Proteins and Energy for Life

Protein and Carbs

Studies have shown that having the proper amount of protein in your system, can actually increase the speed of your metabolism. It requires more energy to break down protein, than many other foods. The more time it takes your body to break down protein, the more calories that it uses.

Different people will require different amounts of protein on a daily basis. Those who exercise and build muscle will typically need more than the average amount.

The USFDA Food Guide suggests around 50 grams of protein a day for a reasonably active adult.

Keep in mind that some sources of protein are also sources of fat. Fast food burgers may deliver up to 20 grams of protein, but they also deliver a great deal of fat, which makes them almost nutritionally worthless. Ensure your source of protein comes from lean protein. Typically, protein from some fish and chicken is lean.

If you’re a vegetarian, or simply looking for non-meat lean protein alternatives, low-fat cheese, legumes (lentils), and yogurt are all good sources. Simply check the food labels to determine if the source of protein is lean or fatty.

Carbohydrates

When the body digests carbohydrates, it require spikes in insulin. When insulin is released into the system, it promotes the storage of fat and some experts believe it also pushes down metabolic speed.

The good kinds of carbohydrate to consume are those that are high in fiber, and those from fruit and vegetable sources. These sources of carbohydrates don’t score high on the glycemic index, so they don’t cause a spike in insulin levels, and therefore, they don’t promote fat storage.

Conclusion

Congratulations. You know more about metabolism, and how to increase metabolic speed, than most people. You've learned that metabolism is a process and not an actual body part.

It harmonizes two essential bodily functions: converting food into cells/tissues, and breaking cells down to provide energy. We learned that the former process is known as anabolism, and the latter is catabolism.

Indeed, it’s this latter process that influences our ability to lose weight, and to keep it from coming back.

And going beyond the biological basics, we also learned the 3 integrated aspects of speeding up metabolism and losing weight, exercise, lifestyle, and diet. And within each of these 3 categories were a total of 11 important, practical, and quite easy ways to boost your metabolism.

Now it’s time for action. The next step to boosting your metabolism is up to you. Good luck, have fun, and enjoy your better, leaner healthier life.