Seven Easy Tricks for Metabolic Health

Written by Jamie, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

We’re dying to know the secrets to metabolism.

But, guess what? There are no magical secrets, just common-sense ways we give ourselves a metabolic head-start.

The “#Quarantine15” hashtag started trending on social media right after the coronavirus pandemic began.

Many of us poked fun about how easy it is for people to gain weight — whether it’s 15 pounds or even more — when we’re dealing with COVID-19 lockdowns, self-quarantines and stay-at-home orders.

The reality is that pandemic pounds and “COVID curves” are no joke.

We’ve been cooped up indoors, going from hitting the gym to pounding the remote.

And the stress of all of this — plus being more or less isolated from our loved ones, friends and work colleagues — hasn’t helped with our health hopes, weight-loss goals or fitness aspirations.

On the other hand, quarantine weight gain is nothing to be ashamed about; it’s normal to expect that the body goes through some changes when life is altered in such a drastic way.

Feeling Stir Crazy? How to Safeguard Your Metabolic Health

One big area that stress messes with is your hormones, adrenaline and cortisol.

Like it or not, human metabolism is wired to take advantage of the enhanced focus, strength and reaction time delivered by these surging hormones.

This may have been great when our ancestors had to run from a saber-toothed tiger or to protect their tribe from an interloper.

But it’s not so great when these hormones are always on 24/7, responding to all of the stresses we feel, especially in pandemic times.

It can lead to a whole raft of health problems all linked to a metabolism that's out of whack, including weight gain, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

And inflammation is a core part of all of these problems, not only diabetic symptoms.

The Inflammation Connection

According to Dr. John Morton of Yale Medicine, inflammation leads to more weight gain and, in turn, more body weight leads to more inflammation.

It’s a case where both the chicken and the egg came first! But fortunately nutrition can help.

In fact in a 2016 study of 83 overweight adults over 24 weeks, Almased supplementation helped people achieve “significant weight loss,” improved their levels of a hunger hormone (leptin), supported levels of healthy fats and helped with certain markers of inflammation, such as interleukin-6.

A 2014 study looked at Almased supplementation in 42 overweight or obese men and women with prediabetes over a 6-week period. The results showed both improvements in healthy glucose and a good trend towards reduced “accumulation of body fat.”

This, and other research, suggests that Almased can “deflame” the body over time due to its low-glycemic high-protein formula.

Clocking in at 24 grams of high-quality protein per serving, it may well aid the body in herding in healthy blood sugar levels, which in turn can help us feel fewer cravings for sugar and naturally fend off stress.

Almased also includes anti-stress and healthy blood-sugar-friendly ingredients like riboflavin, copper, manganese, selenium, zinc and more.

Is it possible to lose weight during the pandemic?

According to Dr. John Morton of Yale Medicine, it’s definitely do-able — with the right approach.

Morton recommends building new routines around what he calls “the four pillars for weight loss”: diet, exercise, sleep and stress management.

“You have to have routines. You can’t just be sailing along, hoping for the best. Start with the fundamentals,” says Morton.

“That means getting up in the morning, taking a shower, getting breakfast and having a plan for the day. Purpose gives direction, and it helps when it comes to weight.”

Here are seven tips to get you started:

1. Switch to smart calories

Surprisingly, eating too little can slow metabolism to a snail’s pace. Burning fewer calories is the body’s way of conserving energy.

Although you shouldn’t skip meals or go hungry, you do need to cut down to lose weight. Low glycemic, high protein (LGHP) eating — which should include Almased — enables you to eat more while weighing less.

First, let go of high-calorie, low-nutrition, deep-fried, fatty and sugary foods. For most people, keeping unhealthy foods in the diet doesn't work well in the long run. Real change is needed to hang onto the good results you want.

Stick with nutrient-dense, high-fiber foods that satisfy the appetite, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Protein sources can include seeds, nuts, lentils, and beans; lean meats; healthy fish; plus low-fat dairy and eggs.

LGHP foods can have powerful effects on metabolism — all without the chore of counting calories!

2. Eat more protein and aminos

Certain foods can increase our metabolism through something called the thermic effect of food (TEF).

Protein gives us the biggest boost in TEF, increasing our metabolic rate by 15 to 30 percent. It also makes us feel fuller, which makes us less likely to overeat, too.

The message for people who are looking to lose weight is that if you’re going to cut calories, don’t reduce your protein intake.

Eating more protein can keep your resting metabolism humming, which can help you both lose weight and keep it off afterwards.

Plus, when we’re trying to lose fat, protein helps us keep our metabolism primed so we can hold onto that lean muscle mass.

Making sure that we’re getting high-quality amino acids, the building blocks of protein, is just as important.

3. Drink more cold water

Drinking more water is a great idea, partly because we’re then downing H2O versus all kinds of carbonated sodas and sugar-jacked juices.

In fact, drinking an extra 17 ounces (about 2 cups) of cool, fresh water each day also boosts our metabolism by 10 to 30 percent for up to one hour.

And drinking water 30 minutes before a meal helps us feel more full, too, so we can eat less.

4. Take a walk

Exercise supports a healthy immune system, is a mood lifter and helps us manage anxiety and stress — something we can all benefit from to stay more calm.

If you’re not into pumping iron, start with a short walk and work up to a lengthier stroll. The basic formula is 30 minutes, 3–5 times per week.

Surprising recommendation? Don’t over-exercise.

Excessive or extreme exercise increases cortisol and stress. The repeated elevation of cortisol can, perhaps ironically, lead to weight gain and visceral fat storage.

5. Drink more tea

It’s hard to come up with an easier addition to our metabolic health program than drinking more tea but, yes green tea and oolong tea improve metabolism. In fact, they can increase fat burning by up to 17 percent and help with overall weight loss.

6. Stress Less

According to Psychology Today, chronic stress and body fat are part of a feedback loop that slows metabolism.

So, reduce stress by taking a walk in nature, regular meditation, deep breathing, chat with a friend, read a good book, take a nap. You know what works for you, just be sure to do it!

7. Sleep more

Speaking of stress reduction, a big part of that is getting all the sleep you need. Poor quality and insufficient sleep can mess with hunger hormones, and scientific evidence shows that poor sleep contributes to obesity.

But it’s even more than that. Lack of quality sleep interferes with metabolic functioning and raises the risk of disease. It doesn’t take long, either.

One study revealed that even a single night of partial sleep deprivation increased insulin sensitivity in healthy subjects.

The good news is that losing weight can help you sleep better.

Need Isolation Motivation?

Stress may be a part of modern life. But we don’t have to just accept it. We can beat stress at its own game by giving our body the nutrition it needs and our metabolism the nutrition it craves.

Scientists have proven that stress boosts our feasting on sugar and bad fat, and vice versa. High levels of cortisol and insulin may be part of the culprits here too.

While we can’t live in a bubble or get rid of all stress, one thing that makes all of us feel better is being healthier.

And one way we can help our bodies get there is to tackle any weight issues that are making us stressed or feeling bad about ourselves when we shouldn’t.

An important part of that is to boost our metabolism.

That being said, conventional pre-packaged diabetic diets, for example, are boring and uninspiring. Plus, weight-loss drugs and fat-free foods aren’t the answer either.

They just make everything worse.

Look for natural solutions, including healthy foods and dietary supplements that can increase energy levels and enhance wellness.

While no one food can single-handedly jet away the jitters or add mojo to our metabolism, there is a powerful, and simple, thing you can add to your diet every day to tip the scales in your favor.

That’s drinking an Almased dietary supplement shake!

The high protein in Almased delivers a metabolic one-two punch that also helps with appetite control.

Because Almased is a low glycemic index (low GI) food of 27 per serving, it's the preferred choice for herding in blood sugar levels, which helps us feel fewer cravings for sugar and naturally helps with stress.

Enter: Diabetic-Friendly Almased

The scientifically-proven Almased Diet has now helped hundreds of thousands of people get healthier.

In fact, every serving of smart-calorie Almased is bursting with 24 grams of high-quality protein and all of the essential amino acids, in addition to vitamins and minerals. Almased is made from non-GMO soy, yogurt, and enzyme-rich honey.

Research from 2003 showed that Almased helped participants not only lose weight but also preserve muscle mass, in addition to improving how the body handles both glucose and fat.

In fact, in a landmark 2020 study with 19 healthy women — who received either Almased alone or a standard diet — when taking Almased the participants were able to significantly burn more fat by turning more nutrients into energy than they were able to with a regular diet, leading the researchers to say that Almased provides a "metabolic advantage" compared to a conventional diet.

So, there’s no doubt about it. Diabetic-friendly Almased can be a crucial part of our efforts to tackle those coronavirus curves, the #quarantine15 and whatever else is thrown at us!

The open secret is that science-backed Almased is a cellular-health powerhouse that supports metabolism, healthy blood sugar and sustainable weight loss.

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