Weight Management Nutrition Information Pack

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Metabolism

Metabolism is the changing of something from one form to another in the human body. At the very basic level in regard to nutrition. We take in food and the many components of food are metabolised to be used in our body for different functions, including the growth and repair of our body. 

Mentabolism requires energy to do the processes of build and repairing. 

A slow metabolism requires less energy than a fast metabolism

BMR

Our base metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy required to sustain life. This is the energy required to keep organs functioning as they should and equates to 50-80% of our energy requirement.

How much energy we need to take in each day to stay at a maintenance weight depends on our energy outputs. Specifically, how active we are. This results in our TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

What affects metabolism

Your BMR is affected by many factors and varies every day. It can be affected by:

  • health – metabolic rate increases with injury or illness.
  • body size – metabolism is higher with increase in body size.
  • gender – men have a higher base metabolic rate.
  • climate and body temperature – people in warmer climates have a higher metabolic rate to accommodate heat regulation.
  • age – with decreased muscle mass as we age, our metabolism slows
  • hormone levels – an imbalance can slow or speed up metabolism
  • body composition – muscle requires more energy than fat, so a person of the same weight but more muscle has higher metabolism

How food affects metabolism

  • crash diets – can result in a slowed metabolism, which can defeat the purpose. Balanced sustainable diets with a deficit of 551 calories are best for long term results.
  • caffeine and nicotine increase metabolism.
  • unbalanced nutrition can cause malabsorption issues that affect metabolism. It can also cause hormonal imbalances as stated above
  • Specific foods create thermogenesis (heat production) which increases metabolism. This includes spicy foods, protein-rich food, caffeine, water and firbre-rich foods.

TDEE

The TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR plus your energy expenditure. This gives you a number to aim for when thinking about how much energy you need to take in to meet your needs, and to avoid taking in too much energy (calories).

How do I increase metabolism?

  • Eat nutritious food in a balanced diet as this supports functioning of your organs supporting improved metabolism.  An improved diet supports better hormonal regulation which can also improve metabolism
  • Exercise – movement increases metabolism
  • Strength training increase muscle mass which boosts metabolism
  • Eat foods that promote an increased metabolism. This includes protein-rich and fibre-rich foods, caffeine and spicy foods
  • Improve your sleep quality – poor sleep can slow metabolism and affect hormonal balance which also slows metabolism

References

  1. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolism
  2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/can-you-increase-your-metabolism
  3. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/weight-loss-and-sleep
  4. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/why-we-should-exercise-and-why-we-dont