It’s not uncommon to struggle with maintaining a healthy weight, particularly as you age. Metabolism is a key component in both weight loss and weight management.
Have you hit a plateau with your weight management efforts? Wondering how to push through it to see your weight stabilize again? In this article, we’ll discuss the role a healthy metabolism plays in weight management and the supplements that can help get things back on track for you again.
Read on for the best supplements for weight management and a healthy metabolism.
What is Metabolism and How is Related to Weight Management?
Metabolism is a term that refers to a process of the body where energy is utilized for a specific end goal. Most often, the word metabolism is employed in conjunction with weight loss or weight management. A fast metabolism is considered highly desirable, equating to the body’s ability to process energy reserves efficiently to yield a stable and consistent weight loss. A slow metabolism is blamed for sluggish weight loss efforts.
Though weight loss and weight management can be affected by caloric restriction and increased activity, metabolism is impacted by many other factors including gender, overall health, and regular daily routines.
Metabolism is not restricted to simply weight loss and management efforts. The term is employed for any of the chemical activity that occurs in the body. However, metabolism is most frequently referenced in connection with BMR or your basal metabolic rate. Basal metabolic rate is a measurement that indicates how much energy you require to remain alive each day. Your basal metabolic rate encompasses as much as 65-70% of your daily calorie consumption.
Though you can make use of an online tool to calculate your approximate BMR, these calculators are only rough estimates since they are incapable of assessing your muscle to fat ratio, a key component in your body’s ability to burn fat efficiently.
Some of the factors that affect your body’s metabolic rate include:
The amount of muscle mass in the body
Muscle burns more calories than fat even when the body is at rest. Tim Church, MD, PhD, professor of preventive medicine at Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, shares that even when resting, a pound of muscle burns six calories daily. By comparison, fat burns only two.
To help boost your metabolic rate, one of the most effective things you can do is build muscle through a regular strength training regime. A 2015 study undertaken by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that a nine-month strength training regime done consistently in three weekly sessions resulted in an increase of 5 percent in overall resting metabolic rate.
Higher protein diets
Even the act of digestion burns calories in the body. Of the three main nutrients the body requires, protein is the best calorie burner. A temporary increase in protein has the ability to increase metabolic rates by approximately 15 to 30 percent.
Higher protein diets promote lean muscle mass, a key component of an efficiently functioning basal metabolic rate. The best sources of lean protein are meats such as poultry and fish.
Gender
Sorry, ladies, when it comes to highly functioning metabolisms, men earn top marks in this category. Because men have a higher total body mass, muscle, and testosterone, they are genetically hardwired to burn calories more efficiently. In the initial months of weight loss efforts, men are capable of losing twice the amount of weight women can.
Menopause
Menopause can lessen the body’s efficiency when it comes to losing weight. As women enter the menopause years, their bodies have lower estrogen amounts which may cause a decrease in their metabolism. Using plant compounds that have a similar structure to estrogen may minimize the influence of decreasing estrogen on body weight and metabolism. During this time, women may also tend to retain weight around their midsection more readily, a problem that also has a negative impact on metabolic rates. Midsection weight tendencies are often linked to high levels of stress or hormones
Poor health
Some diseases, health conditions, and medications can effect the body’s ability to burn calories. Insulin resistance and poor thyroid function can greatly reduce metabolic efficiency causing weight gain to occur. Some medications that can impact weight loss and management include antidepressants, epilepsy medications, steroids, and blood pressure pills.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a great help with bone health and mood regulation. As an added bonus, it can also have a positive effect on both metabolism and weight management. Women who were deficient in Vitamin D saw an increase in weight loss results when their Vitamin D levels were restored to a normal range.
Top Natural Remedies to Support Weight Management and a Healthy Metabolism
Thankfully, you don’t have to resort to medication in order to find support for weight management and a healthy metabolism. There are many supplements based on herbs, minerals, and vitamins that can help provide you with that boost you need. Read on to learn about the most highly recommended natural supplements for weight management and a healthy metabolism.
Metabol Complex
Metabol Complex is a powerful blend of several herbs and seeds including fenugreek, black cumin seed, bitter melon, and cinnamon. Designed to work collaboratively to boost metabolism, Metabol Complex is based on the traditional Ayuverdic formula prescribed to support the following:
Proper metabolism of fats and sugars
Optimal pancreatic and liver function
Indigestion relief
Reduction of bloating and flatulence
Fenugreek, in particular, has been proven to help increase metabolic levels if taken regularly. In a clinical study,fenugreek seed was seen to decrease fasting blood glucose levels, stabilize insulin, and reduce both cholesterol and tryglyceride amounts. The study concluded that fenugreek was an excellent support for proper glucose metabolism in the body.
In addition to the herbs found in Metabol Complex, there are also several potent essential oils present in this formulation. The recommended daily dosage of this powerhouse supplement is 1 tablet taken 3 times per day.
Black Cumin Seed Forte
A potent supplement derived from a whole plant extraction of black cumin seed, Black Cumin Seed Forte has been designed to help promote healthy liver function, optimal digestion, and proper fat metabolism. An herbal treatment used in Ayurvedic medicine, black cumin seed is believed to assist with:
Healthy digestion
Proper liver function
Efficient fat metabolism
Digestive relief
Boosted antioxidant levels
Overall health and wellness
Sometimes referred to as “the seed of blessing,” black cumin has long been in use in the Middle East and South Asia as an effective medical treatment. This particular formulation contains fixed oils, proteins, alkaloids, essential oils, and saponins to ensure the efficacy of the product.
Experts recommend taking 1 tablet of Black Cumin Seed Forte per day with food for best results.
Black cumin seed, also known as Nigella sativa, has been associated with providing relief from such problems as indigestion, arthritis, and asthma as well. It is commonly utilized in Middle Eastern and Asian cooking and has been linked to increased brain function. Among its other benefits are improved mood regulation, weight loss, and boosted thyroid functionality.
Thyroid Complex
One of the most effective herbal supplements to boost thyroid function, Thyroid Complex includes bladderwrack, ashwagandha, and bacopa in its formulation. Thyroid Complex has been successfully used to treat the following:
Poor thyroid function
Better basal metabolism
In addition to the herbs found in this highly effective herbal remedy, Thyroid Complex contains trace minerals, polyphenols, steroidal compounds, and triterpenoid saponins.
The recommended dosage is 1 tablet per day.
A poorly functioning thyroid can affect many different systems of the body. Among the symptoms you may experience as the result of too much or too little thyroid hormone are:
Sluggish metabolism
Brain fog
Loss of hair
Dry skin
Extreme fatigue
Chills
Weight loss or gain
Swelling of the neck
Changes in heart rate
Get expert help to manage your weight and boost your metabolism.
Are you looking for assistance with achieving weight management and a healthy metabolism? Dr. Ann Doggett of Wholebody Solutions is here to help.
Dr. Ann has 30 years of experience in chiropractic care, nutrition counseling, and holistic medicine. Her areas of expertise include applied kinesiology, whole food supplementation, and energetic muscle testing.
She received her degree at the New York Chiropractic College and completed her master’s in human nutrition at the University of Bridgeport. She also received a certificate in practical herbal therapy from the Australian College of Phytotherapy.
Contact our practice now by calling 617.328.6300 or sending an email to [email protected].
Opened more than 30-years ago by Dr. Ann Doggett, WholeBody Solutions is a holistic wellness center whose mission is to provide the community with safe, effective, and natural answers to health and wellness concerns. Our all-encompassing wellness center focuses on the following drug-free services: Nutrition, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, and Weight Loss. Our goal is quite simple – to make sick people well and to keep healthy people healthy. It’s that simple and that powerful.
