|
MUSCLE UP YOUR MANLY METABOLISM!
Ever wonder why in your twenties you could demolish an entire pizza, with some wings on the side and wash it down with a pitcher of beer and still not gain weight? And now if you even eat just one slice of pizza you feel that you’ve gained weight? Or how about this- you’ve been exercising for months now without any avail. Did you know that your metabolism slows down as you get older? What is your metabolism? You might ask.
Metabolism is the rate at which our bodies burn calories from the food we consume. Unfortunately, as we age, our metabolic rate slows down. Weight gain for men usually begins in their thirties and forties and continues on as their metabolic rate declines. At the same time, if men are sedentary, lean muscle mass is also lost while their waistlines expand! Over time the gradual loss of muscle tissue leads to a 5% reduction in metabolic rate every decade of life, thus causing fewer calories to be burned and eventually weight gain. On the other hand, for every pound of muscle a man might have, an additional 50 or more calories per day can be burned even during inactivity.
Unless strength training exercises (such as weight lifting) are performed, men lose more than one-half pound of muscle every year of life after the age of 25. Without the appropriate training, muscles will gradually decrease in size and strength and will eventually atrophy. Needless to say, increasing your muscle mass by performing weight training exercises is by far the best way to keep your metabolism kicking as you age. By just adding 3 to 5 pounds of muscle to your body, you could actually burn up to 250 extra calories a day. This means that you can eat a little more and get away with it!
Other ways to jump start your metabolism:
Eat small meals several times a day: By feeding your body every few hours you can keep your metabolism in high gear. This doesn’t mean you have to eat more, just cut your meal size in half and eat the remainder 2-3 hours later. For example, if you have a sub sandwich for lunch, don’t wolf down the entire foot long sandwich in one sitting, but instead eat half at lunch and the other half for a mid afternoon snack. Eating frequently reassures your body that food is going to be available and therefore, it will be more likely to burn fat.
Don’t skip meals: You might think that skipping meals is a wise choice since you are not consuming calories, but it’s actually a bad choice. By not consuming enough calories, the body slows down its metabolism in order to conserve its fat reserves. Special attention should be given to eating breakfast as it is the most frequently skipped meal.
Eat early: Your body’s metabolic rate is higher in the morning than in the evening. That means that calories consumed in the morning are burned at a quicker rate than those consumed in the evening. Don’t lower your metabolism by eating less in the morning and having a man-size dinner at night. Remember the saying: Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper!
Increase Protein Intake: Protein which is the building block of muscle should be eaten at every meal. You can actually lose muscle mass, without an adequate intake of protein. An added bonus of protein rich foods is that protein requires more calories to digest than carbohydrates or fat. Diets of Asian Indian men are generally low in protein, so make the effort to include a low fat protein source at every meal.
Other ways: Lack of sleep can decrease the number of calories your body burns and lower metabolism. Get at least 8 hours every night. Drink up to 12 glasses of water daily and make an effort to eliminate stress from your life. Finally, guys, think of your body as your favorite sports car and your metabolism as its engine. Now take the best possible care of that metabolism by building muscle mass and eating healthy. Only then will your sports car look great and run for many, many miles!
|
