Speed-up your metabolism

 by Skyriam
    We sometimes look at our friend or relative and think "Wow... how can he/she eat so much food and not get fat at all!!"  Well, the answer is very simple: Metabolism.

In this easy-to-follow instructable I'm gonna show you how you can speed-up your metabolism (and even lose some weight in the process) with some very basic guidelines and simple steps, just by eating and drinking what you always have been, not by some miracle diets or dangerous experimental procedures or drugs.

If you follow the steps and guidelines of this instructable, you'll get / be able to:

   1. Eat large amounts of food and not get fat at all.
   2. Lose some weight.
   3. Less laziness.
   4. Less prone to get sick.
   5. Healthier and more efficient body.
   6. A good-looking aesthetic body.

I'm also gonna clarify some myths about food, weight-loss and exercise related stuff.


NOTE: I am not gonna go very deep into nutrition, like complete diets or food programs. Diets/food programs don't work the same for everyone. If a particular diet worked for your friend, chances are it won't work the same for you, everyone has a different body. Consult your dietician for more info on this.



 
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Step 1: The Basics

I'm going to begin explaining some of the very basics of our metabolism and how does it work.

Metabolism comes from the greek metabolé, wich means change, transformation, what cells experiment in our body when they change from organic substances to energy, in order to fulfill the vital functions of the body.

To put it simple, the metabolism is the speed with which the body converts food into energy, it can do so quickly or slowly. When it happens quickly, it usually means no significant weight increase, because everything we eat is processed quickly and doesn't store nutrients as fat, thus causing the weight and volume to stay steady.

In the other case, when the metabolism is slow, the nutrients exceed the normal requirements of the body, so they go into storage - as fat. The metabolism is a very complex process, but we're gonna keep it simple as to only focus on the fat reserves and how we can control them.

Now, we all know what calories are: A calory is a unit that measures how much energy a food provides to the body. The more calories you eat, the more energy you put into the body, but you need to provide the right amount or otherwise the excess energy goes into storage. The measure of the rate at wich a given person burns energy in the form of calories at rest (ie, while you sit and do nothing), is called Basal Metabolism.

The speed of the basal metabolism is regulated by a number of factors. To some extent, basal metabolism is inherited, passed from parents to childs through genes, but sometimes health problems can affect the basal metabolism and its efficacy (we'll talk about this ahead). This doesn't mean that you can't change it's speed, there are still many ways to accelerate it.

Ok, enough chatter, let's get to work.
funnydan says: May 4, 2013. 5:07 PM
There were some e-mail rumors that Coke was "stronger than your stomach acid" and "It's used by highway patrols to dissolve blood after an accident". Do you know if that's true? I didn't believe it, (I drink a Coke about every two weeks), I know that the sugar content isn't healthy, (it can't hurt every once in a while), but if that was true, -I still don't think it is- could it hurt?
Skyriam (author) in reply to funnydanMay 6, 2013. 1:55 AM
Thanks for your comment. It is true, police sometimes use coke (when they don't have the appropiate product in hand) to remove most blood in an accident. It is not true however, that coke is stronger that your stomach's acid. It is true that you can use coke to remove rust out of metals though. Coke and sodas in general carry a lot of problems and side effects, but probably the most dangerous is the sugar. 6 spoons of sugar is the maximum recommended for an adult. 1 can of coke has 15 spoons, and there's people that drink up to 3 cokes a day, you do the diabetic math. Does it hurt? Yes. Once a month? Hardly. Coke can be a very good ally when you have stomach illnesses. Take care and thanks for reading!
PuzzleJenn says: Aug 16, 2011. 8:49 AM
I too stopped having frequent kidney infections when I DROPPED my water consumption from 2.5 liters a day to between 1.5 and 2. However, I've always been quite sick, so if drinking water was all it took to keep from getting ill, I think I'd be on easy street. So I will anecdotally refute the findings of that 'doctor' there. ;)

I like your tips here. I might actually be able to STICK to a plan like this, one that allows me to have pizza once in awhile. ;)

Thanks for posting!
Skyriam (author) in reply to PuzzleJennAug 16, 2011. 4:02 PM
Great that you stopped that dumb rule of water before it was too late. Like I said, maybe the illness I haven't experienced it's the sum of all parts, or maybe it's just me :).

Thanks for your comment!! I'm glad you liked it, take care! If you really want it, you can stick to it, to everything. :).
maovi says: Jul 14, 2011. 1:57 PM
Hi nice article.When to vary food every week or day
Skyriam (author) in reply to maoviJul 15, 2011. 12:01 AM
Thanks! You should vary it whenever you feel like it, it's up to you, but don't eat the same things all week long, maybe 2 or 3 days in a row of the same things are fine, and one day a week you could eat a large piece of pizza if you like. Take care maovi!
Trickynekro says: Jul 14, 2011. 2:31 PM
Nice Instructable mate!

I also remember a period that I have lost something more than 25 pounds just by eating small but nutrient meals (about 3 to 4 a day) but exercising a lot.
And that was in a period of 1 - 2 months.

The bad thing is that I gained that weight over 3 years period due to no exercise...

Exercising and eating regularly plus drinking 2 - 2.5L of water seemed to worked for me once.
I'm also pushing this "diet" now and have lost almost 7 - 8 pounds...

In the end what you say is correct, still everyone has to explore himself alone.

Cheers mate!!!
Skyriam (author) in reply to TrickynekroJul 14, 2011. 11:41 PM
Thanks for your comment! You are right, "to each his own", this are only guidelines, I'm glad its working for you again, give it all the best!

Thanks and take care!
jtobako says: Sep 22, 2010. 5:40 AM
Dairy is a food group only because the senator from wisconson was on the original committee that created the food groups.


Chef_Paullett in reply to jtobakoJul 12, 2011. 10:34 PM

It's a food group here in Canada and the "milk" people had nothing to do with it.
jtobako in reply to Chef_PaullettJul 13, 2011. 7:55 PM
Did Canada lead or follow? (1933 v. 1942)

http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/GM97Autumn/GM97Autumn2.html
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/context/hist-eng.php
Skyriam (author) in reply to jtobakoSep 22, 2010. 2:19 PM
Really? Well I'm not from the US so this "food groups" are not US based. I wasn't really sure dairy was a food group, it's really on the same category as the Protein group but most people skip them because they think its bad for them. Having 2 or 3 glasses of milk everyday helps you speed up your metabolism and lose some weight as well.
live it,laugh it,love it in reply to SkyriamJan 18, 2011. 7:23 PM
did not mean to send that flag accdient sorry!
jtobako in reply to SkyriamSep 24, 2010. 3:19 PM
Especially since most people can't digest parts of it-it acts as 'filler' without much nutrient value. It's not going to speed up your metabolism-unless you are lactose intolerant (as many adults become) and you consider diarrhea a good way to loose weight.
Skyriam (author) in reply to jtobakoSep 24, 2010. 8:41 PM
People who drink 3 servings of dairy (milk, cheese or yogurt) a day can lose more weight on a diet which do not. The secret seems to be the calcium in milk that can accelerate fat burning. People can even drink skimmed of lowfat milk but if they are lactose intolerant then it is out of the question. It's obvious they can skip that part.
jtobako in reply to SkyriamSep 25, 2010. 5:59 PM
Care to site your research?
Skyriam (author) in reply to jtobakoSep 25, 2010. 8:41 PM
Many many sites that know their stuff. This is one of them:

http://www.supernatural.cl/acelerarmet.asp
jtobako in reply to SkyriamSep 26, 2010. 6:38 AM
Ah, you saw it on a website that is selling stuff. Good primary source, after all, just because they are selling it means that they have to tell the truth and wouldn't lie just to get your money, right?

Let me give you some advice-the Brooklyn bridge is NOT for sale...
lbullington in reply to jtobakoMay 20, 2011. 11:05 AM
I know i shouldn't bring it back up nor should I feed the troll but here is an, I think, reputable source unless you feel that your conspiracies and hate are more accurate than a website dedicated to health and wellness....

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20000417/calcium-low-fat-diet
jtobako in reply to lbullingtonMay 23, 2011. 8:17 PM
"But the calcium amounts the study suggests are effectively equal to what the USDA already recommends as a minimum for adults,"
Skyriam (author) in reply to jtobakoSep 26, 2010. 1:37 PM
You really should learn some spanish instead of talking nonsense. They give lots of advice, like lowering your sugar and colesterol with cinnamon, drink plenty of water a day, exercise regularly, eat 5 small meals a day. Ohhh but I forgot!! Cinnamon and water are sooo hard to get! They're the only people selling it, and of course, since they hold the pattents for exercise and a 5-meal diet, then you CAN'T do it by yourself. Silly me, I am soo sorry, I will delete this instructable right away.
jtobako in reply to SkyriamSep 26, 2010. 6:57 PM
They give lots of advice, but what do they back it up with? (FAQ starts with 'how to buy..' but no sources of where their info comes from.)

Placebos work about 30% of the time-where do they show results better than this? Or do they just use anecdotal evidence (a friend of mine...)?

An open mind should not mean an empty mind filled by someone else-it means that you should listen AND ask questions. The internet is a wonderful mirror, finding things you want to hear. Maybe look up 'group-think' and see if that fits here. People only use 10% of their brain-very common quote, but one from a fiction author, not a neurologist or doctor.
Skyriam (author) in reply to jtobakoSep 26, 2010. 8:26 PM
(removed by author or community request)
jtobako in reply to SkyriamSep 29, 2010. 12:19 PM
Electron microscopes can't 'see' water. (So much for 'smartest')

I know what water is made of in the same way that the early scientists of the 17 and 1800's did-I've done the experiments (in and out of science class).

I've done the same math for orbital mechanics.

I didn't say that it doesn't work, I asked for a systematized approach to show that it works for more than 30% of the population, and pointed out where it DIDN'T work or where the suppositions it's based on could be wrong.

My first comment was that some of your data is coming from compromised sources-and yes, research crosses national boundaries.
jtobako in reply to SkyriamSep 28, 2010. 7:58 PM
And when I asked a question, you couldn't answer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidence
"The expression anecdotal evidence has two distinct meanings.

(1) Evidence in the form of an anecdote or hearsay is called anecdotal if there is doubt about its veracity; the evidence itself is considered untrustworthy.

(2) Evidence, which may itself be true and verifiable, used to deduce a conclusion which does not follow from it, usually by generalizing from an insufficient amount of evidence. "

You hit both now.
talonsblade in reply to jtobakoOct 8, 2010. 5:24 AM
ok anyone who uses wikipedia as a source i usualy stop listening to.
jtobako in reply to talonsbladeOct 8, 2010. 4:59 PM
As opposed to someone randomly quoting a sales brochure? At least Wikipedia has an interest in being accurate...
AthleticTrainer says: Sep 22, 2010. 5:53 AM
I like the instructable but fact 1 and 2 aren't quite accurate.
Skyriam (author) in reply to AthleticTrainerSep 22, 2010. 2:19 PM
Thanks for your comment, can you post a more accurate version? Maybe I can change them a little.
AthleticTrainer in reply to SkyriamSep 22, 2010. 4:00 PM
Fact 1 about "survival mode" the body takes several days for this to occur and only a portion of the food being eaten goes to fat. The food going to fat gets stored after a person stops "starving" themselves and starts eating regularly again.

Fact 2 about starving diets and water/muscle loss. With the "starvation phase" of a diet you would only lose muscle and water if you are not getting enough fluids and not exercising.
Skyriam (author) in reply to AthleticTrainerSep 22, 2010. 4:21 PM
I've read alot about the survival mode, and everything pointed out that it only happens a few hours after you begin to starve, but days feels more right. It's when people eat large amounts of food after they starve that the food goes to fat. And of course only a portion of the food goes to fat, I thought that was implied but maybe I should specify.

People who follow an starvation diet is usually people who don't have time to exercise, and the only fluids they get is from sodas and coffee. The "modern man" if you will.
Chef_Paullett in reply to SkyriamJul 12, 2011. 10:39 PM
There was an experiment (long ago) using prisoners in jail. They volunteered so they could get special privileged. They starved them then fed them. The two things noted in the study that I remember was the gain of fat and how hard it was to loose it. All the guys ended up obese from an underweight or regular weight starting point. That and while starving or limiting calories all they could think of 24-7 wasn't sex but food!
AthleticTrainer in reply to SkyriamSep 22, 2010. 6:08 PM
You're right about few hours part but like many things with the human body its a process. The risk is oversimplifying in one direction or another on how things occur. As my step-father ( who's a doctor) likes to say "you can't imply anything because common sense isn't always common" He usually follows with how he asks patients if they have allergies and if they say no he asks if they use an inhaler. Reason being that some people don't know that they use their inhaler for their allergies.

I most definitely concur with the "modern man" mentality. I like to modify it with the "modern american" with the implication of a lazy person who wants a quick fix for everything and expects it to last forever. lol
Skyriam (author) in reply to AthleticTrainerSep 22, 2010. 8:32 PM
Haha, I liked your definition of the modern american. You are so right about common sense - already modified that fact. Thanks for your comments and all the best!
DannytheGreat says: Jun 17, 2011. 1:02 PM
my grandpa said drinking a glass of water before each meal mad him lose 3 pounds every 10 days
margann says: Feb 20, 2011. 7:46 AM
I was having urological problems and ended up getting all sort of unpleasant tests. Results? I drank too much water! It was overfilling/stretching out my bladder. My doc said he sees at least one woman a week with the same condition. Since I have been freed from the 8 glasses a day rule, I am doing much better!
Skyriam (author) in reply to margannFeb 21, 2011. 6:19 AM
Quite correct, everything in excess is bad for you. Every body is different, what works for John may not work for Johnny. I'm glad you're feeling much better now! May your story shine some light on people about that stupid 8 glasses a day rule. Take care!
wi-fi astronomer says: Oct 30, 2010. 7:18 AM
What sucks is to work in a place where they overdo the heat in winter. If that's the case, if you succeed in revving up your metabolism, you'll get hot real easy. And you'll have to dress for winter when outside. You'll have to dress like summer and use a snowsuit as you go to your car, creating a simulation of driving an X-15 to Miami in the morning. (or at least an SR-71)

Instead of a good fast metabolism, I have a slightly low "normal" body temp. If I had a body temp of 98.6 I'd have a small fever. I get hot easy, and that's with a slow metabolism. If I revved it up, I'd have to work in a refrigerated warehouse!
Skyriam (author) in reply to wi-fi astronomerOct 31, 2010. 3:15 PM
Not quite, rewing up your metabolism doesn't necessarily mean heat production, it's just an increase in efficiency. I HATE getting hot I really do, I love the cold, what I've found out is that I can stand cold much better now but the heat "level" stays the same for me. But each body is unique and maybe that is your case, you should complain about the excess heat in your office!! Or tell to the green authorities about their excess energy waste ;) Take care and thanks for your comment!
nutsandbolts_64 says: Sep 24, 2010. 11:00 PM
curse my sleep deprivation.... thanks for the info btw.
Skyriam (author) in reply to nutsandbolts_64Sep 25, 2010. 1:48 AM
You are very welcome. I also did some research for some help in sleep deprivation, I hope you find it useful.

Suggestions on how to get more sleep include:

* Purposefully go to bed earlier each night.
* Don’t smoke or drink alcoholic or caffeinated beverages in the hours before bedtime.
* Improve your sleeping environment in any way you can – for example, keep it dark and sound-proof, turn off lights and wear earplugs if you have noisy neighbours.
* Don’t have any distractions in the bedroom such as TV or a computer.
* Use relaxation techniques to help you fall asleep quickly.
* Seek professional assistance for sleep disorders such as snoring.

4. Avoid naps, but if you do nap, make it no more than about 25 minutes about eight hours after you awake. But if you have problems falling asleep, then no naps for you.

5. Do not expose your self to bright light if you need to get up at night. Use a small night-light instead.

6. Nicotine is a stimulant and should be avoided particularly near bedtime and upon night awakenings. Having a smoke before bed, although it may feel relaxing, is actually putting a stimulant into your bloodstream.

9. A light snack may be sleep-inducing, but a heavy meal too close to bedtime interferes with sleep. Stay away from protein and stick to carbohydrates or dairy products. Milk contains the amino acid L-tryptophan, which has been shown in research to help people go to sleep. So milk and cookies or crackers (without chocolate) may be useful and taste good as well.

People who regularly exercise report having fewer episodes of sleeplessness than people who don't exercise. This is due, in part, to the fact that exercise helps our bodies transition between the phases of sleep more regularly and more smoothly.
Vick Jr says: Sep 22, 2010. 3:07 PM
Most of this stuff is just instinctive anyway. It's just that people in modern society have lost their natural tendencies to "eat, drink, sleep, an dexercise" in the right amounts.

Skyriam (author) in reply to Vick JrSep 22, 2010. 4:14 PM
You are correct. The "Just 3 big meals a day" is just an invention of the modern man to make more time and room for more "important" things.
catsnw says: Sep 21, 2010. 7:12 PM
I voted for this.
Skyriam (author) in reply to catsnwSep 21, 2010. 8:42 PM
Thank you so much for your time! Tell your friends ;) haha, all the best.
Dream Dragon says: Sep 20, 2010. 11:22 AM
Very interesting, and nicely researched instructable. Thank you for sharing the information.
Skyriam (author) in reply to Dream DragonSep 20, 2010. 1:46 PM
You are very welcome, information and knowledge are made for sharing. I'm glad you liked it.
Dream Dragon in reply to SkyriamSep 20, 2010. 2:43 PM
That's why I like Instructables.
crossfire says: Sep 20, 2010. 8:20 AM
Great instructable!
Skyriam (author) in reply to crossfireSep 20, 2010. 1:45 PM
Thanks man!! Glad you liked it, can I ask for your vote? Haha I feel like a politican kissing babies. Thanks again!
crossfire in reply to SkyriamSep 20, 2010. 2:20 PM
Sure!
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