The key to defeating the weight loss plateau is "this"! Nutritionist Xie Furu: 6 dietary principles to improve basal metabolism

Many people who are trying to lose weight have had this experience: after successfully losing weight for a period of time, their weight continues to remain stuck at a certain number and can no longer be reduced, entering the most painful "weight loss stagnation period" when losing weight. Don't give up when you encounter a weight loss plateau. This is the time to test whether you can persist and successfully have a perfect body. Let nutritionist Xie Furu tell you that paying attention to 6 dietary principles can help you beat the weight loss plateau and embrace slim curves.

Don’t worry if your weight stagnates. “Weight loss plateau” is a normal reaction of the body.

Nutritionist Xie Furu said that when you exercise and eat less in order to lose weight, your body will mistakenly think that you are starving and automatically start the protection mechanism to absorb as many calories as possible. It will also lower the body's basal metabolic rate and reduce energy consumption.

After a period of time, the basal metabolic rate decreases, the body adapts to the current diet and exercise, and the calorie intake and expenditure reach a balance, and the weight will stagnate. In fact, the "weight loss stagnation period" is a normal reaction of the body to cope with the reduction in calorie intake.

Dieting only reduces water and muscle mass, and the basal metabolic rate is likely to decrease

Although the weight loss plateau period is a normal reaction of the body, if you lose weight by excessive dieting, such as consuming fewer calories than the calories required for basal metabolism, when the body cannot maintain healthy physiological functions, it will accelerate the decline in basal metabolic rate and slow down the physical damage caused by insufficient calories. In addition, excessive dieting often causes the body to lose water and muscle first, which is also one of the reasons for the decrease in basal metabolic rate.

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Basal metabolic rate = the amount of calories your body needs to maintain basic physiological functions

What is basal metabolic rate? Nutritionist Xie Furu pointed out that the so-called basal metabolic rate (BMR) can be imagined as the minimum calorie consumption required by the human body to maintain basic physiological operations such as breathing, heartbeat, blood circulation, body temperature, kidney filtration, muscle tension, nerve conduction, endocrine, and cell metabolism while lying still.

In addition, the body's basal metabolic rate is also related to muscle mass. Men's basal metabolic rate is higher than women's. One of the reasons is that men have more muscle tissue than women. The most accurate way to know your basal metabolic rate is to use an instrument to measure it. You can also use the Harris-Benedict formula to simply calculate your basic energy expenditure (Basal Energy Expenditure, BEE):

Male: 66 + 13.7 × weight (kg) + (5.0 × height (cm)) - (6.8 × age in years)

Female: 665 + (9.6 × weight (kg)) + (1.8 × height (cm)) - (4.7 × age in years)

Nutritionist Xie Furu pointed out that most of the calories consumed by the human body every day are used for basal metabolism, accounting for about 70% of the daily calorie requirements. However, due to various reasons such as the decrease in muscle tissue with age, the basal metabolic rate decreases with age.

The key to breaking through the weight loss plateau: increasing basal metabolic rate

Now that you understand your basal metabolic rate, what can you do to break through the weight loss plateau? Nutritionist Xie Furu pointed out that the most important thing to break through the weight loss plateau is to "increase the basal metabolic rate." Once the basal metabolism is improved and breaks through the plateau, it will enter the next period of rapid weight loss and it will be less likely to gain weight again.

Since the length of each person's weight loss plateau is different, if one's will is not strong enough and cannot get through the period, once one returns to the original amount of food and exercise, one will face the arrival of "weight regain", and the increase is often greasy body fat.

You can also increase your basal metabolic rate by eating. Here are 6 dietary principles for you to know.

Nutritionist Xie Furu said that generally speaking, the best way to overcome the plateau period is to increase the amount of exercise, because exercise can increase the body's muscle mass. However, in addition to exercise, food can also help improve basal metabolism. In addition to a balanced diet, the following dietary principles can help break through the stagnation period.

Dietary principle 1: Take in protein foods

Sufficient protein intake can not only replenish the muscle mass lost through weight loss and exercise, but the branched-chain amino acids in protein also help with muscle protein synthesis, preventing muscle protein breakdown and loss during exercise, and avoiding a decrease in basal metabolic rate due to reduced muscle mass.

In addition, the heat production effect of protein diet during digestion and absorption is relatively high, which can increase calorie consumption. It is generally recommended that normal adults consume 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, while people who do strength training can consume about 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Soybeans and soy products, lean meat, fresh milk and dairy products, fish, whole grains, nuts and seeds, etc. are all rich in protein.

Dietary Principle 2: Foods Containing Iodine

Thyroid hormone can promote cell metabolism, increase oxygen consumption and heat production, thereby improving the basal metabolic rate. Therefore, adequate iodine intake can help the normal production and secretion of thyroid hormone. Foods such as kelp, seaweed, laver, fish, shellfish and shrimp all contain iodine.

Dietary Principle 3/ Vitamin B Foods

Vitamin B group is an important coenzyme involved in the metabolism of nutrients in the body, helping to maintain metabolism and efficiently convert and utilize energy. Whole grains, wheat germ, brewer's yeast, fruits and vegetables, beans, milk, eggs, meat, etc. are all sources of B vitamins.

Dietary Principle 4: Coffee

Studies have found that the caffeine component in black coffee can inhibit the activity of phosphodiesterase that breaks down cAMP. Therefore, if you drink a moderate amount of black coffee before exercise, it can promote the decomposition and metabolism of body fat, improve metabolism, and have the effect of affecting exercise fat burning, strengthening muscle activity and enhancing exercise physical fitness.

The caffeine component in black coffee can inhibit the activity of phosphodiesterase that breaks down cAMP. Therefore, if you drink a moderate amount of black coffee before exercise, it can promote the decomposition of body fat and improve metabolism.

Dietary Principle 5: Green Tea

Green tea contains catechins and caffeine, which can inhibit the activity of COMT enzyme and phosphodiesterase in the body, promote the effect of norepinephrine and cAMP on fat cells to decompose fat, and also increase the body's metabolic rate.

Dietary Principle 6: Spicy Food

The natural spicy ingredients contained in pepper, chili, curry powder, ginger, garlic, onion, etc. will produce a slight burning sensation when consumed, and also help to increase body temperature, sweat and warm the body to improve metabolism.

However, it is important to note that although coffee, green tea, and spicy foods are "helpful" in improving basal metabolism, they are not "necessary" or "very important". The amount of consumption must be adjusted according to personal constitution and consumed in moderation. It is not recommended to consume too much spicy food or to consume it for a long time.

[Nutritionist's Tips]:

In addition to correct dietary principles, regular and appropriate exercise can also help effectively increase the basal metabolic rate. When the body performs low-intensity aerobic exercise for more than 30 minutes, it will begin to promote the metabolism and decomposition of fat in the body. At this time, if it is combined with weight training to increase muscle mass, it can effectively increase the basal metabolic rate and achieve the effect of increasing muscle and reducing fat.