Lean Fit Healthy

Whats Crackin Folks,

Today’s post is Part Duo on the topic of Metabolism. We build on what we learned last week about Metabolic Rate and today investigate ‘The Thermic Effect of Food’, basically the cost energy cost of digesting food. If you read my last post (where I dropped some knowledge BOMBS!) you should have a sound understanding about the terms Metabolism and Metabolic Rate. If you missed last week’s episode make sure you watch it now before you explore this post (Metabolism and Metabolic Rate)

In the last fews years in Nutrition and Fitness circles all around the World the idea of Stoking your metabolism by increasing you meal frequency has spread like the plaque. It goes a little something like this, think of your metabolism as a fire, the more fuel (pardon the pun) you put on the fire, the more you rev up your metabolism. Ergo, eat more meals in a day and turn your body into a fact burning machine. I have to admit I used to say some of those claims to my clients. It almost seemed like a Ubitious Nutrition and Fitness rule, that in order to build a lean and fit body you need to eat every 2 hours. Well folks the science is in, if you would like to find out if this is a fact or merely dietary and fitness dogma check out the video below.

There you have it folks, just remember that the Thermic Effect of food (TEF) plays a small role in your overall metabolism (10-15%). It’s the cost of doing business, digesting and assimilating food that is (~10-15% of Overall Calories Consumed). Don’t get hung up on the fact that you have to maximize the calories you burn from the TEF because you will always be fighting a losing battle. While it is true that Protein, Carbs, and Fat have a different thermic effect when we digest (its so small that its not worth getting bogged down by it. Also Meal Frequency does not increase metabolism. The TEF is proportional to the number of calories you eat vs. amount of meals. Said another way there is no TEF difference between 6 meals of 300 calories or 3 meal of 600 calories (In both cases ~ 180 calories burned due to TEF). Find out what meal frequency fits your life and go from there. Truth is some people do better eating every few hours while others 3-4 meals. Focus on what is important and that is your overall quality of calorie intake and calorie targets along with increasing daily activity. In a nutshell improve your nutrition and get ACTIVE folks! It is SIMPLE in principle, but very difficult to implement in our way of life.

Stay tuned for next week’s episode where I investigate the only part of your Metabolism that you have some control and what you should focus on. Daily Activity and Exercise and you will be surprised my views on certain fitness modalities.

Comments and Questions are always welcomed. Lets start a Lean-Fit-Healthy Community where we can proactively share our ideas, success, recipes, and aim for constant and continual improvement in our Health and Well Being. If you are on board drop me a comment below and say hello.

As stated in the video I used to perpetuate some of the myths that are currently being exposed by recent scientific studies. It’s not that we got it wrong in the past, sometimes we don’t have all the information laid out. I am always open minded with my approach to fitness and nutrition and I am willing to change my approach.

Make it Happen

Ron Mourra