Tag Archives: metabolism

Cinnamon and metabolism

Health Issues, Healthy Eating, ,

It was recently found that cinnamon and cinnamaldehyde, the essential oil that gives cinnamon its color and flavor, may have a link to boosting metabolism, thus weight loss.

In a study conducted by Metabolism, from the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute, it was found by Jun Wu, a researcher, that cinnamaldehyde improves metabolic health by acting on fat cells and inducing them to burn energy through thermogenesis. Fat cells store energy as lipids, and when it is cold or you need extra energy, this would cause the stored energy to turn to heat.

Further study needs to be done to see what will be the next steps and how much cinnamon is safe and effective for weight loss.

DNA Dieting

Health Issues, Healthy Eating, ,

You’ve heard of DNA testing to find your lineage. Now there are some diet plans you can get by testing your DNA and finding the best fit just for you, individually. The premise is that everybody and every body is different and their genes play a role in how food is metabolized, what kinds of foods you tend to eat, what health issues you may have. Let’s explore a couple of them.

FitnessGenes
Here is a story of someone who was tested and tried this plan. Not only are the foods planned but also the workouts. This will cost $289 for the DNA Analysis and 12-week plan

DNAFit
This one uses your saliva sample where it tests your DNA. You can be tested for diet and fitness, sports, or well-being. It will look at your carbohydrate response, saturated fat response, and lactose tolerance. Depending on the plan you choose, it will cost $199 or $299. Here is a story about someone who used this plan.

Stay Young! Eat Broccoli!

Healthy Eating, , ,

The Victor crew talked about broccoli before, but here is another reason to eat your broccoli:

According to a paper published in the journal Cell Metabolism, that a compound called nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) found in broccoli plays a key role in metabolism. When they added it to drinking water of normal aging mice, it gave the mice the energy and metabolism levels of younger mice. As we age, the capacity to produce a major element of energy called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) diminishes.

The team studied three groups of healthy male mice. When they were five months old, they gave one group a high dose of the altered water, another group a lower dose, and another regular water serving as a control. The researchers gave the groups some tests at the beginning and then every three months thereafter until they were seventeen months old. Typically laboratory mice live for about two years.

Those with the higher doses of NMN gained less weight even as they aged and consumed more food because of the metabolism boost. They were also able to produce more NAD as well.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/fountain-youth-broccoli-article-1.2847935

Are you dieting and not losing the weight?

Healthy Eating, , , ,

This could be due to poor metabolism. Chances are you are over 35. Your metabolism slows by about 5 percent every decade. What does that mean to you? At age 35, you’ll burn about 100 fewer calories per day than at 25, about 200 at 45. If you do nothing, you could gain 8-12 pounds/year.

As you age, muscle mass also diminishes. You can make it worse by crash dieting and poor exercise habits. This is where strategy comes in. How much of your body is fat and how much is muscle makes a difference. Muscle burns 3 times more calories than fat pound for pound. So if have more fat than muscle, you could gain weight rather quickly without exercise.

What you can do:
Get a body-fat analysis. See what percentage you are to begin with. Do not crash diet. You will lower your metabolic rate even more. Try to stay within the 1200 to 1500 calorie range. Any more than that you will lower your metabolic rate too much. Eat plenty of lean protein. Drink fat-free milk soon after working out. Lose the weight slowly. Pump iron (try for 40-60 minutes per week of strength training). Eat more in the morning hours rather than later. Sleep more. Stress less.

Read more about this topic here.

Steve Victor

Making the Most of Your Metabolism

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Metabolism is the rate at which you burn fat and the calories you consume. When you’re young and active the calories burn away easily. I asked Jody Victor® to tell us what happens after that.

Jody Victor®: Well Steve, starting around the age of 25 your metabolism starts to slow down and your body begins to burn fewer calories. The typical American will lose between 20 and 40 percent of their metabolic power over the course of his/her adult life. Starting around the age of 40 your body requires fewer calories due partly to a slower lifestyle. To complicate matters you also experience an increasing amount of muscle loss due to the natural aging process. Genetics, physical inactivity, certain medications, and hormonal changes (especially menopause in women) also add to the slowing of your metabolism.

“A vastly slowed down metabolism isn’t inevitable”, says Dr. John Berardi, president of Precision Nutrition. If you maintain your physical activity levels as you age you will see only a 0.3 percent metabolic decline per decade, a 1 to 2 percent total drop over your lifetime. There are a number of ways you can make the most of your metabolism and fight nature’s aging processes.

DIET Maintain a healthy diet. As you reduce your calorie intake to avoid weight gain, make up the difference by eating more nutritious foods. Cut back on empty calories and choose nutrient-dense foods. Eat breakfast. Starting your day with a healthy meal gets your metabolism out of its resting state and into burning mode. When you skip breakfast it forces your body to endure a longer period of fasting, which leaves you excessively hungry and tempts you to overeat at your next meal. Keep your metabolism on a consistent slow burn by eating smaller more frequent meals. Instead of two or three large meals per day, eat 4 to 6 small meals every three to four hours. Here are some foods that will help boost your metabolism:

  1. LEAN MEATS and POULTRY Your body burns more calories when digesting proteins as opposed to carbs and fats.
  2. LOW-FAT/NO-FAT DAIRY Vitamin D found in fortified milk is essential for preserving metabolism-revving muscle tissue.  According to study results, people on a reduced-calorie diet who included 3 to 4 servings of dairy foods lost significantly more weight than people who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same amount of calories. Low-fat yogurt is the best source of weight-loss-friendly dairy products. Yogurt contains calcium, protein, and a lot of other healthy nutrients.
  3. SOUP According to a study at Penn State University, soup is a great appetite suppressant because it consists of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids.
  4. GRAPEFRUIT One study found that the unique chemical properties of grapefruit reduce insulin levels, which promotes weight loss and boosts metabolism. Grapefruit is packed with Vitamin C as a bonus. Vitamin C boosts calcium absorption. Calcium boosts your metabolism.
  5. APPLES and PEARS These fruits are great low-calorie, high fiber snacks that satisfy your sugar cravings. Their healthy nutrients also keep you feeling full longer.
  6. BROCCOLI Study after study has linked calcium with weight loss. Broccoli is loaded with calcium and Vitamin C. It contains lots of Vitamin A, folate, and fiber. At just 20 calories per cup, broccoli not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect you from disease.
  7. OATMEAL Oatmeal ranks high on the good carb and high fiber lists. Oatmeal keeps you full and is the best choice for starting your day. Choose steel-cut or rolled oats, not instant, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
  8. HOT PEPPERS The chemical capsaicin found in hot peppers temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and helps you burn more calories.
  9. WATERMELON Watermelon is loaded with the amino acid arginine. Arginine has been shown to enhance the oxidation of fat and glucose. Other arginine sources include seafood, nuts, and seeds.

DRINK – Every chemical reaction in your body, including your metabolism, depends on water. Staying hydrated helps keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. When you are dehydrated, you burn up to 2 percent fewer calories. In one study, people who drank 8 to 12 glasses of water a day had higher metabolic rates than the people who had four glasses a day. In another study researchers found that people increased their metabolic rates by thirty percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water. Drinking green tea also boosts your metabolism and helps you lose weight while providing you with great antioxidants and plant-based nutrients. Always drink your tea unsweetened to avoid the empty calories.

EXERCISE – As your body ages and begins to experience slower metabolism rates it’s essential that you maintain a high activity level. In order to maintain a healthy weight you not only need to eat less you need to exercise more. Age-appropriate aerobic exercise and resistance training is recommended. Weight training is a great way to keep your metabolic furnace burning.

SLEEP – A necessary end to your day of eating less and exercising more to keep up your metabolism is to get a good night’s sleep. Many Americans are sleep-deprived. Studies show that lack of sleep leads to unhealthy eating habits.

 All the Best!

Steve Victor