Well, I'm going to discuss two things here..



Food Intake:

Let's begin with food intake. The simple fact is that one reason for some people eating more than they burn is, strangely enough, and of all things - cultural programming!!

Our culture has programmed us into eating meals at regular times, into eating whether our body really requires nourishment or not. We say, oh, it's time for lunch. But what if your body doesn't really WANT to eat - what if it's not hungry? The sad fact is most of us have TRAINED our bodies to be hungry at certain times, whether those bodies REALLY require nourishment or not. We have SUPPRESSED the triggers that tell our body that it isn't hungry, instead training it to BE hungry at certain times.


ANOTHER cause for overeating is that one might eat a lot because one is not giving one's body the RIGHT nourishment. For example, on days on which I do heavy weight training I have an insatiable hunger UNLESS I take in protein - if I eat carbs, or vegetables, I could eat all day and STILL be hungry. You can see here that the causes of over-eating might be far more subtle processes than we think.

Similarly, on days when I do strenuous martial arts workouts, my body hungers for sugars and carbs.

A simple way to handle the tendency to eat too much might be to just look back at your day just before a meal and see exactly what you've done and then eat the RIGHT foods, the foods your body needs, and so satisfy your hunger more quickly and efficiently. Sometimes hunger DOES NOT mean you're not eating enough, but that you're not eating what your body desperately NEEDS.



METABOLISM & HOW TO CONTROL IT:

It is a myth that metabolism varies greatly depending on the genetics of different people. There, I said it. Individual metabolisms do vary, but not by much.

However, there IS an explanation as to why some people can seem to eat more and remain slim while others put on weight. People who eat and stay slim generally move enough to burn what they eat (and mind you, this includes activities one sometimes doesn't 'see' or take into account like fidgeting!!, for example, or even just moving around the house a lot!). The slim people simply move enough, in various ways, to burn off and cancel whatever they eat.


However, for those interested in actually controlling their metabolism, and the ability to 'burn off' excess intake more easily, these simple tips should help..

For increased metabolism,
1) Eat several small meals in a day rather than a one or two large ones - this instantly boosts metabolism (metabolism is always raised during digestion, thus smaller, more frequent meals keep your metabolism running at a higher rate).
2) Do some exercise to up your heart rate for just ten minutes in a day - it could be something as simple as a brisk walk in the park! Remember though, your heart rate MUST be up for ten minutes.
3) Lift weights - this really boosts metabolism, and works both for men and for women. And no, women don't 'bulk up' massively through weight training.



I hope this was of help. Take care all
- - - Yratorm.

wow, you actually posted one. i assumed you were able to see my post in the other thread. thanks! i'll keep this one in mind.

oh.. and just a question. you mentioned that in order to increase my metabolism, i should eat several meals a day. but you didn't mention the kind of meals to be taken on those times. i might be accused of overeating if that's what you're trying to point out.

This post has been edited by mbacarra: Jan 5 2007, 09:18 AM

Right, Mbacarra, I put this thread up for you, actually . It was a bit off-topic in the other thread, so I thought I'd start a new one.

With the smaller meals, make sure they're smaller in size - counting calories if need be. They need to be equal in calories to your larger meals, not more. It may take you some time to 'get it right' but after a few days you'll get a natural 'feel' for what you're taking in.

The smaller meals could be something as small as a sandwich or an apple - your stomach just needs to have something in it, that it can work on, to up your metabolism.


The overeating section of the post ISN'T aimed at you at all, I just thought it would be good, useful info to include in the thread as well. Just eat in relation to the amount of physical work you do (and work out at least once every day, or every alternate day (even simple exercises like the ones in my other post should send your heart rate up if you do them vigorously, or a ten minute reasonably fast run in the park) - basically you should have SOME physical output) and you'll be fine.

Another tip, don't be too sedentary in your everyday life (I'm not talking about workouts here, but about everyday life) - if you spend your day at a desk, for example, get up every hour or so for a small walk around, look out of the window, etc. It helps a great deal.

For example, I had this habit of getting up and pacing around every half hour or so while working at my computer, whenever an idea struck me (I found I could 'think better' on my feet) - I used to work at home and it would drive my girl-friend wild; then later she would say that I could eat anything and stay slim. What she didn't realize was that silly pacing that I was doing to 'think' was what was actually burning off calories like anything. The body works in weird ways, really . But you can use the way it works to manipulate it into being anything you want it to be.

Cool stuff, Yratorm, lots of good info here.

i'm touched. hehe. thanks!

anyway, yeah, the idea of splitting the meals into smaller meals seem difficult. but i think it would help me a lot because i've recently cut down my "major" meals from three times a day to two times a day. the only thing i need to do is packing things that would help me a lot with splitting the meals into smaller snacks (for a proper term).

and since we're into that. does the stomach size (eventually?) adjust to the amount of food you take in? i mean, i've recently discovered, after cutting down my meals for some time, and during the holidays, i've eaten more than the usual meal that i took before and i've experienced heartburn because of that. this may be off topic but since it's all about food intake and metabolism, i think there's some sort of connection.

and does having a workout increase your metabolism as well? i admit i don't have that much time when it comes to doing some exercise, but does walking count as an exercise. i mean, our campus is a huge one and in order to get to a next class, i need to walk from building to building. that's what i usually consider as my regular "workout". i do however do biking once in a while (like once or twice a week, if i feel like it). my doctor told me i can't do much of the high-impact exercises for it would have a lot of bad effect on my knees because of my weight so i should stick to biking or swimming. the reason why i asked that was if i know that working out/exercise increases your metabolism, i do feel like i would appreciate doing it more.

Brisk walking is considered very good exercise.

This post has been edited by ellentemplar: Jan 6 2007, 08:09 PM

Glad to help, really



Hmm, yes, Mbacarra, if you mean does your stomach capacity actually grow smaller (over time) when you take in smaller meals regularly, then the answer is, yes it does.

After a while you might even have trouble finishing very large meal - by that I mean you'll probably feel like giving up half way through. If you actually successfully get a larger-than-normal meal down (by forcing yourself to do so), then yes, as your stomach capacity is now smaller, so you might experience heartburn if you suddenly 'over-load' it.



Notes on Chronic Heartburn:
I'm assuming you don't habitually suffer from heartburn, Mbacarra - for chronic heartburn sufferers, in 90% of people who suffer from this, heartburn can be related to certain foods - if you eliminate those, you eliminate the heartburn. NOTE that this advice is for chronic sufferers only.

Foods associated with heart-burn are:
• citrus fruits
• chocolate
• drinks with caffeine
• fatty and fried foods
• garlic and onions
• mint flavorings
• spicy foods
• tomato-based foods, like spaghetti sauce, chili, and pizza

For ANYONE who suffers from heartburn too regularly, I would suggest you consult your doctor; chronic heartburn is best not left untreated as the lining of the esophagus is not as acid-resistant as that of the stomach, and can be damaged by stomach acids if the heartburn occurs too regularly.





Yes, Mbacarra, a workout definitely increases metabolism.



Oh yes, this regular 'work-out' is indeed adequate. As a matter of fact, the first thought that occurred to me is that you're a very lucky person to have the opportunity to exercise while 'on the job' so to speak.

This walking between your classes I would consider MORE than adequate, just remember that you'd need to walk briskly enough (or even run slowly if necessary) to elevate your heart rate. The heart rate is the KEY to increased metabolism. If you walk from point A to point B and it hasn't increased your heart rate, then it won't affect your metabolism - but if you walk briskly enough or even lightly run, so that your heart-rate actually goes up (even a little bit) while you're doing it, then the benefits can be considerable.

Biking and swimming are also excellent exercises - just remember to get your heart rate up and you'll do well, WHATEVER exercise you do.

I hope this helps. Take care.
- - - - Yratorm.

This post has been edited by Yratorm, LightMage: Jan 6 2007, 08:38 PM

hmm... yeah, i noticed that one recently. people at home probably think i'm depressed or something because i barely eat much over the past month. lol.