Low versus high metabolism

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kristinrayerootes
kristinrayerootes Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Looking for some insight on metabolism. I don't have a lot of knowledge in this area. The general idea that I get is that having a higher metablism is better as your body will burn more calories. However, when I first started my weight loss journey, I had some friends tell that it was a bad idea to want my metabolism to increase because I would hungrier and want to eat more. I am doing Insanity which people say revs up the metabolism and I also started taking a thyroid support supplement that can do the same. Any insight would be great!

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  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    The main way to increase your metabolism is to build muscle. More muscle requires more calories. Also, as weird as it sounds eating more can increase your metabolism. When you diet and eat lower amounts of calories for a prolonged period of time, your metabolism can slow because your body learns how to function on less.

    I'm not sure why your friends said it's bad to want to increase your metabolism. A higher metabolism means more calories burned at rest. A higher metabolism means you can eat more and still lose weight instead of having to restrict too much.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    1. Why are you taking a thyroid support supplement? Did your doctor find abnormal results? Do you have hypothyroidism? Usually its not necessary, but it depends on your circumstances.
    2. Strength training (building/developing lean muscle) will burn more calories in the long run
    3. Your metabolism will increase but not exactly how you think. Its not going to skyrocket through the roof. In layman's terms, its basically going to increase when you eat and will process nutrients and food faster (in a sense).
    4. Yes, when you build more lean muscle mass, it takes more calories to sustain it. Not as big a problem for women as for men, but nonetheless, it takes more calories. The hunger feeling can be taken care of by utilizing proper nutrition and macro (protein/carb/fat) ratios.

    If your ticker is correct, it seems what you are doing is working. I wouldn't worry to much about your metabolism, it will just fall in place with your lifestyle.
  • kristinrayerootes
    kristinrayerootes Posts: 21 Member
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    I had my thryroid tested and it wasn't abnormal, but was very low in the normal range. I was hoping it would help with libido and metabolism.

    Unfortunately, not much of that loss has been recent! I am trying to take a new approach by eating more and focus on getting more protein in my diet, so it does sound like I am doing it right, I just need my body to start responding now. I decided to throw my scale out for the next month, so hopefully I get a good response when I do weigh in again.
  • lself0924
    lself0924 Posts: 113 Member
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    This is an interesting subject. All calorie calculators ask for your weight, and calculate your TDEE's and whatever else you want to call 'em based on weight. However, as you lose weight you burn less calories of the coarse of the day. On MFP, after you loose 10 lbs. it will ask if you want to recalculate.

    I know fat doesn't burn anything, its just there. Muscle on the other hand, even at rest, has to have energy (calories) to survive. I have also written a spreadsheet that I've input 3+ months of information from diet for 5-6 people. Calories burnt per pound have only varied slightly from person to person. I don't know if there is much to fast metabolism and/or slow metabolism. If anything, pounds of LBM would be most critical.

    I'm looking to other's to comment, I want to learn something about all this "stuff".

    Below is a sample of my spreadsheet.


    LJSTracking1_zps492479ac.jpg
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    You need to stop listening to your friends.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    You need to stop listening to your friends.

    Ditto. There's nothing wrong with a high metabolism. It's a good thing. Unless it's so high you're underweight, of course. As long as you don't eat more than you burn, your metabolism has no power over your weight loss or gain.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    I had my thryroid tested and it wasn't abnormal, but was very low in the normal range. I was hoping it would help with libido and metabolism.

    Unfortunately, not much of that loss has been recent! I am trying to take a new approach by eating more and focus on getting more protein in my diet, so it does sound like I am doing it right, I just need my body to start responding now. I decided to throw my scale out for the next month, so hopefully I get a good response when I do weigh in again.

    Best method I've seen: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/943139-weight-loss-cheat-sheet-ipoarm
  • mistesh
    mistesh Posts: 243 Member
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    "Dr. Fuhrman says with a faster metabolism our body wears out quicker. This is due to oxidative damage. “In animals, energy expenditure is indeed inversely related to lifespan. Though both these mechanisms of aging are related, as a faster metabolic rate means faster energy turnover and greater production of free radicals, leading to increased oxidative damage. A study on thyroid function published last year further supported the idea that a slower metabolic rate could prolong lifespan. Now, a new study has measured resting metabolic rate directly and come to the same conclusion."

    Low Metabolism vs Ultra Metabolism
    http://www.thehealthcoachgroup.com/low-metabolism-vs-ultra-metabolism-or-fuhrman-vs-hyman/

    When all is said and done, we can't change our metabolism very much. We have what we have.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    Apparently I have an amazing metabolism...for someone trying to survive in a desert maybe with little food.....my tdee should be around 2300 and I should eat 1900 to lose. My bmr is supposedly 1550....bs. I always eat under 1900 a day. Last time I ate more was Easter. No weightloss until I started eating under 1500, not eating back all my exercise calories. I measure my food and use a hrm for exercise. Annoying.
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    "Dr. Fuhrman says with a faster metabolism our body wears out quicker. This is due to oxidative damage. “In animals, energy expenditure is indeed inversely related to lifespan. Though both these mechanisms of aging are related, as a faster metabolic rate means faster energy turnover and greater production of free radicals, leading to increased oxidative damage. A study on thyroid function published last year further supported the idea that a slower metabolic rate could prolong lifespan. Now, a new study has measured resting metabolic rate directly and come to the same conclusion."

    Low Metabolism vs Ultra Metabolism
    http://www.thehealthcoachgroup.com/low-metabolism-vs-ultra-metabolism-or-fuhrman-vs-hyman/

    When all is said and done, we can't change our metabolism very much. We have what we have.

    Personally I find Dr Fuhrman as reliable as Dr. Oz but that's just me.

    We can change our metabolisms by building muscle and not restricting our calorie intake too much. More muscle burns more calories at rest. Restricting too much can lower our metabolisms by our bodies getting used to what we are giving it and learning to run on less.

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