Find out ‘5 Drinking Habits That Will Devastate Your Metabolism’ When attempting to reduce weight, we frequently concentrate on the solid foods we consume, such as pizza, Twinkies, and Hershey’s Kisses. That’s only half the battle, though.
We need to be cautious of those sneaky drinks that can ruin our good intentions and build up. Your drinking habits affect your metabolism indirectly and have a significant impact on whether you gain or lose weight.
But before we do, it’s critical to comprehend metabolism. The metabolic process is what happens when your body transforms food and liquids into energy to power your physical activities and all of your bodily processes, including those that take place even while you’re asleep. Your metabolism is booming while you’re an infant or youngster because your muscles, bones, and other tissues are fast developing. According to a recent study published in Science, it keeps growing until peaking at around age 20, at which point metabolic rate levels down until about age 60.
Normal metabolism decreases down about age 60. Why? Well, we naturally lose muscle mass as we get older and become less active, unless we actively work to keep it by doing resistance exercise. Your metabolism slows and you burn less calories when your skeleton is less muscular.
So, adding more calorie-burning muscle is one approach to increase metabolism. But what about using food and drink to support this activity? According to Amy Goodson, MS, RD, an expert in sports dietetics and the author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook, a member of the Eatthis.com medical review board, “No one food or beverage speeds up your metabolism.” “Some factors may indirectly contribute to it but not accelerate it. It’s more likely that certain beverages and drinking behaviors could speed up weight loss and change your metabolism.”
Here is what research and our specialists have to say about potential drinking behaviors that are harming your metabolism.
You’re Not Drinking High-Protein Beverages
Your body requires the right building blocks, which are enough protein, to develop metabolism-enhancing muscle. Fortunately, you can get that by picking the appropriate libations. Drinking protein-rich beverages, such as those prepared with cow’s milk, Greek yogurt, or protein powder, may help keep your metabolism running smoothly and reduce your hunger, according to Goodson. “Protein makes you feel full more quickly and for longer periods of time. This is due to the fact that, out of all the macronutrients, protein requires the greatest energy and time to digest.”
You Choose Sugary Beverages Over Water
You must be adequately hydrated by ingesting foods and beverages that include water if you want your metabolism and the rest of your body to operate at their best. While fruit juice and soda can help you meet your water requirement, most of them are also high in calories and added sugars, which can increase blood sugar levels and cause weight gain.
Rehydration beverages for athletes also fall under this category. You might not burn off the calories you’re consuming unless you engage in vigorous or prolonged aerobic activity, such as long-distance running. Water is therefore the preferred beverage for shedding pounds and promoting a healthy metabolism.
Do you consume enough liquids? Even a slight dehydration can make you feel tired and sap your energy. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have decided that around 15.5 cups of fluid per day is optimum for males and 11.5 cups per day is sufficient for women. However, your needs may differ from those of the next individual.
According to endocrinologist Florence Comite, MD, president of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine & Health and a graduate of the National Institutes of Health, “Start recording how much water you drink every day to check if your intake is at a healthy level.” Making sure your urine is clean is a simple approach to determine proper hydration if you don’t want to test.
You Don’t Stop At One Or Two
Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor make up one drink, respectively. Toby Amidor, MS, RD, a Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Diabetes Create Your Plate Meal Prep Cookbook, a member of the Eatthis.com medical review board, warns that if you chose to drink more than that, it can undoubtedly throw your metabolism out of whack. Additional empty calorie sources include beer, wine, and particularly sweet cocktails made with fruit juice or soda.
You Like Your Nightcaps
It is particularly well-known that drinking alcohol late at night might mess with your metabolism by preventing you from sleeping. Despite popular belief, alcohol might have the opposite effect of aiding sleep by interfering with natural sleep patterns, according to Amidor. She advises that if you do decide to drink, you should do so at least two hours or more before going to bed. Additionally, hydrate well both before and after ingesting alcohol.
Your Daily Brew Isn’t Green
Green tea has long been hailed by dietitians as one of the most effective beverages for losing weight. According to Goodson, antioxidants called catechins, which are included in green tea, have the ability to boost metabolism and promote fat burning. Additionally, green tea’s caffeine may give you more energy. Choose matcha, a variety of green tea that is highly concentrated with catechins, advises Goodson, to obtain the greatest benefits from green tea.
