Myth #1: You are overweight because your metabolism is slow.
Truth: If you are overweight, your metabolism is likely running fast because the more weight you have, the harder your body has to work to carry itself around and to avoid heat dispersion.
As a result, in most instances the metabolism of an overweight individual runs faster than the one of a skinnier person. So, apart from some rare metabolic diseases, it’s more likely that you’ll be overweight because you eat too much and exercise too little.
Myth #2: Your metabolism slows down as you age.
Truth: The primary reason the metabolism slows down as you grow older is because your hormone levels drop down and you lose muscles.
If you keep up with your training, sleep well and eat adequate levels of lean protein, vegetables and fruit, you will largely prevent hormone levels from falling and muscle mass being lost.
Don’t use your age as an excuse – it’s not uncommon to see a 50-year-old fitter than someone half their age, and you can bet that their metabolism is faster as well.
Myth #3: Long runs are the best form of exercise to speed up your metabolism.
Truth: If you consider that your body adapts in order to overcome hostilities and survive, why would someone who’s going to run and burn hundreds of calories each session need a higher metabolism as well? The reality is that steady-state aerobic exercises cause a temporary increase in the energy expenditure but as rebound they slow down the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).
Also, strength exercises don’t burn many calories themselves but by leading the body to build functional lean tissue (anabolism) they consistently rev up the metabolism. It’s not aerobic exercises but a smart resistance-training programme that should be at the very top of anyone’s metabolism-boosting regime!
6 Strength Exercises for Cyclists
Myth #4: A high metabolism is the best health goal.
Truth: Higher is not necessarily better. It’s true that an ultra-fast metabolism allows you to eat more, recover faster, sleep less and generally live your in a higher gear, but the downside is pretty obvious – people with faster metabolisms show signs of cellular aging faster than people with slower metabolisms and are perhaps more likely to develop diseases sooner. Scientists think this is a major reason why women, holding other factors equal, so often outlive men.
Nobody is saying you should be spending your life sat watching the TV and trying to slow down your metabolism, but just try to not get obsessed by having an ultra-fast metabolism and being envious of anyone who got it – all that glitters is not gold!
Myth #5: Metabolism is genetic; you have no control over it.
Truth: You have full control over your metabolism!
