Every period has its own dieting trends. For as long as we have lived, we have been trying to conform to certain beauty standards. And, often times, that required us to diet in order to lose or maintain our weight. So, we have, without a doubt, seen all kinds of dieting trends, from the grapefruit diet and the master cleanse to intermittent fasting and keto. Click this to get some more info about those trends throughout the years.
Of course, some of the trends may have worked well for some people. Others have, however, failed miserably. And even those that worked didn’t work for everyone, which is basically a clear indicator that we are all different, and that we may require different strategies to lose or maintain our weight.
Despite the different results that those trends brought about, most of them had one thing in common. In short, they relied heavily on, well, basically, starving yourself. You had to constantly watch what you eat and eat very little in order to achieve a calorie deficit and ultimately lose some fat. And, while the idea of a calorie deficit is correct in its essence, the truth is that no diet should be focused on starving yourself and no diet should lead to you feeling hungry all the time.
In comes the solution to this issue. In short, Frank Suarez, the author that writes about metabolism and diets not only from his own experience, but also from years of research, proposed a different idea. To cut to the chase, dieta should never be about starving yourself, but about boosting your metabolism with the right foods, as well as the right lifestyle.
What Exactly Is Metabolism?
So, Frank Suarez writes books to raise awareness of the importance of metabolism in our diet and our weight, and to basically make a positive change to the dieting culture that we have all become so entangled in. His works lay emphasis on our individuality and the role of metabolism in achieving our weight goals. But, what exactly is metabolism?
In the simplest words possible, your metabolism is the very engine of your body. It works towards turning the food you are eating into usable energy. And, of course, not all foods can provide you with the same amount of energy, which is where what we are eating comes into play in boosting our metabolism, or ruining it, so to speak.
This could help you understand this concept as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolism
How Can You Boost It?
Now, from the above, from the books of Frank Suarez, and from general knowledge of today, it should be clear to everyone that the idea should not be for you to eat as little as possible in order to lose weight. Once again, starvation is not the goal. Instead, the idea is for you to do your best to boost your metabolism in order to make it work better, which will result in you not only losing weight, but also being much healthier overall. How can you boost it, though?
Since, as we have mentioned, your metabolism turns the food you eat into energy, one thing becomes clear. The idea is not for you to simply consume fewer calories if trying to lose weight. Quite on the contrary, the idea is to eat the right foods that can be easily turned into energy. So, you have to eat for energy, to put it simply. And this usually means eating balanced meals 3 or 4 times a day, as well as prioritizing metabolism-boosting foods, such as lean proteins, healthy fats and fibers, while avoiding those foods that damage it, such as refined sugar, artificial additives, fried foods and similar.
Staying hydrated is another sure path towards boosting your metabolism, since dehydration slows it down, while also increasing your appetite. And, hydration is, of course, achieved through drinking water. So, forget about sodas and increase your water intake.
A good night’s sleep can do wonders for you. Of course, if it is a practice and not a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence. In short, sleep is a metabolic necessity, so do your best to establish a bedtime routine and stick to it. And, one more thing to know is that stress reduction is also an indirect effect of good quality sleep, and that also affects your metabolism positively.
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Exercising for Your Metabolic Health
A lot of people tend to engage in exercise as a form of punishment, doing endless and exhausting cardio sessions in order to lose more calories. This, however, doesn’t quite do the trick. In fact, your metabolism can slow down if you over-train. So, you should exercise for your metabolic health, combining cardio with strength training, and putting emphasis on getting any kind of movement throughout the day, but not overdoing it. Listen to your body and find a good balance.
