Metabolism--The Fire Analogy
Or
Burn, Baby Burn!
By Melissa Busse

aaaaLet's be honest: I wanted to title this column, "What the heck is going on with my hips?!" due to my personal frustration at not being able to button my favorite jeans for eight consecutive months now. This tragic plight has led me to much research and the uncovering of an ugly truth. I share it now with you in hopes that arming ourselves with knowledge will keep our favorite jeans fitting longer.

aaaaUgly Truth: A woman's metabolism slows around the age of 30.

aaaaThere. It's out. You can anticipate it. Along with all of the liberating and fantastic uniquities (yes, I just made that word up; but, I like it, and I'm keeping it) of being in your late 20s and early 30s comes this reality check. But, it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom. Understanding how metabolisms work will better equip you with the tools you need to keep yours up and maybe even learn why diet attempts in the past have failed.
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aaaa The Fire--Metabolisms

aaaaI'd be willing to wager the majority of our readers have had to, at one time or another, certify their ability to build a fire in a camp setting. Think back to those times and the instruction you had. Were you instructed to dump gargantuan logs onto barely smoldering kindling? No. Would your tin foil dinner cook to the appropriate germ-killing temperature if the fire had only been lit and then never maintained? No.
aaaaFires and metabolisms are identical in that FUEL is the key to everything. Consistent fuel, given as needed, is the key to success. A fire uses wood (or other flammable items) for fuel. Your metabolism uses your food, drinks and exercise as its fuel.

aaaaHere are a few tips to keeping the flames of your metabolism properly "stoked":

aaaaEat Breakfast! People who eat breakfast have higher metabolisms than

those who don't. If you start your day by telling your body you are fasting, it will want to convert what you eat later on into energy-conserving fat. You can't expect a fire to get bigger without adding small sticks.
aaaaSnack! Pack high-fiber, low-calorie snacks for mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Simple and quick items to put together are a baggie of baby carrots, a box of raisins, an apple, or a handful of whole-wheat crackers. This will help keep the fire burning between meals.
aaaaStop "grazing" in the evening! Grazing is that steady intake of calories that we sometimes tend to get in the habit of (i.e. downing an entire bag of microwave popcorn and a half-gallon carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream while watching 2 ½ hours of "American Idol" and "Lost"). Think about it. After dinner, you will soon be sleeping. Whatever you are consuming in the evening is not going to be burned at the gym. Skip the high-calorie snacking and end your daily fueling with your healthy dinner.
aaaaDon't over-feed your fire! This one is very basic, but eating more than you can burn means that the extra turns to fat. If you dump a large log on a small fire, it will extinguish it. Same principle here. Eating a huge meal full of fat and calories will not do you any favors.
aaaaGet Moving! You don't need to feel compelled to run a marathon at the end of the work day or while the little ones are sleeping. However, the more active you are, the more efficient your fire will be and the more fuel you will burn. (Even while you sleep! You body will actually burn more while you rest, if you are exercising regularly. Think of it as a "buy-one-get-one-free" deal). The longer you remain inactive, the slower your metabolism becomes.
aaaaGet Strong! Muscle burns far more energy than other tissues do. You can speed your metabolism up just by converting some of your "less-toned" areas into "nicely toned" areas. Consider adding some sort of strength training into your day.


aaaaWhat does all this mean for you and me and our favorite jeans? It means that it might be time to change a couple of behaviors if we want to keep our metabolisms going at the rate they previously burned effortlessly at. It means managing our time to include taking walks and preparing healthy meals instead of driving through the nearest fast food window. It means being aware of what we're doing for our metabolism. It means that now we know what's going on and we've got the matches. Who's ready for a bonfire? My jeans are waiting!

Editor's Note: This basic overview has not taken into account issues such as detailed calorie counts or personal nutrition needs or the serious problem of eating disorders. It should be seen as a general guide to good health. Please consult your physician or a registered dietician for a personally tailored program.

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