Putting on extra kilos on yourself has been a major spin-off that the pandemic has left on all of us.
As soon as we actualise this and embark on our weight loss journeys, an addition to this self-realisation is that this ‘decline is not linear’.
There are good days when you are jumping with joy on shedding off some and there are bad days too when your progress is stuck. Here, comes into play, the metabolism game.
We all have that one friend who can eat whatever he or she likes and still doesn’t put on any weight. Many of us also struggle hard to get rid of the extra weight despite eating a little. Majorly it’s about your body’s metabolism. Essentially, metabolism refers to the body’s energy rate (also known as BMR; Basal Metabolic Rate) that is needed to spend energy or burn calories.
This energy expenditure can be in the form of maintaining the essential life activities at rest such as breathing, circulation, or nutrient transport; or through daily activities and exercise.
Some of us have a good metabolism rate which means that their bodies burn calories more actively and despite eating significantly they can maintain a steady weight.
On the other hand, those of us who have slow metabolism find it difficult to decrease or maintain a healthy weight. Now, the next question that would be resonating in your head should be how one can increase his or her metabolism?
But before moving to that, let me state that fast or active metabolism is not the only key to creating a profound weight plummet.
By and large, metabolism plays a significant role in ascertaining one’s weight loss graph decline which in turn is determined by the lifestyle habits that one follows. If one is eating a lot with little or no exercise, metabolism cannot be labelled as the only culprit. The factors which influence metabolism can be genetic, age-related, hormonal, or due to any disease.
Metabolic rate declines after the age of 40 so it is advisable to consume fewer calories combined with exercise; get a good sleep of 7-8 hours and avoid stress at all costs.
Stress is a massive roadblock that prevents you from exercising and seeing no progress in weight loss you are sure to crash on your healthy eating and give up. After a certain pattern of weight loss through any healthy meal plan that you have been following, the body adapts to the decreased weight and refuses to decrease further after a certain point and we call this a ‘plateau’.
To break this plateau on your weight loss journey, it is paramount to stay consistent with the High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercise. HIIT is performing an intense workout for 30 seconds to 3 minutes and then resting or going slow for the same set of the time frame and repeating this for several rounds. It is advisable to start HIIT under the supervision of a trainer or a physician depending on your body’s health status.
Finally; yet importantly, intermittent fasting for 16-18 hours coupled with quality night sleep can be a power booster to your metabolism. If you too are stuck in this ‘not losing weight’ loop consider reviving your metabolism and get amazed with the results that follow.
Dr Nisma Haris
The writer is general physician, content creator
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