Plateau!

The facts above means it is vital that dieters begin by reducing calorie intake slowly, this limits the loss of lean weight and helps keep metabolism high during dieting. Also, any exercise done within the first 10 - 15 workouts needs to be light and for longer durations to enable the energy system to adapt to the change by "switching its gear" into fat burning mode!

If calories are cut too much too soon the body is forced to burn more and more protein especially when glycogen (carbohydrate) stores run low. This seriously lowers the metabolism and dieters hit a period where they just cannot lose any more weight "the weight loss plateau", then when they give up and go back to the old eating habits the body shoots back into a positive energy balance, which causes many dieters to GAIN BACK FURTHER WEIGHT!

Breaking Out of A Weight Loss Plateau

Fat loss expert Tom Venuto believes that many dieters should break away from a diet, maybe for a week, in order to re-stimulate the metabolism by providing essential proteins and energy to build back. Once hormonal influences are stabilized, a calorie deficit can be reintroduced in order to shock the body into fat burning mode.

It will obviously mean no fat loss during the "break", but it helps boost fat loss when you go back to a newly adjusted calorie deficit.

Tom also believes it gives you a physiological break from the stress of dieting.

Tom's Burn The Fat eBook has an entire chapter devoted to breaking plateaus including a long checklist of fat loss plateau-breaking strategies (chapter 4). Chapter 12 explains the calorie and carb cycling strategy.

Increasing the mitochondria helps raise metabolism

To lose weight quickly it is important to raise the metabolism in order to burn more calories within a shorter period of time. Fit people tend to have a raised metabolism for two reasons, a higher level of lean mass and a greater number of mitochondria within the cells. If one has difficulty in raising the amount of lean mass it may be important to work on raising the metabolism by increasing the number of mitochondria.

What are Mitochondria and why are they so important to raise the metabolic rate?

Mitochondria are little organelles present within all cells of the human body. Mitochondria are often referred to as the “powerhouse of the cell” because they are responsible for producing most energy from food elements. They also contain all of the enzymes associated with aerobic energy production. These organelles are an important part of the metabolism because they control the constant aerobic oxidation of fatty acids (fat burning) that occurs while we are at low levels of exertion. The aerobic oxidation forms a large part of our basic metabolic rate so any increase in mitochondrial mass will help raise the metabolism.

How to raise the numbers of mitochondria

Cells with high energy needs often contain more mitochondria therefore exercise will help raise the numbers however, the correct exercise will be the key to raising the metabolism efficiently enough to lose weight quickly.

It has been shown that there is an increase in the number and size of the mitochondrial mass when exercise is performed at around 80% of maximum heart rate for at least 15 minutes. The changes occur within the exercised muscle cells and may happen within a few weeks if the workout schedule is adhered to. This type of exercise regime repeated 3 times per week on alternate days has also been shown to raise the concentrations of energy burning enzymes further boosting energy expenditure by up to 20%. However raising the heart rate above 80% is not advisable and training more than 3 times per week may be counterproductive because time is needed in-between sessions for recovery. The recovery phase is important as it enables the mitochondria to increase in both size and numbers. A gentle walk or some type of low intensity activity completed between sessions may not affect the recovery process.

Best exercise for raising mitochondria and metabolism

Probably the best activities to help raise the heart rate to 80% of maximum are swimming and rowing. Both these exercises require the use of the major muscle groups and call for the movement of all limbs. This places a greater demand on energy production to raise calorie expenditure making it easier to reach a higher level of one’s target heart rate. Also the more muscles involved in the activity the more mitochondria involved in the adaptation process. There are other good exercises that raise the heart rate however some, such as running tend to be traumatic to joints like the knees, ankles and hips.

It is also vital that in the beginning stage the heart rate is raised gradually over the course of 2 weeks or more, no one should be exercising at 80% of maximum heart rate within the first 6 workouts, it will only reduce the ability for cells to develop at later stages. Instead, start off at around 40% of maximum then as fitness levels rise increase it by 10% at each workout.

How does Human Metabolism Work?

Our Metabolism is the rate at which the body uses energy to support all basic functions essential to sustain life, plus all energy requirements for additional activity and digestive processes.

Human metabolism is basically made up of three parts:

Physical activity 20-25%

Thermic effect of food 10%

Resting Metabolism 70%

1. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

This is the amount of calories needed to run all essential functions and chemical reactions while in a rested and quiet state. RMR is the largest part of total metabolism and accounts for 65 - 75% of calories burned in a day.

If lean weight is lost from the body through increased protein metabolism the RMR decreases. This often happens when people go on a strict diet, the body is forced into what's known as a "negative nitrogen balance" which means more protein is lost than what is replaced due to less protein/energy intake. This imbalance causes a gradual loss in lean weight thus lowering the RMR.

Many dieters limit the amount of lean weight loss with some type of intense exercise in order for muscles to develop a need to hold onto more protein forcing the body to take more energy from fat stores. Learn more here!

2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)

The body uses energy to digest and absorb the nutrients present in the food we eat. The rate of energy used for the TEF is about 10%, it can be increased depending on the composition of each meal.

The TEF causes much confusion when dieters calculate calories in and out. For example;

If we overeat the TEF actually increases due to more food to digest, the stomach and intestines have to work harder and longer. It means if we ate an extra 3500 calories ( number of calories per pound of fat ) we wouldn't actually gain 1 pound of body fat because the TEF has to be accounted for, we would gain less.

The opposite also happens if we cut 3500 calories to lose 1 pound. The TEF decreases because there would be less food/nutrients to process so energy expenditure would reduce thus we would lose less than a pound in weight.

Calories do count but our body has sophisticated mechanisms to balance energy within the body to enable us hold onto as much energy as possible for a time when starvation may occur!

3. Physical activity

The amount of energy the body burns during daily activities such as exercise, recreation, work, housework, etc. Daily physical activities account for 20 - 40% of calories burned each day. This part will vary depending on the individual and how active they are each day. A sedentary person will require less calories to maintain weight than a busy worker in a construction site!

It is here where we can have the greatest effect on metabolism. The intensity, frequency and duration of any activity all have an effect on metabolism.

If you would like to learn more about losing weight and speeding up your metabolism in a healthy way, I suggest you check out Tom Venuto's new program. The book tends to be more for women in their mid 30's than for men, but is still an excellent resource to have.

FACTORS INFLUENCING OUR METABOLIC RATE

An increased metabolism provides many benefits to help maintain continuous and permanent weight loss:

• less exercise would be needed - giving you more time

• less effort if you did exercise - no need to try burning lots of calories during each session!

• less chance of weight regain later

• still enjoy some favorite foods - no need to be as strict on the diet

• less time spent preparing low / non fat recipes and meals

• save money from not needing to buy all the expensive low fat varieties

• higher percentage of fat loss over fluid loss

A step by step program to increase metabolism is beyond the scope of this article. Leading fitness expert Tom Venuto's new e-book is highly recommended!

Factors Affecting Metabolism

The human metabolic rate can be influenced by numerous factors. Here is a list of the most common, some can be changed and others we are born with. The most effective way of increasing the metabolic rate when trying to lose fat weight is to add more lean muscle to your frame. This wont mean you'll become big, just an extra few pound can boost the metabolism and help give you more shape.

BODY SIZE:
Size of the body has a major influence on metabolism. A bigger body means more cells to maintain and this requires energy therefore larger people generally have a higher metabolism. If muscles and build ( body composition ) are naturally large then this will increase metabolic rate further.

The extra weight also helps increase metabolism, each movement requires more recruitment of muscle cells to move the mass even if the extra weight is stored fat it still takes more effort to move.

BODY COMPOSITION:
Body composition is another important factor which determines rate of metabolism. Body composition is the difference between total lean weight compared to fat weight. A higher percentage of lean body weight results in a higher metabolism compared to individuals of the same weight will a lower percentage, think of a body builder against a Sumo wrestler!

Lean body weight is more metabolically active than fat weight, although an interesting point is the fatter person will burn almost the same amount of calories during exercise but the leaner person burns more calories at rest.

SEX:
Men naturally have a higher percentage of lean muscle and research suggests this is mainly due to male sex hormones leading to a difference in body size and composition. Therefore, men have a higher metabolism than women however, most female sportswomen will increase metabolism through years of training.

AGE:
Age affects the metabolism for both men and women. After 30 years of age there is usually a gradual decline in lean body weight and an increase in fat weight although, this is mainly due to hormonal changes. This will lead to a lowering of the metabolism.

A decline in our metabolic rate can also be attributed to a gradual change in lifestyle, which is one thing we can control. It is interesting to note that regular exercise in adulthood will slow the rate at which lean weight is lost and help keep an optimum metabolism.

DIET:
Every time we eat it takes a small amount of energy to digest and absorb all the nutrients present in food (thermogenesis), so eating more frequently can help burn more calories and increase matabolism, albeit slightly.

Research shows that after a meal the process of thermogenesis is greater when protein is ingested with the meal rather than just carbohydrate and fat.

HEREDITARY:
Differences in our genes can affect metabolism. Some people can have the same weight, fat content and age, but have different body types which result in different metabolic rates. Other genes could influence the production of more "beneficial" enzymes which aid fat uptake and utilization.

HORMONES:
Hormones control many of the body's main chemical processes, therefore can influence metabolism. A rise in some of the body's important hormones, through regular exercise or even through genetic disorders, can increase lean weight and change body composition.

WEATHER:
It may sound strange but the climate around us can influence the metabolic rate. If we are too cold we shiver. Shivering burns up much energy from the constant contraction and relaxation of muscle cells, this is done to produce heat in order to maintain body temperature. When we are hot we also burn more energy through the process of sweating.

PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE:
Stress and anxiety can cause a rapid increase in energy expenditure. When a person is said to be "on edge" or nervous they are in a state of high alert, different chemicals circulate the blood vessels and communicate to cells to break down energy stores ready to provide a greater supply of energy.

DRUGS:
There are many pharmaceutical drugs that can influence the metabolic rate, but the more common ones are nicotine and caffeine, although the effects are very slight.