What is a metabolic diet?
Whether you’re looking to shed a few pounds or start a lifelong change, altering the way your body burns calories may be beneficial. New diets emerge based on the latest research. One of the latest diet trends is the metabolic diet, which aims to change how your body metabolizes food.
The term “metabolic diet” includes diets such as the:
- fast metabolism diet
- high metabolism diet
- metabolism miracle
- MD diet factor
These diets are essentially a new spin on the Atkins diet, which emphasizes reducing your carbohydrate intake to lose weight. The big difference is that not all carbs are equal in the metabolic diet. Many versions of the metabolic diet include complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, oats, and brown rice, but exclude refined carbs, such as processed breads, flours, and sugars.
One component of these diets is to eat small meals throughout the day — typically three regular meals with two snacks — to help kick-start your metabolism. Frequent, small meals may help you manage hunger better throughout the day.
Your body converts food into fuel. The faster your metabolism is, the faster your body can turn nutrients from food into energy. Having a slow metabolism means your body tends to store nutrients as fat instead of burning them up. A high metabolism diet aims to make your metabolism faster, so you burn fat instead of storing it.
In low-carb diets, your body will shift to burning fat for energy, which leads to the production of compounds called ketones, which are thought to decrease appetite. The goal of these diets is to teach your body to burn body fat for energy.
Ketones are acids made in the body when there isn’t enough insulin to get sugar from your blood, and your body turns to burning fat instead of carbs. A buildup of too many ketones can be toxic, a condition called ketoacidosis. People with diabetes have to pay special attention to ketones. A small amount of ketones in your body is nothing to worry about. See your doctor if you have high ketone levels.
Some of these diets promise weight loss of up to 20 pounds over four weeks. While there are many testimonials for these claims, studies are lacking. Most healthcare professionals consider such quick weight loss unsafe and unsustainable. There is also evidence that losing a significant amount of weight rapidly can slow your metabolism, which makes it easier to regain weight.
In general, people with diabetes must take special care when dieting and pay special attention to their food intake and blood sugar levels. However, this
Every person is different, so not all diets are right for everyone. People with specific medical conditions should be particularly wary of diets. Consult with your doctor before starting a metabolic-related diet or any other diet. Be sure to tell your doctor about any medical conditions or allergies you have.
The overall goal of metabolic-centered diets is to create lasting changes in your diet and lifestyle. The amount of time you spend on the diet depends on how much weight you want to lose. After you lose the weight you intended to lose, there should be a stabilization period in which you get used to your new body and keep it at that target weight.
Critics of these diets believe that anyone who goes on a diet will eventually go off of it and fall back into the habits that got them in trouble in the first place. This is why the metabolic diet is thought of more as a lifestyle change. In order to maintain your weight and not fall back into old habits, you will need to change what you eat and how you eat for good.
The high metabolism diet can be beneficial for weight loss, but more research needs to be done on its effectiveness and safety. By eating the right kinds of foods, you may be able to increase your metabolism and burn body fat as opposed to carbs, leading to weight loss. People with certain medical conditions should be careful about changing their diet. Low carb diets may help people with diabetes lose weight and control their blood sugar levels. Everyone on a high metabolic diet should be aware of the ketone levels in their body.
Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new diet and to see if the high metabolism diet is right for you.
