Nutrition for Your Metabolic Type

People who have a slow metabolism lose weight faster by eating a lot of raw vegetables

Eating for your metabolic type can drastically change how you lose weight. Every person is different and some people lose weight must faster than others. The reason for this is believed to be because each person has a different metabolic type. Your metabolism can either be slow, high or somewhere in the middle. There are certain diets and foods that work better with various metabolic types. For instance, some people do very well on a vegetarian diet while others will waste away. There are still questions that have not been answered by scientists yet on how metabolism affects weight loss.

Types and Effects

There are three main types of metabolic rates with slight variations in between. Most people are either fast oxidizers also called protein types. Some people are slow oxidizers known as carb types. Lastly, other people are balanced types, meaning that they need a larger variety of foods. People who are fast oxidizers stay leaner on a diet rich in protein and fat. Those who are slow oxidizers need less protein and fat, but more good carbs found in vegetarian foods like fruits and vegetables. Some fast oxidizers do not do well on on grains or pasta.

These people usually gain weight when they eat too many carbs, however, fast oxidizers can also do well eating healthy carbs like carrots as long as they get a good amount of protein in their diet. You can also get an idea of what your metabolic type is by how you feel after a meal. If you are a fast oxidizer, you will feel energized and motivated after a high protein meal, but if you are a slow oxidizer you will feel tired, sluggish and even lethargic after eating too much meat. Then there are those people who are not so affected by what they eat, meaning they can eat a larger combination of foods and still lose weight and feel great.

Significance

Your metabolic type is vital. Knowing which foods affect you and which foods help speed up your metabolism can greatly influence how fast you lose weight. Your metabolic type can also change as you age. Eating certain foods will greatly affect how you feel and your overall quality of life. You can go to the doctor and get tested or buy a kit for testing at home.

However, some people would rather base their options on how food makes them feel. You can do this by keeping a food diary and staying in tune with how you feel 30 minutes after a meal. If you have a balanced metabolic type, you may not notice a big difference in what foods make you feel more tired or energetic. People who are balanced typically lose weight on a variety of different diets. Balanced types usually lose weight based on exercise and calorie restriction.

Considerations

It may not always be easy to guess your metabolic type. Each person is unique and your type can change over time. Getting tested is the only way you will know what your metabolic type is for sure. This is can be a great tool that will enable you to affect how you achieve your weight loss goals. (See your doctor or check out the Resources section of this article for at home tests to find out what you metabolic type is.)

Meal Plans

Once you know what your metabolic type is, you can develop a targeted meal plan that is customized for you. Most people are a variation so they will do well on a simple healthy diet that consists of lean meats, vegetables and healthy fats. If you have a hard time digesting meat or feel horrible after eating meat, then switch to vegetarian sources of protein like beans or spirulina. Spirulina is a blue green sea algae that is a great source of protein as well as other vitamins and minerals. People who do well eating meat should also consume five or more vegetables daily. Meat eaters usually are only sluggish when they eat the bad carbs like breads and pastas. Vegetables are healthy carbohydrates that provide the body with much needed nutrition.

Warning

Before starting on any new diet program, always consult your doctor first. Even if you know your metabolic type, you may need to get advice from your doctor if you are on specific medications. For instance, if you are on heart medication but you do well eating a high fat protein diet you may want to talk to your doctor or nutritionist so that you can both come up with a good plan for you. You may want to eat good healthy fats that do not clog your arteries like omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are found in fish and eggs.

References

• Women's Fitness
• Metabolism
• What is your Metabolic Type?

Resources

• Metabolic Test
• Metabolic Typing Diet
• Losing Weight