Nutritionist reveals simple habit to maintain efficient metabolism

Qwhen metabolism is not working as it was supposed to, a person may feel more tired, increase weight (since the body does not burn the calories it was supposed to), lose muscle mass and have more difficulty in eating food. 

A metabolism that works well improves health in general, increasing the feeling of well-being throughout the day. In view of this, a nutritionist revealed the habit that makes a big difference.

The essential habit for a more efficient metabolism

According to nutritionist Amy Shapiro revealed to Real Simple, the best way to support metabolism is to consume enough protein at all meals. 

“ I recommend that most people consume 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal. This is equivalent to about 113 grams of protein per meal, which is not an excessive amount.”, highlighted. 

Shapiro highlights that this habit helps to maintain muscle mass, in addition to balancing blood sugar and keeping energy levels stable throughout the day. 

Thus, the best way to ensure sufficient protein intake is to prioritize it at meals and not just at dinner. 

“ In my career as a nutritionist, I have always seen the same pattern in my patients: they consumed a lot of protein at dinner, but ‘stealed’ that part of the meal the rest of the day, and then asked why they were tired and hungry an hour after breakfast and losing muscle mass despite ‘feeding themselves healthy’,” he stresses. 

The nutritionist advises that protein be included for breakfast and lunch. “The difference in my energy, appetite control and post-training recovery was remarkable,” he said, sharing his own experience. 

How to consume enough protein at all meals 

Increasing protein consumption forces your metabolism to work harder. “The protein requires more energy to be digested than hydrates or fats, so the body burns more calories just to process it. This accumulates meal after meal ", highlights the specialist. 

“The protein slows digestion and prevents peaks of blood sugar, which helps avoid cravings that can lead to binge eating later,” he adds. “It also plays a key role in metabolic health.”. 

Consuming more proteins also helps build and preserve muscle mass, which in turn helps metabolism. “The muscle is a metabolically active tissue, which means it burns more calories at rest than fat,” he explains. 

“Distribute the protein throughout the day provides the body with a constant supply of amino acids to maintain and build muscles, especially if you practice bodybuilding.”. 

This muscle helps keep our metabolism functioning efficiently, especially as we age. “Of course, we lose muscle mass with age (sarcopenia), which slows our metabolism,” he said.

“Priorizing proteins at all meals is one of the most effective ways to fight this.”.