Reasons For Weight Gain
- By:Andrew Tan
Low Metabolism - Metabolism can be linked to
genetics, but it has more to do with how active
we are, and the amount of muscle tissue we have
compared with fat.
Our muscles actively burn off the calories that
we consume. They require more energy to work
effectively. If we are living an inactive
lifestyle, our muscles break down and they don't
burn the calories like they should. Therefore,
if our muscles are not breaking down the calories
we consumed, it gets converted to fat cells.
When we are not active, our metabolism decreases,
and as a result less calories are burned for
energy and more are stored as fat.
A more active person slows the decline of their
muscles mass and may even increase the overall
muscle mass, depending on activity, and then the
metabolism is higher. This makes it easier for a
person to lose weight.
How do you increase your metabolism?
* Exercise that helps build muscle, also helps
increase metabolism. Any exercise will help.
* Eat smaller meals more frequently. If you have
a small, healthy snack in between meals you can
actually jumpstart your metabolism.
* Don't starve yourself when trying to lose
weight. If your body has nothing to metabolize,
it will slow down completely. Then when you go
to eat, your body will have a very difficult time
breaking down food without it turning straight
into fat.
* One of the best low-impact exercises to do is
walking. Try walking for 30 minutes three times
a week. It will increase your metabolism
considerably.
* Make sure you eat breakfast. If you don't
start your day getting your metabolism going, you
could have a hard time doing it when you eat a
big lunch or big dinner.
How you eat - Your eating habits can play a huge
role in determining your weight. Do you eat
smaller, lean servings instead of gorging
yourself on your mother's world-famous spaghetti
and meatballs? What about how fast you eat? All
of these things have an effect on your ability to
gain and lose weight.
Here are a few tips on your eating habits that
can have a profound effect on your battle to lose
weight.
* High-fat, high calorie foods are tough on the
body, and it takes a long time to break them down.
You are at greater risk if you are eating foods
like this. Pastas with cheeses and or cream
sauces are an example of high fat and high-
calorie.
* Take your time when you eat - for a number of
reasons. First, your stomach takes time to tell
your brain you are full. You risk overeating
when you eat too fast. Second, if you chew your
food completely, the enzymes in your saliva aid
in the breaking down of complex compounds in your
foods, making it easier for your body to keep up.
It's also worth mentioning that the faster you
eat, the greater chance you have of building up
gas.
* Eat smaller portions more often. We discussed
this earlier, and you can boost your metabolism
by making it work in smaller session more often.
Also it helps when you eat smaller portions,
because you don't risk overeating and forcing
your body to keep up with your eating.
Your genetic makeup - Your metabolism may already
be determined for you by the genes your parents
passed down. But, this is NOT an excuse for not
doing what you can to raise your metabolism if
you have been passed down a slower one by nature.
Just as people with higher metabolism can lower
it by reducing activity and having poor eating
habits.
Many people who are overweight or obese will say,
"it's hereditary." This can be the case, but
your genes are just a small part of the overall
picture. They only determine whether or not
there is a likelihood of a person having a
predisposition for obesity.
Exercise - Everyone needs to get exercise. There
is no replacement for getting the heart pumping
and building up those muscles when it comes to
losing weight. But, not enough of us make the
time to get it. Exercise doesn't have to be
pumping iron at the gym or even taking a 10-mile
bike ride. Take your dog for a 30-minute walk
around the park. He will love it, and you will
feel better, too.
You've all heard the benefits of exercise before,