Metabolism has always been a topic of debate among both men and women. It is believed that some people have fast metabolism while some have slow metabolism. We all know someone who eats junk food and still stays slim. We all also know someone who doesn’t grow a beer belly no matter how many beers he drinks. These people cannot be superhuman, so what is it exactly that is preventing them from gaining weight?
In order to understand this fact, we need to understand what metabolism is. Metabolism is basically the rate at which the body burns calories. Metabolism can be affected by many things such as what you eat, how much you workout, the kind of exercises you do and so on. Metabolism has one rule and that is if the amount of calories taken in is the same as the amount of calories burned, then the person will remain the same size. Weight gain occurs when the consumption is more than what the body is able to get rid of and weight loss occurs when the body burns more calories than that has been taken in.
Metabolism powers all our activities from blinking to breathing. People with a fast metabolism burn calories quickly and people with a slow metabolism are not able to get rid of as many calories because they need less fuel to keep their body running. Metabolism offers a number of benefits, but most of the time, it is blamed for weight gain. People eat spicy food to speed up their metabolic rate, but is there any truth to this? Here’s a look at some of the metabolic myths that have been circulating around for a long time and the facts.
Myth 1: The metabolic rate cannot change
Fact: The metabolic rate of an individual is determined by his genetics to a large extent. But this doesn’t mean that the rate of metabolism cannot be changed. There are a number of ways to boost metabolism. It basically comes down to increasing lean muscle mass so you are able to burn calories faster.
Myth 2: Overweight people naturally have slow metabolism
Fact: You may have heard overweight people claim that their slow metabolism is responsible for their size. The fact is that they have slow metabolism due to lack of exercise and their choice of food. With small changes to their lifestyle, even overweight people can boost their metabolism to run faster and efficiently.
Myth 3: Late-night eating promotes weight gain
Fact: It is not about what time you eat, but what you eat that matters. If the meal that you eat late at night consists of healthy food, then you don’t need to worry about anything. Eating a bucket of ice cream instead of a bowl of salad anytime of the day will promote weight gain. Eating protein before bedtime can help you sleep well and gain muscle mass.
Myth 4: Spicy foods help burn more calories
Fact: Spicy foods such as chili peppers can increase the metabolic rate temporarily which can be for just 30 minutes. After this, your metabolic rate comes down to normal. Relying on eating hot and spicy food cannot result in permanent change, but it can do more harm if you are prone to heartburn.
Myth 5: Skipping meals can promote weight loss
Fact: In contrary, our bodies are programmed for survival and if an energy deficit is too large than the body will think that it has to make use of fewer calories to perform the tasks. The body adapts naturally to the limited caloric intake and after some time, you will not be able to get rid of any weight even if you are eating less.
