Unlock Your Metabolic Potential!

Question: What can I do to keep my weight down after forty? Despite a reasonably healthy diet and combination of four spin classes along with some weight training, I am still five to ten pounds over my perfect weight. Help!

Answer: Excellent question! The key to optimal health and weight loss is understanding how your metabolism responds to food and exercise. In other words, the more you know about your own unique physiological makeup, the better you will be able to create an exercise and diet program that works specifically for you. The secret to effective, safe and long-lasting weight loss is customization. A one-size-fits-all approach does NOT work. Get as much clinical information as you can including:

1. Blood chemistry panels. Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels are important indicators of metabolic function.
2. Have your thyroid and hormone levels checked. Get your estrogen, testosterone, T3,T4 and TSH levels checked. As we age, our hormones do too.
3. Metabolic efficiency tests. Both the resting and active tests should be performed to determine your caloric expenditures, lung efficiency, maximum heart rate and anaerobic threshold. These values are extremely useful in developing an exercise program.
4. Physical checkup. If you haven’t had a physical in the last 6 months, call your doctor and undergo a routine physical exam.

Basic guidelines for boosting your metabolism include:

1. Eat whole and real food. This means fruits and vegetables, lean protein and wild fish, nuts, seeds, legumes or beans. Eat foods that are closest to their natural form in nature. And try to eat foods that don’t have labels.
2. Reduce stress- relax more. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol that triggers a chain of events that cause weight gain and cellular breakdown. Take Tai Chi or yoga, practice deep breathing or meditation. Pamper yourself with a spa or sauna treatment. And above all, exercise. Exercise is the best anti-stress tool that exists!
3. Control systemic inflammation. A chronically imbalanced immune system will cause oxidation and cellular breakdown causing your metabolism to slow. Eat your anti-oxidants, avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates at all costs. Also avoid gluten and processed foods.
4. Change your eating behavior. Eat often and on a regular schedule to stimulate thermogenesis (digestive metabolism). Always eat breakfast and never skip meals. Do not eat 2-3 hours before going to bed.
5. Build lean muscle mass. The more muscle, the better fat burner you will be. Also remember that muscle weighs more than fat. If you have been exercising regularly and your weight hasn’t changed, don’t get discouraged: you may be replacing fat with muscle. Instead of weighing yourself, get a body composition test done; it’s a more accurate assessment.
6. Detoxify your liver. The primary function of the liver is to filter out toxins in your body. Toxins inhibit your metabolism and thyroid from working correctly. Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day, eat organic foods, exercise, use green tea, vitamin C, grape seed extract, and take a good multivitamin.
7. Get your thyroid levels checked. Also make sure you are on the proper thyroid hormone replacement.