Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with metabolism

Is alcohol metabolized like sugars? Or something else?

Nelson — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:59:15 -0800

Is alcohol metabolized like sugars? Or something else? There's a variety of diet books that focus on the theory that in the American diet, carbohydrates and sugars are the primary cause of weight gain and other problems. The Atkins diet is the most well known; Gary Taubes' book Good Calories, Bad Calories also does a thorough job in highlighting scientific evidence that refined carbohydrates and sugars are bad for health. However, none of these books talk about alcohol.

How is alcohol metabolized? Does the body process it more or less like sugar or refined carbohydrates? Does it get converted to glucose relatively quickly and end up causing large changes in blood sugar, insulin, etc? Or does something different happen to it?

(Taubes' book has given me a newfound appreciation of the complexity of metabolism science and the ease by which common wisdom can get mistaken for science. Hoping to find some proper research, not just speculation.)

Apple body shape - is the news all bad?

terrierhead — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:27:10 -0800

What advantages are there to having an apple shape? Studies have shown that having a fat storage pattern that favors the abdomen (the apple shape) rather than the buttocks and hips (the pear shape) carries an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and general ill health. There's got to be an upside, right? Wouldn't evolution have taken the trait out if there weren't?

My googling is not the strongest and my searching has gotten me nowhere. What advantages can you think of to being an apple?

Fasting, metabolism, and weight loss?

paradoxflow — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:59:21 -0800

Fasting, metabolism, and weight loss? I am a relatively healthy 25 year old male, but for various reasons, I haven’t been eating properly lately (read: too much junk food), I have been drinking too much, and have recently started smoking. I have the next two weeks for myself, so I won’t be engaging in much activity besides reading, sending out applications, and hanging out with friends. I’d like to use at least part of this time to engage in an extended water fast in the hopes that the denial will help me bring my life more under control, and make me a healthier person in general. I fasted once before (though only for four days), and it was an incredibly positive experience, and not only did I not really notice the lack of energy, but I was a much happier person. As well as helping me find my lost discipline, and perhaps helping me to become a more spiritual person, I would also be doing this to this, hopefully, to lose a bit of a weight. I’ve done a fair bit of reading on the subject already, and have searched through previous askmefi questions, but there are a few issues that I remain fuzzy on:

What would be the ideal duration for such a fast without running into health problems? Ideally, I would like it to be somewhere between 5-10 days. I am open to suggestions that it be longer, but anything less than 5 days likely wouldn’t feel like enough to me.

What should I eat/do right before starting the fast, and when I break it?

I understand that when a person starts to fast the body turns to fat stores first, and then eventually starts to eat muscle. I’m unclear at what point the body switches from using fat, to using muscle, and at what point if any the burning of muscle would accelerate in relation to the burning of fat. I’d appreciate it if someone could clarify that.

I realize that fasting lowers metabolism and is in some ways counter-productive for weight-loss. I’m not worried too much about a temporary drop in my metabolism, as normally I get a fair amount of exercise, eat well, and haven’t really had any problems with it in the past. However, I am concerned about the potential for a permanent or very long term decrease in metabolism due to fasting. Should I be concerned about this, or will my metabolism return to a good rate soon after I end the fast, assuming exercise and a good diet?

Finally, how long after ending the fast should I wait before starting light cardio? Interval cardio? Weight lifting?

Thanks.

my metabolism is broken

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:22:11 -0800

How can I get my metabolism back up? Basic states: Female, 28, weigh about 160 lbs, height 5'3". For what it's worth, I also poop regularly - usually once or twice a day.

My metabolism is slow. It's been slow for a long time. Is there any way I can (healthily) rev it up?

A little over a year ago, I moved out of suburbia, sold my car, and moved to a new city. Since then, I've gone from a drive-3-blocks-to-the-grocery-store style, to what I call old-school active - I don't necessarily work out, nor do I own a gym membership. But I walk everywhere, carry stuff everywhere, utilize stairs much more often, and consider myself pretty active. On a lazy day, I walk about 2 miles (door to door, not including steps in a building). On an average day, about 5 miles.

Since I've moved, my diet is a bit healthier, but I've lost a whopping... about 2 pounds. I don't know if I've gained muscle, but it doesn't matter, because my clothes from suburbia fit about the same as they do know. I can't lose weight.

I eat about 1200-1600 calories a day. Mostly going something like this, with some variation:

Breakfast: One cup coffee with splenda and skim milk, plus a piece of fruit (apple or nectarine usually) OR a cup of cream of wheat (made with water, not milk)
Lunch: Half a chicken or veggie panini, with some snacking veggies (raw carrots, celery). Occasionally a chocolate chip cookie.
Early dinner: the other half of panini
Evening snack: a piece of fruit, or maybe a small bowl of cereal (cheerios, or wheaties with skim milk), sometimes with a tablespoon of organic granola added.

I don't drink soda. Occasionally drink juice. All water (and enough of it), except for the morning cup off coffee. I'll have a glass of red wine about twice a month.

What I want to know is this - it's been stated that if Americans adopted a healthier lifestyle, they'd be healthier, and less obese/overweight. I feel like I live this "lifestyle" - I walk everywhere, and I don't eat terribly. I refuse to believe that it's the occasional chocolate chip cookie that makes my metabolism so slow, and makes me unable to lose weight.

Other than my weight, I'm healthy - blood pressure, cholesterol, etc, are all fantastic. And maybe it's superficial, but I'm tired of being the chubby girl who is perpetually inclined to this body type.

I think in my teenage years, some crash dieting severely messed up my metabolism, and has been wonky since then. When I was 15, the same height I am now, and 125 lbs, I was convinced I was fat. I became a vegetarian for all the wrong reasons, thinking that meat made people fat. For most of one summer, I ate 300 calories a day. A small bowl of cereal with skim milk, and a small piece of fruit. That's all I ate day in and day out, and also exercised rigorously - upwards of 4-5 hours a day. I went down to about 100 lbs. Once classes resumed, I upped my caloric intake to 1000 - which for an active 15 year old, is still normally insufficient (these were all "good" calories, mind you). Within 4 months, I gained back all the weight I lost, and gained a few pounds extra. I know that it's because my body was recuperating from starvation mode, and holding onto this seemingly surplus of more than three times what I had been eating previously. I have never crash dieted since.

This was over a decade ago, but I think some of the damage I did during that year still affects how my body metabolizes food. I'm wondering if as an adult, there is anything I can do to change my metabolism to achieve a leaner body. Since my move over a year ago, I feel healthy, and thankfully have a clean bill of health every time I go to the doctor, so this is mostly a superficial thing.

Thank you for all thoughts.

He ain't heavy, he's my brother...

Spyder's Game — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:17:18 -0800

Low Metabolism Filter: I am coming to the end of a very low calorie diet. I have been careful to be healthy about it, and I have lost 30 (!) lbs. What do I need to know so I don't put it all back on again? Details inside. I am a 37 yr old 6' male who started off at around 215lbs. After reading a lot (including previous MeFi questions) and at the urging of my doctor, I went on a pretty low calorie diet (doctor recommended - MeMail me and I'll tell you which one). After a month, I had lost 20lbs. About two weeks after that, I reached 187lbs. And I stayed there. After another month, I'm down to about 183. My goal is to get down to 170.
In addition to the eating less, I've been exercising more. I walk about an hour (about 3.5 to 4 miles) pretty vigorously 5 or six times a week. I am planning on trying to do a little running (1-2 miles) and some elliptical training (30 min) a few times a week. I also take a multivitamin at least once a day, to make sure I'm getting all the vitamins and minerals my body needs.
'Kay, here's the question: What do I need to know so that I won't gain all this weight back? Things I do know:

1) My metabolism has slowed WAY down, most likely. Taking in a lot less food does that. My plan is NOT to go back to overeating like I was doing, but to gradually work more calories into my diet. Small meals, and more of them, over a few weeks, until I feel like I'm maintaining my weight at ~170-175.
2) Weight training will put on muscle, which will make me weigh more. I'd like to go back to doing some decent weight workouts. I know this will put on a little more weight, and I'm fine with that. It's really a more toned/less flabby look that I'm after. I'll continue my walking/cardio workouts to help keep the weight off. Although, I'd like to scale it back to more of a maintenance 3-4 times a week, if possible.
3) Healthier foods = better. I already eat a lot of chicken, rice, etc. I'll add in more veggies and fruits as I up my calorie intake. I occasionally splurge and have pizza or pasta or stuff that rhymes with "spice dream", but it's not my regular fare.

So, basically, is there anything that I'm missing? I'm sure there's a lot I don't know, having never done this before. The main goal is that I really REALLY don't want to get fat again, after working hard and being pretty disciplined over the last two months to get here. I now have a LOT more energy (hence the nightly walks) and I look much better, and friends have been very complimentary (like they're supposed to). So what else should I do/know to make this weight loss story a success?! Thanks in advance.

What's going on with my digestive system?

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:57:27 -0800

Why am I pooping SO MUCH all of a sudden? Diet, exercise, and general lifestyle have remained constant. Grossness inside. Suddenly, I'm going several times a day rather than once a day or every other day (which is how it's been my entire adult life, with no ill effects). It seems healthy - solid, easy, flawless victory-friendly - but the sheer frequency/quantity is freaking me out. There has been no significant change in any area of my life - as always, my diet is mostly clean and whole-food focused with plenty of fiber, I get occasional to frequent exercise, I sleep a little less than I should, I'm moderately stressed out, I drink a lot of water and some booze, I take no medications. My weight has not changed. Clearly, though, something has changed pretty radically in the way I process food. I'd like to know:

1) What could cause this kind of shift?

and

2) What does it mean? Given that the input is the same, does it mean I'm processing less of what I'm taking in, or more? Less or more thoroughly? Should I be worried?

Very mysterious! Your body shouldn't just go changing things up on you like that. Anyone have some insight?

Should I benchmark my body?

catlet — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:34:37 -0800

Many MeFites are curious about metabolism, and so am I. I am particularly curious about metabolic rate testing: its accuracy, the experience, and whether it's worthwhile for me. I am 40, female, 5'8", and a mesomorph with stellar bone density. I've struggled with my weight all my life, although I was not clinically overweight until college and not obese until my mid-20s. I then spiked up to 297; about five years ago, I dropped 50 pounds that have never come back. Three years ago, my doctor advised me to do medically-supervised liquid fasting; I got down to 185 and a size 12, but regained the weight over the next couple of years (I did not realize losing that much also lost my coping strategies for the insane amount of stress I had/have). Over the past few months, I have gotten back on track and am working out more regularly and strenuously than I have ever managed. I'm giving you this background info because I am teetering between confused and worried, thus my AskMe today.

As I said in this comment, I do about 7 hours of hard cardio a week and lift 3x, and have done so since April. I am also monitoring what I eat, primarily by doing Weight Watchers, but I've also started using FitDay to get a detailed breakdown. I range between 1400-1800 calories a day, most of it non-processed "real" food; I have maybe 2 drinks or glasses of wine a week. I have lost two pounds in three months, although I'm down 3 sizes. I swing between worrying that I've completely ruined my metabolism over the past 27 years, and wondering whether I'm actually undereating and triggering starvation mode (again). My gym network offers metabolic testing with the BodyGem tool, and I'm thinking about doing it to get closer to my body's truth than the 10kcal/pound formula. This article (refereed journal) indicates that the BodyGem is more accurate than the formulas.

So, after all that... have you had metabolic testing done? Did the results surprise you, or was it what you thought? Did you use the results to change your eating successfully? Does it need to be done regularly (quarterly/yearly/etc) to be truly useful? I appreciate any info you can pass along - anecdotal, scientific, practitioner stories, you name it.

How is a steady-state weight calculated?

zaebiz — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:18:57 -0800

I am A years old, am H inches tall and I weigh W pounds. I burn a total of B calories per day on average (that's including exercise as well as just daily living and sleeping). I consume E calories per day. What would my steady-state weight be expected to be, and how long would it take to reach it?

How many calories should I eat in a day?

rglass — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:32:55 -0800

What is my metabolic rate? Where is St. Louis can I get the medgem or other test to measure my resting metabolic rate? Who performs these tests and are they covered by insurance? I would like to figure out what my daily caloric intake should be.

Help with my high-metabolism food shopping list

sprocket87 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:42:59 -0800

What are some sample meal plans or food lists for a high-metabolism, frequent small meal diet? Looking for specific ideas for the "eat 5-6 times a day" routine. I've been reading a lot about the benefits of eating less, more often. My eating habits as of late have been atrocious (lots of heavy dine-out foods and snacking in between). I can see the benefits of eating smaller portions designed to keep your metabolism working to your advantage (I think I'm subconsciously sabotaging my metabolism!).

So I ask your help in finding specific food shopping lists and food plans to help me get in the routine of eating this way. A sample of what I'm looking for:

• 7:30 a.m.—1/2 cup cooked oatmeal; one cup skim milk; one slice of whole wheat toast with one tablespoon peanut butter; one cup of blueberries
• 10 a.m.—8 ounces of non-fat yogurt with a tablespoon of walnuts or flax seeds
• 12:30 p.m.—Large spinach salad (two cups) topped with carrots, radishes, onion, cucumber and two ounces of tuna (packed in water), a teaspoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of vinegar; six whole-wheat crackers; one apple
• 3 p.m.—One cup of raw vegetables and one-quarter cup of hummus dip
• 6 p.m.—Three ounces of grilled, skinless chicken breast; one cup of brown rice; 1.5 cups of steamed broccoli; one piece of fruit
• 8 p.m.—One piece of fruit or three cups of light microwave or air popped popcorn

Source: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/2500/2589.asp?index=9788

I'm NOT looking for generic "eat high protein/high fiber/low calorie foods". I need specifics. I need a shopping list. Foods I can stick to exclusively and know that I'll be relatively safe until I get into the routine. I don't necessarily need the specific schedule as laid out above (though it would be awesome and very helpful if you have some daily plans like that!), but specific food choices would be great.

Thanks all!

I dump big.

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 09:58:13 -0800

There's no way to pretty it up, I dump big. I'm a healthy 29 year old male who works out 4-5 times a week. 6'5", 240 lbs. I'm an avid weightlifter, and eat a healthy balanced diet, if not a little heavy on protein.

There's no way to pretty up the problem, I crap big. It's always been like this.

I seem to have a slow metabolism as far as the fact that I only have a movement 2 or maybe 3 times per week at most. I eat a lot of vegetables, and those low carb tortilla wraps that have 12g of fiber each. My fiber intake is on the order of 50-60g a day. I also drink at least two gallons of water a day, including during workouts.

The problem is that no toilet can contain me. If it's not one of those rocket powered commercial toilets, I can't go, I will clog it.

Whats the workaround? Do I always have to rely on the "homefield advantage" with a plunger close by, or is there something else I can do? I can't imagine I need more fiber or water.

Can I train my body to "go" at a daily rate to minimize things? No food or drink effects my movements. Coffee, nicotine, tea, nothing. Generally I just go when I feel like it. Does anyone have any advice?

"Having to go" for me means really really having to go. I need a workable solution.

Is there any way to repair a destroyed metabolism?

giggleknickers — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:02:58 -0800

I destroyed my metabolism in my teens and early twenties through extreme dieting and now I'm overweight and nothing I do will take the weight off. I was a ballet dancer and we were encouraged to eat the notorious dancer's diet of one cup of cottage cheese and an apple each day, starting when I was around 13. I would have frequent "binges" where I might eat as much as 2000 calories in a day, and then deprive myself of my cottage cheese and apple for the next few days to punish myself for it. I quit dance in my early twenties, but continued a great deal of extreme dieting, because I had grown up under the impression that this was a normal and healthy way to eat. My body seemed to adjust to it more and more over the years and I just kept gaining weight besides eating such a low calorie diet all the time.

I realize now that 2000 calories in a day is healthy and I believe I have a healthy attitude to food now, but the problem is my metabolism is completely destroyed and nothing I do will make me lose weight. By the time I hit my mid twenties, I could no longer lose any weight at all, despite weighing 170 lbs at 5'7, even on 500 calories a day and three hours of exercise every day. I went to a doctor with the problem and she told me that I wouldn't lose any weight unless I started eating more. I went up to 2000 calories a day and piled on 15 lbs which then stabilized and now I've been stuck at this weight that won't budge for the past year.

Doctors and nutritionists are all telling me that the way I eat and exercise is healthy and I should just keep doing what I'm doing, but this isn't working! I'm now 5'7 and 185 lbs, eat a healthy diet of about 1800 calories a day, with lots of veggies and very little sugar, and I exercise every day. Is there anything at all I can do to get this blasted weight off and make my metabolism work the way it is supposed to?

[not a morning person-filter] how do you force yourself to go to bed when you're not tired and how do you get up when you are?

krautland — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:04:17 -0800

[not a morning person-filter] how do you force yourself to go to bed when you're not tired and how do you get up when you are? I am nocturnal and it's beginning to hurt me.

you know there is a problem when people at work smile and say you're just not a morning person. especially when they're right. I find it tough to fall asleep when I'm not really tired and nearly impossible to rise when I still am. the problem is that if I get tired tonight at midnight, it'll be three am tomorrow, perhaps five am the next night and to top it all off, I'm the kind of guy who can sleep twelve hours without waking up once. I need to force myself into a rhythm better suited for a professional life. even if I get a lot of work done at night (when the phones stop ringing), I need to make sure people see me as dependable for early morning meetings.

thus a threefold question:

(1) how do you get yourself to sleep when you have to but aren't tired? if you can recommend over-the-counter drugs for the occasional really important day, both to fall asleep and wake up, please let me know.

(2) how do you get yourself back onto a rise-and-shine-at-nine clock when you've been up to five in the morning that whole week? how do you get it done fast? forcing myself to rise when I am not awake seems to result in me going through the day on auto-pilot. I don't have many ideas in that state and that's a problem.

(3) what are your tricks for not oversleeping, forcing yourself out of bed when it's really hard?

caveat: I do not drink coffee and red bull, while effective, is tough on my stomach.

Why, body, why?

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 11:06:00 -0800

What am I doing wrong? Either I've got the worst metabolism in the world, or my body *likes* being fat. I'm a 24-year-old woman, 5'8", generally healthy. I can't keep a scale in the house because of OCD issues, but I'm probably 150 pounds. At my most fit, I was 135. I'm trying to get back there, or at least feel healthy and fit into my clothes.

For the last 5+ months:

I eat 1100-1400 calories a day. Nothing artificial, no sugars, no processed or fast foods, no red meat, no soda. Only 1 cup of coffee in the morning and tons and tons of water. For breakfast, I'll have some kind of whole grains like GoLean oatmeal, for lunch a medium-sized salad with tofu (or lean chicken) and orange slices and light soy dressing, later a banana or kiwi for a snack, and for dinner a protein drink or more oatmeal. I run 4 miles a day, 4-5 times a week, and lift light weights for toning. I drink about 6-8 liters of water each day.

But the pudge will not go away. In fact, I am GAINING WEIGHT, mostly in my stomach and legs. It's definitely not muscle weight. My clothes don't fit well. I also feel tired and shaky all the time, but never hungry. It's baffling -- I'm taking in fewer calories than I expend, so where is the weight coming from?

Also, I'm thirsty constantly. I made a doctor's appointment to figure that out, but drinking lots of water can't make me gain weight like this, can it?

I thought maybe I was eating too few calories and depressing my metabolism, but if I add any more calories (usually via fruit or protein), I gain MORE weight almost instantly! I can actually feel my jeans get tighter.

I've always been athletic, and whenever I've put on extra pounds in the past, it's been because I've stopped exercising and eaten more (in the logical way). But for some reason now, trying to be healthy has made me look and feel worse, and I am demoralized.

There's got to be a logical explanation. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Dealing with a slow metabolism

humblepigeon — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 05:09:20 -0800

Slow metabolism and exercise. How do you combine the two? I've got a slow metabolism. It means I can't exercise unless I don't eat for around half a day beforehand. Otherwise I feel bloated and uncomfortable. It's like my digestive system saps my energy. Sometimes after eating I can almost fall asleep. I'm thinking of switching to the six-small-meals-a-day plan, but how do you cope with a slow metabolism?

Sensible (numerical) weight loss plan, followed meticulously, seeming to not produce results after 16 weeks.

Anonymous — Fri, 25 May 2007 19:15:57 -0800

Sensible (numerical) weight loss plan, followed meticulously, seeming to not produce results after 16 weeks. I'm still maintaining it just as consistently, but I'm starting to feel discouraged and somewhat lost. Inside are four potential problems. Which do you think are holding me back? I'm now starting the 17th week of a simple weight loss plan, in which I've supposedly totaled a 77,300 calorie deficit -- i.e., a 22-lb. loss -- over the first 16 weeks. I don't weigh myself regularly, so I'm not measuring in numbers -- but subjectively, I don't think I feel a significant change in my body so far.

POSSIBILITY A: I'M WRONG ABOUT MY MAINTENANCE CALORIE LEVEL, AND THEREFORE ABOUT MY DEFICIT CALCULATIONS.
Using a form on the web, I found that as a young female, my weight (205, last measured about a month before this plan's start) and height (5'7") suggest my maintenance level if sedentary is c. 2160/day. For calculating my daily deficits, I decided to call this 2000. Could it be a lot lower? (Is there any way I could test my actual metabolism, that's free or nearly free for someone without health insurance?)

POSSIBILITY B: THIS WILL ONLY WORK IF I DO MORE SERIOUS/SUSTAINED EXERCISE.
Rather than trying to track calories burned, I'm just keeping my daily calories to either 1300 if I did minimal activity such as a little walking; 1400 if medium activity such lots of walking & light exercise; or 1500 if heart-pounding exercise for 45 minutes straight. Fewer than 20% of my days so far have been the last category.

POSSIBILITY C: I'M EATING TOO MANY CARBS.
I'm eating what seems to be a very good diet, very consistently, but I'm not tracking carbs. Should I be? My diet is full of fresh produce and meets my RDA of protein & calcium, I drink 80 oz of water a day, and I eat small amounts across the day. (I'd say my calorie tracking is very accurate: I'm measuring carefully and I'm almost completely avoiding prepared foods for which I'd have to estimate calories.)

POSSIBILITY D: I'M JUST MISSING THE BODY CHANGE.
It's true that going from c. 205 to c. 185 wouldn't be a huge change, so I might just not feel it yet. (I don't think it's just a mental block; I certainly started out trusting this plan would work, although I'm losing a little faith at this point).

I've found many helpful mefi threads, but I would really appreciate any specific insights (especially since "ask your doctor" is not simple without insurance). I don't have consistent internet access, so the commonly-suggested online nutrition trackers wouldn't work work for me. I can't afford any social thing like Weight Watchers. I have no other obvious factors -- no medical conditions (to my knowledge), no medications, have never used hormonal birth control. This is not a significant diet change for my body (just a change in amounts and a reduction in fats/oils) and I've been about the same % overweight since childhood.

Finally, my disinterest in weighing myself daily might seem funny given how methodical I am about other things, but that's the way I want to go. (I might consider getting a scale if there's a strong consensus here that it's important.)

Why does my body only lose weight when I take a break from exercising?

zymurgy — Mon, 21 May 2007 19:46:30 -0800

Why does my body only lose weight when I take a break from exercising? I exercise three weeks, take a week off and on the week off I lose weight. Why? My typical workout routine consists of 30 minutes of cardio seven days a week, weight lifting three times a week, sauna three times a week and swimming once a week. The cardio is 30 minutes ramping from 3% grade to 15% grade. 3.0 through 4.0 on the speed. Weight lifting is on cybex equipment with 12 reps at the max weight I can lift with major burning on the 12th rep. Sauna in 170 - 200 degree dry sauna for 20 minutes. Swimming 1/2 mile and sprints in the pool one night a week.

What I have noticed in the last four months is that I lose no weight during the three weeks I exercise. I take a week off to let my body heal up, and only in this week do I lose weight. I've lost 90 pounds since September 06 and still have more to lose.

My diet is low carb with not an excessive amount of calories. I eat less than 20 carbs a day and I do not enter ketosis that often. Maybe once or twice a month regardless of whether I am exercising or not.

My water intake is prodigious.

I discussed this with my doctor and he couldn't really explain it. He did put me on a small diuretic (12.5 mg Hyrdochlorothiazide once a day) to ensure that I wasn't retaining water.

So, I am hoping someone on here can explain it, tell me they experience the same thing or point me in the right direction.

How can I bulk up with a fast metabolism?

baking soda — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:25:54 -0800

I have a fast metabolism and I want to give myself enough fuel to put on muscle with weight training. What should I eat from a nutrition standpoint? There's too much diet fad noise out there... I mention the fast metabolism because I don't know if it makes a difference what your metabolism is for muscle-building nutrition. What I understood was that you had to eat enough that you would get fat if you weren't doing weight training so instead you build muscle. Since I've never been successful at fattening up I can't see how I can expect to see much muscle gain (I have spent a good deal of time in the gym with not much results so I'm trying to improve my nutrition know-how).

Feel the burn! Then play fireman in the urinal.

xiojason — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:32:51 -0800

Does "holding it in" burn extra calories? How much? I've found that when I have to urinate, but it is not convenient or feasible to do without delay, that my body temperature seems to go up and sometimes I even break a sweat. I'm not talking about holding it in so long that there's pain involved, just noting the urge and delaying for 15 minutes to an hour or so 'cause I'm in the middle of a meeting or whatever. As I've been tracking my calories in and calories out lately, I've become curious...

Is there an increase in caloric consumption due to this? If so, how many extra calories would a 200-pound 34-year-old male of average height be expending per hour of holding back the floodwaters?

Does six meals a day + green tea work for weight loss?

jesirose — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 21:54:19 -0800

Diet&Health: Will six small meals and green tea really help my metabolism and weight loss - and what's the deal with fiber? **Short Version**: Basically I want to know if anyone has used the 6 meals a day idea and actually lost weight and kept it off. Same for green tea. I want to lose 75lbs to be at a healthy weight. I have lost 2 lbs so far this week, but I don't know if it's just the calorie restriction or if the meal schedule and tea are actually helping. Thanks.

**Long Version**: Like any woman, I'm trying to lose weight and get in shape. I used to go the gym 5 days a week but never lost any weight, and gave up. I had a personal trainer for 2 months and did cardio and weight training, but my body never looked any different. I decided to start with the diet part first this time, and I'm returning to the gym tomorrow. I actually enjoy exercising, it just didn't seem to get rid of my potbelly or thighs, so I lost the motivation.

I always hear people talking about eating 5 or 6 smaller meals a day. I have been eating like this for the past week, eating about 1200 calories a day. However, the only people I know who eat 6 times a day are men who are trying to build muscle - not people trying to lose weight. Is this actually effective for weight loss?

I'm finding it easier to do than eating 3 times, because the small 200-300 calorie meal/snacks fill me up and I can eat again when I am hungry. When I eat a 600 calorie meal, I still get hungry a few hours later and can't eat anymore. Is that part why this meal schedule is more effective?

I also started drinking water with green tea mix (those little packets you add to a bottle of water) - This is supposed to help boost your metabolism - will this work with the diet, or will it not matter because of the calorie restriction?

Lastly, I know fiber is supposed to be really good for your digestion but I heard on the radio the other day if you eat too much fiber, it can actually make you constipated, instead of the opposite. Is that true?

I'm so confused :( No one ever taught me how to eat right or anything, and now I'm "obese". I just want to get in shape so I don't have a heart attack in a few years.

quicker buzz via diet soda and booze?

rampy — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 07:04:10 -0800

Someone suggested to me that rum and diet coke has more of an impact (metabolizes faster?) than rum and regular coke. Is this true, and if so why?

Science fair!

sindas — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:19:28 -0800

Help with a science fair project idea My friend's kid is 9 years old, working on a science fair project. He wants to do it on "metabolism"... This type of project is supposed to answer a question... So what question could he be answering? and some ideas on the experiment too... Thanks! (think 6th grade-ish level...)

Breakfast before or after morning run?

Cranialtorque — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 20:15:33 -0800

In terms of boosting metabolism and promoting weight loss, should I eat breakfast before a morning jog or after? If after, immediately after or is an hour later ok? I'm 35 year old former drunken slothlike fatass, but between biking, dieting, and sobering up, I've lost about 30 lbs in the past 2 years. (Most of the weight loss is from dieting, but the other things have obviously improved my health too.) I still want to lose another 15/20 lbs. I'm starting to add a morning jog to my routine, hoping to get in the habit of 20-30 minutes of jogging a few days a week. Always having breakfast has helped me a lot, and I understand its important because it lets your metabolism know you live in a time of plenty, not a time of famine. However, my routine is wake, shower, 20 min communte, breakfast, work. I've tacked the jog on at the beginning of that routine. By jogging on an empty stomach and not filling it for the better part of an hour, am I convincing my body that I'm in a time of famine and running from a predator first thing in the morning? I can't imagine cooking up some eggs then going running, would just a little pre-jog snack do the trick?

Obviously, my understanding of metabolism and exercise is rudimentary and fractured at best. Any advice and insights are welcome.

Quick: answer my question. HONK! Sorry. Too slow. You lose!

grumblebee — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:38:12 -0800

Why are there fast people and slow people? Why do different people have different paces? I'm a fast person. I do everything fast. I talk fast; I walk fast; I think fast. I get easily impatient with anyone slow (moving or witted). Why?

I'm in fairly good shape, and I work out. But I didn't used to. I used to be a "couch potato" and my diet was horrible. I've never been athletic. I prefer reading to physical activity. Still, I'm fast and I've always been fast. Changes in my age (I'm 40) and lifestyle don't seem to matter.

When I learn a new idea, I don't need time to process it. I'm immediately using it and putting it through all sorts of permutations. I almost never need a break to rest my brain.

In case anyone thinks I'm feeding my ego here, I'm not. I don't think fast = better. I don't think it = worse, either. There are good and bad aspects to it. Yes, I think fast, and that can make me SEEM smart. But it also means I miss things and make mistakes because I'm zooming through life. I am horrible at just "being" (I'm un-Zen), and I get bored easily.

There seems to be a genetic component to this. My grandmother was fast like me. Way up into her 80s she was zooming ahead of everyone on the street and not suffering fools gladly. (Usually the "fools" were just people who couldn't come up with an immediate answer to her questions. If someone needed a fraction of a second to think, he was an "idiot.")

Why am I like this? Why are other people not like this? Why are there so many different people with so many different paces? It it "metabolism"? It it just upbringing? Is it ADD vs. non-ADD? Some combination of these things? Has anyone ever studied this? Books? Essays? Websites?

Pins and Needles: Why?

scrump — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 20:21:25 -0800

What is the underlying physiological cause for paresthesia (tingling of the fingers) secondary to hyperventilation? Specifically, what metabolic or neurological process causes you to feel tingling in your fingers when you hyperventilate?