What is Body Water?

Body water is the amount of water content found in your body. Up to 60% of the human body contains water.

Almost every cell in your body contains water: body water makes up 79% of your muscles, 73% of your brain, and even 31% of your bones. Overall your body weight can be 45-65% water.

What should your body water percentage be?

The amount of water within a person is influenced by your age, sex, and fitness level.

When we are born, we are almost 80% water. By the time we reach our first birthday that number drops to about 65%.

A major influence on our body is the amount of fatty tissue and lean body mass that we carry. Lean body mass carries much more body water than body fat.

An adult man will be about 60% water compared to an adult woman that will be about 55% water. If you are physically active, that number will increase depending on your lean body mass.

You might be wondering what is your ideal body water percentage. A better gauge of healthy body water levels is your ratio of extracellular water to your total body water. To understand what that means, we must first define your extracellular water and intracellular water.

What is extracellular water and intracellular water

Like discussed above, your body water can be found inside not only in your blood, but in your muscle tissue, your body fat, your organs, and inside every cell in your body.  To account for all this, your total body water (TBW) can be divided into two basic groups.

Extracellular Water (ECW)

Extracellular water is the water located outside your cells.  The water in your blood falls into this category. Roughly 1/3 of your fluid is attributed to ECW, and this water is found in your interstitial fluid, transcellular fluid, and blood plasma.

Extracellular water is important because it helps control the movement of electrolytes, allows oxygen delivery to the cells, and clears waste from metabolic processes.

Intracellular Water (ICW)

Intracellular water is the water located inside your cells.  It comprises 70% of the cytosol, which is a mix of water and other dissolved elements.  In healthy people, it makes up the other 2/3 of the water inside your body.

The intracellular water is the location of important cellular processes, and although it has many functions, a very important one is that it allows molecules to be transported to the different organelles inside the cell.  Essentially, the Intracellular water picks up where the Extracellular water left off by continuing the pathway for fuel to be transported to the cells.

What is a healthy water balance?

When it comes to your body water and you, the most important thing to strive for is balance. Your Intracellular fluid: Extracellular fluid must remain at the same levels with respect to each other.

A healthy fluid distribution has been estimated at a 3:2 ratio of ICW:ECW. If your body water falls out of balance, this can signal changes in your health and body composition. Whether these changes are positive or negative depend on which type of water becomes unbalanced.

What does increased intracellular water (ICW) mean?

Having slightly more ICW than normal isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can signal positive changes in your body composition. 

Increased muscle mass is due to the enlargement of the number and size of muscle cells.  When the muscle cells become enlarged, they are able to take in (and require) more ICW in order to power their cellular functions.  Research has shown that resistance exercise can lead to increased intracellular water in humans. Increased ICW as a result of exercise is a sign of increased Lean Body Mass, which is a very good thing and has positive health benefits, including:

·  Increased Energy Use

·  Increased Strength

·  Increased Immune System

What does excess extracellular water mean (ECW)?

If your ECW increases in relation to your ICW, this is something you should take special note of.  Unlike ICW, you do not want to see your ECW increasing beyond normal levels. Excess ECW can indicate health risks, including:

·  Inflammation

·  Renal Disease (Kidney Failure)

·  Unhealthy Fat Mass Levels (Obesity)

How to find your total body water?

Since it’s so important to keep an eye on your fluid balance, you’ll need to know how you can determine yours. There are two major methods to measure and determine your fluid levels.  These are the dilution method and the BIA method.

The dilution method involves drinking a known dose of heavy water (deuterium oxide) and allowing it to distribute around the body.  

This test takes several hours to complete during which any fluid of any type going in or out of the body has to be carefully recorded. For these reasons, you’re unlikely to have this test performed. The second, more accessible method to determine body water content is bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA).  More commonly known as a body scan, for most people this method is a much more practical method.

A small electrical current is applied to the body, and the opposition that current experiences (impedance), is measured.  From that impedance result, a BIA device can report your total body water (fig 1). Advanced BIA devices are able to reflect the difference in Intracellular and Extracellular water as well, which can reveal the ICW: ECW balance. (Fig 2)

Bringing Yourself Back Into Balance

Maintaining a balanced ratio of approximately 3:2 is ideal for optimal health.  If you find that this ratio is beginning to fall out of balance, there are some things you can do.  Fortunately, these tips aren’t anything you already haven’t heard before: maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated by drinking enough water, and exercising regularly.

Avoiding excess ECW is ideal.  From a dietary standpoint, one simple change that can work to reduce excess ECW is reducing the amount of sodium (salt) in your diet. Sodium is located primarily in your ECW, and when excess sodium is introduced into the body, the body’s natural response is to draw water out of your cells at the expense of your ICW.  Reducing your sodium intake has a number of positive health benefits, so this tip can be considered simply a best practice for optimal health in addition to being a tactic for reducing high ECW.

On the flip side, increasing your ICW can be achieved by increasing your Lean Body Mass/increasing muscle mass through exercising.  As the muscle cells increase in size, they will require more water to maintain their function. Exercise has the additional benefit of combating obesity, and as fat mass is reduced, ECW increases due to obesity will decline over time.

As you can see, body water can be an important indicator of your overall health.  Without a healthy ICW:ECW ratio your body will begin to have problems. 

The best thing you can do for proper body water balance is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you can achieve a healthy lifestyle, your body water will fall into balance naturally.  The first step would be to find out where your body water levels are today, so you can start planning for a healthier life now.

Contact My Body Composition Solutions for an analysis of your composition and more information.

Disclaimer: This article should not substitute professional medical advice. When starting a new diet or exercise plan, always consult your physician and exercise professional first.

Information in this article has been extracted and edited from InBody USA ‘Body Water: Percentages and Ratios You Should Know.’

This post was updated on September 19, 2019, for accuracy and comprehensiveness. It was originally published on August 13, 2015.

 This article includes words and phrases that link to several other information resources.

Like many topics in the realm of nutrition, a quick search on the Internet about snacks will give you pages of conflicting recommendations. Some sources recommend frequent snacking, and some demonize snacking altogether. Even the word “snack” seems to carry a negative connotation.

Perhaps this is because of the common association between snacking and mindless eating, or the assumption that “snack” often refers to candy or salty processed foods. The idea that snacking can’t be part of a healthy diet is a common misconception. Although it’s true that snacking can cause weight gain, it all comes down to doing it the right way. 

Benefits of Snacks

• Fullness and Satiety

Snacking may help you stay full between meals. Feeling satisfied between meals helps avoid excessive hunger at mealtime, which therefore prevents overeating. 

Specific types of snacks are more likely to help you feel less hungry between meals. In fact, one study found that almonds had more influence on satiety when eaten as snacks, rather than with a meal. Another study found that eating high-protein yogurt promoted satiety more than chocolate or crackers as snacks. 

• Metabolism

Eating a high-protein diet has been shown to increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is due to the process of gluconeogenesis, which forms glucose from non-carbohydrate substrates such as glycerol from fat and amino acids from protein. This process uses a lot of energy, meaning your body may burn more calories when you eat a high-protein snack.

• Body Composition

If you’re working to build muscle, you have likely heard that a high-protein diet is a way to go. This is because when you exercise, muscle is broken down. Protein from your diet contains amino acids that repair and rebuild Skeletal Muscle Mass. 

It may be difficult for some to meet the high protein needs needed to build muscle. Eating high-protein snacks can help contribute to meet protein recommendations to build Skeletal Muscle Mass.

• Post-Workout

A snack is a perfect way to replenish your body’s energy after a tough workout. Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of energy, and protein helps repair muscle fibres that were broken down during the workout.

For optimal results, choose a post-workout snack that offers a balance of carbohydrates and protein.

Components of a Healthy Snack

• Protein

Depending on your activity levels and goals, your protein needs may range from 0.8 – 2.0 grams per kilogram body weight. If you’re highly active and looking to build muscle, your needs will be on the higher end of the spectrum. Some people struggle to meet a high protein need with meals alone, which is why snacks are important.

Not all protein is equal. Animal protein (meat, dairy, etc.) and plant-based protein (from beans, tofu, etc.) look a little different when they’re broken down in the body.

Basically, protein is broken down into smaller parts called amino acids. There are nine “essential” amino acids that must be present to make a complete protein. Most animal protein provides all essential amino acids and therefore a convenient source for protein. 

However, it’s easy to create complete proteins by eating a variety of plant-based proteins which complement each other. Complementary proteins do not need to be eaten together, so long as the day's meals supply them all.

By way of example, here are some common meal items that naturally complement each others’ proteins:

o  Beans and rice or tortillas

o  Peanut butter rice cracker

o  Tofu with rice (or any grain)

o  Hummus with pita bread

o  Noodle stir-fry with peanut or sesame seed sauce

o  Lentil soup with bread

o  Whole grain cereal with soymilk

o  Quinoa salad with black beans

o  Tacos filled with beans or lentils

• Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates serve as the preferred source of energy in the body. Eating enough carbohydrates is especially important if your activity level is high.

Like protein, not all carbohydrates are equal. Choose complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, beans, and vegetables as often as possible. These foods are high in fibre and other nutrients, and they are broken down more slowly by the body. Due to this, complex carbohydrates can serve as great snacks to help subside hunger until your next meal.

However, for both pre and post-workout snacks, simple carbohydrates (which the body can break down quicker) can prove to be very beneficial as they can help to provide you quick easy energy for your workout, as well as help you to recover faster post-workout. 

• Fat

First and foremost, it is not necessary to avoid fat if your goal is fat loss. Researchers now know that eating fat doesn’t necessarily make you fat. In fact, fat may actually benefit the body in many ways. Fat may play a role in preventing chronic disease. One meta-analysis found that increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fish significantly increased HDL cholesterol and decreased triglycerides. A separate meta-analysis found that increased polyunsaturated fat intake reduced common markers of inflammation in the body. 

Choose snacks that contain healthy fats – specifically, polyunsaturated fats. These fats are essential, meaning the only way to get them is through your diet. 

The Fine Line Between A Snack and A Meal

Without proper planning, the calories you consume from snacks can really add up.  In fact, it has been discovered that snacking contributes an average of 35% of calories consumed per day by people in Australia. (1)

Remember, weight loss, gain, and maintenance essentially comes down to calories in vs. calories out. In other words, eating snacks that are too high in calories, or snacking too often can easily derail your health goals. 

Therefore, it’s important to know what a snack really consists of, as well as what to look for on a label and how to plan ahead.

• Snacks may range in calories, depending on your overall goals. For many, 100-200 calories is a good target for snacks. People with higher calorie needs may prefer a higher calorie snack.
• Likewise, the number of snacks you eat per day depends on your personal needs and goals.
• It’s best to plan ahead, and factor snacks into your overall meal plan to avoid overeating. 
• Remember to check labels and measure out snack portions.

Types of Healthy Snacks

There are countless snack products that are marketed as healthy. However, reading the label proves these snacks are anything but. Product labels are often misleading, so it’s important to learn the basics of building a healthy snack. Here are some examples.

• Eggs

Eggs are a classic choice for breakfast. However, they also make a great snack that will keep you full and help you eat less. Eggs are a great source of protein and fat, as well as a healthy array of vitamins and minerals. 

Hard-boiled eggs are easy to prepare ahead of time and portable. 

• Cheese

Like eggs, cheese is a great go-to snack for protein and fat. However, it’s important to watch the serving size if you’re limiting calories. Cottage cheese is highest in protein (around 10 grams per ½ cup), but cream cheese and cheese sticks may also be good options. Pair cheese with a serving of fruit or a vegetable such as grape tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, apples or pears.

• Jerky

It’s no secret that meat is an excellent source of protein. Jerky is convenient and portable, making it a great way to pack in extra protein throughout the day. If eating beef jerky, the best option is grass-fed. Keep in mind that some jerky is high in sodium if you are trying to limit your intake. 

• Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is a great option if you’re looking for a high-protein, grab-and-go snack. Keep in mind that many yogurts are high in sugar. Choose yogurt with less than 10 grams of sugar per serving or go for plain yogurt to avoid sugar altogether. Sweeten yogurt with Stevia if needed or serve with fresh berries or in a smoothie. 

• Veggies with Hummus or Guacamole

Hummus is a great source of plant-based protein, balanced with carbohydrates, fat, and fibre. Specifically, the olive oil in hummus provides a healthy dose of heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats. Guacamole is a delicious source of healthy fats.

Both dips are fairly calorie-dense, so be mindful of portion sizes. Pair them with carrot sticks, bell peppers or celery.

• Edamame

Edamame is an excellent source of plant-based protein. It’s also high in fibre and antioxidants while being low in carbohydrates. Frozen, shelled edamame is easy to keep on hand and prepare. Eat this snack plain or tossed in chili sauce for some spice.

• Nuts

Nuts are filling due to their fat content. However, nuts are also balanced in protein, carbohydrate, and fibre. A little will go a long way, and calories will add up quickly. It’s important to measure out portions of this calorie-dense snack. Pair almonds, walnuts or mixed nuts with a little dark chocolate if you’re craving something sweet.

• Fruit

Fruit sometimes gets a bad rep because of its low protein and high carbohydrate content. However, fruit is a natural nutrition powerhouse that provides fibre, antioxidants, and other vitamins and minerals while being low in calories. Pair fruit with nut butter, cottage cheese or yogurt to incorporate protein for a low-calorie snack.

• Tuna

It doesn’t get much easier than tuna when it comes to snacking. Packets of tuna are easy, portable and fairly inexpensive. They are also low in calories, high in protein and a great source of polyunsaturated fat. Snack on tuna on its own, or with a few whole-grain crackers. 

• Protein Shake 

Drinking a protein shake is one of the easiest ways to get the most protein for the least amount of calories. Many protein powders can be mixed with water, making this a very portable snack option as well.

There are several types of protein powder in the health and fitness market. Keep in mind that whey protein has been shown to help with muscle gain and fat loss. However, plant-based protein powders are a good alternative for those with other dietary requirements. 

The bottom line: Snack Smart and Reap the Benefits.

Snacking can be part of a healthy lifestyle if done correctly. Choose nutrient-dense snacks that provide carbohydrate, fat, and protein for the most benefit, and paying attention to portion sizes is the key to smart snacking.

Contact My Body Composition Solutions for an analysis of your composition and more information.

Disclaimer: This article should not substitute professional medical advice. When starting a new diet or exercise plan, always consult your physician and exercise professional first.

Information in this article has been extracted and edited from InBody USA ‘Your Guide To Smart Snacking’. It was written by Breanna Woods is a Registered Dietitian with over 5 years of clinical experience. She is passionate about giving her clients the tools they need to build a healthy lifestyle.

 This article includes words and phrases that link to several other information resources.

  (1) Source: MDPI Journal

You probably don’t think about your body composition when you’re thinking about your metabolism. But you should.

You probably think about it in terms of speed: “My metabolism is fast” or “my metabolism is slowing down.” 

People are naturally afraid of their metabolism slowing and the weight gain they know comes with it. To some extent, those worries are well-founded.

Metabolism is linked with weight gain and loss because of its a biological process involved with energy and calories.  

A well rounded and accepted definition of metabolism is: the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this complex biochemical process, calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function. 

Notice how it doesn’t mention anything about the speed you process your food. That would be digestion.

In medical terminology, metabolism Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the minimum number of calories your body needs to perform basic bodily functions. This includes all the involuntary processes in your body such as breathing, digesting food, pumping blood, brain activity. BMR is usually expressed in terms of calories. Your Basal Metabolic Rate also has another interesting quality: the more Lean Body Mass (which includes muscle, water, and minerals) you have, the greater your BMR will be.

When we talk about metabolism, we should always start the conversation with how many calories your body needs. But because your BMR and Lean Body Mass are linked, that means any conversation about metabolism becomes a conversation about your body composition.

Your BMR is calculated when you have an InBody composition analysis. Having this available to you is a valuable tool when monitoring your body’s overall health changes. 

Metabolism 101

Let’s take a deeper look at what you might call a “slow” metabolism. Far from being an issue of fastness or slowness, weight gain is almost always the result of a caloric imbalance that goes unchecked over a long period of time.

To clarify, your Basal Metabolic Rate is not the only factor that plays into your overall caloric needs, and it’s not the total amount of calories you need in a day. There are two other major influencers, which are:

• Your energy level–how active you are 
• The thermic effect of food–the energy your body uses to digest your food

These taken together with your Basal Metabolic Rate provide your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This is the number of calories your body burns in a day.

BMR is a necessary piece of information to estimate TDEE. Although they’re not exact, there are multiplication factors for estimating your TDEE based on your activity level and BMR. These are based on multiplying your BMR with an activity factor–a number between 1 and 2–that increases the more active you are (and decreases when you are less active, regardless of your appetite).

The table below gives you multiplication factors to apply to your BMR to establish your TDEE. Using this information will assist in determining how many calories are required to maintain your current body weight.

In our previous example, the person has a BMR of 1437. They consider themselves to be moderately active. Therefore, their TDEE is 2227 calories. If weight loss is their goal, they work on fewer calories, if weight gain is what they’re after, then a surplus of calories will be required.

As with any dietary plan, you will expect to see changes over time.  All this hard work has to produce results, right? So, how long will it take to see results? Unfortunately, that is going to vary for each individual. A good rule of thumb is to weigh yourself every 1 – 2 weeks.  If you are looking for a more precise analysis, you should get your body composition measured as well. Another important factor to consider: your BMR. Since your BMR is closely linked to your lean body mass, any changes will affect the number of calories you burn.

For example, if your plan is to gain lean body mass, and over a period of time you are successful in doing so, your energy needs are going to increase. This is why it is so important to be measuring body composition.

A diet is much more than creating a calorie deficit. It’s important to use a BMR calculator or body composition analyser to understand how much energy your body needs. Without this information, you won’t know how much food you need to add or remove to your diet in order to achieve your goals. With this information, you’ll see quicker results and reach your goals faster.

Improving and Increasing Your Metabolism

With the correct exercise and dietary plan, you can make your metabolism work for you. It all goes back to improving and maintaining a healthy body composition.

Because your body needs more energy to support itself when it has more Lean Body Mass, working to increase your Lean Body Mass can actually increase your Basal Metabolic Rate, which can have a huge impact on your TDEE once you factor in your activity level.

Many people simply maintain their metabolism or avoid a “slowdown” (which as we’ve seen, is a myth right up there with muscle turning into fat) is an important goal. How can you be sure to stay away from creating a decrease in your metabolism?

In short: by maintaining the Lean Body Mass that you already have. That means maintaining your Skeletal Muscle Mass.

Your Skeletal Muscle Mass isn’t the same as your Lean Body Mass, but it is the overall biggest contributor to it. It’s the muscle that you can actually grow and develop through exercise, and increases/decreases in SMM have a strong influence on increases/decreases in Lean Body Mass.

Skeletal Muscle Mass is best developed through strength training and resistance exercise along with a proper diet. A regular exercise plan that includes strength training and resistance exercise will help you maintain your Skeletal Muscle Mass.

This can be especially important as you age. As people become older and busier, activity levels tend to drop and a proper diet can become harder to maintain as responsibilities increase. Poor diet and nutrition can lead to loss of Lean Body Mass over time, which leads to a decrease in overall metabolism–not a slowdown.

So what can be done to improve and increase your metabolic rate? Just like with most things in life, the key is finding your body’s perfect balance. 

Balance Your Diet And Boost Your Metabolism – The Truth About Metabolic Flexibility

At times, a well-intentioned and thoughtful dietary plan doesn’t match the metabolism of the person practicing it. Even though someone may be led to believe that 1,800 calories is right for his or her diet regimen based on age and gender, our metabolisms might not require that caloric intake, ultimately resulting in weight gain despite our well-intended efforts. 

In the end, most individuals will end up blaming their issues with weight loss on a “slowing metabolism,” illustrating the importance of understanding how the relationship between a balanced diet and body composition can actually lead to a boosted metabolism. 

Contradicting health articles do not help the confusion. They preach that carbs should be eaten before you work out, as they will improve your performance. They also say to eat more fats like peanut butter or avocados. Others say that if you don’t eat at all, your body will burn more calories, and you should instead refuel with carbs or recover with protein to build muscle. Is your head spinning yet?

You’re not alone if you ever feel like every health article you see contradicts the one you saw the day before.

This is where the perpetual carbs-versus-fats debate comes into play. Everyone’s quick to tell you about their success with the Keto diet or how more balanced macros improved their performance in the gym.

In reality, there’s no perfect diet. Everyone’s preferred macronutrient ratio and calorie intake depend on their unique resting metabolic rate, activity level, food sensitivities, and more. But there is one thing everyone can count on: 

Your body will – or should – use what you give it.

What is Metabolic Flexibility?

If you eat a lot of fats, fat will be your body’s primary source of fuel. If you eat a lot of carbohydrates, glucose will be your body’s primary source of fuel. If you eat more protein than anything else – you guessed it – your body will burn more protein for energy.

Metabolic flexibility is your body’s ability to adapt to metabolic demands. When things change – such as changing what time you eat breakfast or what you eat for breakfast – your body is forced to change the way it metabolizes your food.

When you eat, your food is either burned for energy or stored if what you ate was in excess of your energy needs. Any excess carbohydrates are stored as glycogen(which serves as quick energy reserves) or fat tissue if glycogen stores are full. Any extra fat is also put away for later use, as fat tissue.

How flexible your metabolism refers to how efficiently your body can switch between using carbs or fats for fuel – or, more importantly – how efficiently it can use what is already available.

Someone with great metabolic flexibility can burn carbs when they eat them. They can also burn fat when they eat it, or when they don’t eat at all. People with flexible metabolisms can “flex” between carbohydrate metabolism and fat oxidation relatively easily.

For example, a person with great metabolic flexibility does cardio in the morning on an empty stomach. Because their metabolism is highly flexible, their body powers through the workout on fat tissue that already exists. The same person, however, could eat oatmeal and a banana an hour or two before their workout and instead use those carbs as fuel (instead of storing them for later use).

A flexible metabolism gives your body more leeway when determining what fuel source to use. Take the example of the person doing fasted cardio in the previous section. If that person was metabolically inflexible and exercised on an empty stomach, he or she would first burn through the glycogen (stored carbohydrates) in their body – leaving the fat untouched.

This is why it’s so hard for many people to burn fat: They are metabolically inflexible.

If you’re very metabolically flexible, eating calorie-dense, sugar-laden, or very fatty foods from time to time won’t always be an issue for your body. Your body can convert those calories into energy without much negative aftermath. 

Those who are metabolically flexible carry more mitochondria in their muscles, which allows them to produce energy more efficiently. Having too few mitochondria, or having dysfunctional mitochondria, limits the amount of energy a person can produce. It makes switching between fuels difficult, which makes utilizing any stored body fat between meals almost impossible. This is why metabolically inflexible people tend to snack often.

Training Your Metabolism to be More Flexible

The key to understanding metabolic flexibility is understanding how insulin regulates our energy. A healthy person with normal insulin action can effectively switch between fats and carbs as fuel. An insulin-resistant person cannot do this as effectively.

Insulin is the hormone that regulates your blood sugar by taking glucose into your bloodstream. There are two primary states of being as it relates to a person’s metabolism: fed and fasting.

During fed conditions (e.g., having just eaten,) your insulin levels will be high due to incoming food. During fasting conditions, someone who is very metabolically flexible will easily be able to tap into stored body fat. The workings of insulin are vast, and you can learn more here, but these points are essential to understanding metabolic flexibility:

• All of the food you eat, regardless of its macronutrient composition, sparks the release of insulin.
• Insulin is a factor in deciding which fuel source your body uses.
• When insulin levels are low, your body primarily burns fat.
• When insulin levels are high, your body primarily burns carbs and stores fat.

One of the best–and easiest–ways to improve your metabolic flexibility is to exercise. If you’re generally sedentary, adding exercise to your days is a surefire way to kick your body into a fat-burning mode it’s never experienced before. If you already exercise regularly, add more variety to your workouts.

Varying the type of training you do (strength training, intervals, and some sort of aerobic or endurance activity) might just give your body the nudge it needs to tap into your fat reserves. Different types of exercise use different mixes of fuel and eventually may train your body to use different fuel sources during day-to-day activities.

Fasted cardio is one type of exercise intended to tap heavily into your body’s fat reserves. Doing high-intensity cardiovascular exercise with little to no glycogen stored can train your metabolism to be more flexible.

Another way to improve your metabolic flexibility is intermittent fasting (IF). Remember the person who used body fat as fuel during their morning fasted cardio? That worked because his or her body was trained to use the available energy in the absence of food.

Metabolically inflexible people would just feel atrocious in the same scenario because their bodies don’t know how to function without incoming energy (food). If you can’t make it more than two-to-three hours without food, you’re impairing your body’s ability to utilize your body fat. Work slowly to increase your spacing between meals.

Timing your nutrient intake can help your body use fat more efficiently, and the longer the fasting period, the more your body has to tap into its fat reserves, which may be one way to combat obesity.

You should also test out different macronutrient ratios. The fewer carbohydrates you consume, the more your body will have to rely on fat sources for fuel. This is the premise behind the ketogenic diet. Try cutting out added sugars and overly processed grains first. Then you can try reducing your carb intake even further by cutting out starches like potatoes. If keto’s not for you, try out the paleo diet, which is also low in carbs and higher in fat and protein.

While it’s encouraged to consume fats, avoid trans fats and too many saturated fats. Try to get your fats from nutrient-dense sources like olive and coconut oils, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. Another good source is foods containing high antioxidants. Antioxidant consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, as well as an increase in insulin sensitivity. 

Wrapping Up

The link between our metabolism and body composition is strong, and it prompts many questions. How much Lean Body Mass do you have? What might your Basal Metabolic Rate be? What are the benefits of hot and cold exposure when it comes to your metabolism? These questions should be answered first before starting any weight loss or diet program. Getting the information you need and the answers to these questions by getting your body composition accurately tested is a great first step in your journey.

Contact My Body Composition Solutions for information regarding regular analysis to assist with monitoring your BMR.

Disclaimer: This article should not substitute professional medical advice. When starting a new diet or exercise plan, always consult your physician and exercise professional first.

Information in this article has been extracted and edited from InBody USA ‘Metabolism 101- A Look Inside Your Body’s Energy Engine”

published on March 18, 2020. This article includes phrases that link to several other information resources.

  (1) Source: InBody USA article ‘How to Use BMR To Hack Your Diet’ 15/03/2018