“Kenny, watching you enjoy your food is a delight!” my grandmother would often say. “I can’t imagine where you put all that!” My mother would quip that during my teenage years, I must have had a hollow leg to store all those calories. Nowadays, my friends say I’m fortunate to have a “fast metabolism.”
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Understanding Metabolism
Can metabolism be a gift at birth, or a curse in the form of a sluggish engine? Or is it something that can be enhanced through the right fuel and care?
The truth is as intricate as the metabolic process itself.
Clare Sullivan, a naturopathic doctor at Ottawa’s Somerset Health and Wellness Centre, explains, “Your metabolism is essentially what keeps you alive. It breaks down food, provides energy, and maintains all your bodily systems. Cells utilize that energy, allowing you to live.”
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Genetics and Metabolism
Your metabolism functions like the furnace of a steamship, channeling the energy from your fuel throughout the vessel. However, the type of fuel each person has access to can differ greatly.
“Genetics play a significant role in determining one’s basal metabolic rate,” states I. George Fantus, MD, Director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the McGill University Health Centre.
“Yet… other elements also contribute; for instance, thyroid disorders influence basal metabolic rates because thyroid hormones interact with various tissues, altering gene expression linked to certain receptors,” Fantus elaborates.
“If your thyroid produces more hormones, your heart rate increases and so does your metabolism. Conversely, hypothyroidism, an autoimmune condition, can hinder thyroid function, resulting in weight gain and fatigue due to a slowed metabolism,” explains Fantus.
Fantus highlights that metabolism encompasses not just general energy expenditure but also the breakdown of macronutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Ongoing research is also studying how the vast variety of gut flora affects our metabolic processes.
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Quality Fuel for Sustained Energy
A healthy diet is crucial for a well-functioning metabolism. Dasha Maslennikova, a kinesiologist and clinical director at Symmetrix Exercise and Rehab in Vancouver, emphasizes the importance of food choices, stating, “A balanced diet is essential for your metabolism.”
Maslennikova offers this analogy: fueling a campfire with paper rather than wood leads to a quick but short-lived flame. Here, processed foods and sugars represent paper; complex carbohydrates are akin to wood. A diet rich in whole foods provides sustained energy and supports metabolism better than one centered on refined options.
Many experts recommend two dietary plans for optimal nutrition: the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Both emphasize lean proteins, ample fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats.
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Enjoyable Exercise
After fueling your body properly, keeping it in good condition relies heavily on exercise. “Regular exercise increases your metabolic rate; staying active elevates your basal metabolic rate,” states Fantus.
The key to exercise is enthusiasm. A recent study reported in Frontiers in Psychology found a direct correlation between enjoyment of physical activity and the likelihood of sustaining it.
“Choose activities you love: walking, playing tennis, cycling. If you’re already active and want more, consider adding resistance training,” suggests Maslennikova.
“Building muscle through exercise raises your resting metabolism, creating a positive feedback loop: the more you work out, the more energy you expend; greater muscle mass means more calories burned.”
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Rest and Recovery
Finally, after a busy day, it’s essential to prioritize rest.
Sullivan points out that “sleep is crucial. It’s when our bodies detoxify, rest, rebuild muscle, and consolidate memories.” This restoration prepares us for the next day’s activities. Adequate sleep also supports weight management. Stress can hinder quality sleep, raising cortisol levels that contribute to weight gain and affect metabolism and cardiovascular health.
For those struggling to unwind after the day, Sullivan recommends even a brief meditation practice—just three minutes daily can help.
“Eat well, exercise, and ensure you get enough rest.” While this advice may feel frustratingly simplistic, what if you could incrementally optimize your metabolism? Imagine having control over the obstacles in your path, allowing your body to flow with ease and operate efficiently. This way, your energy systems would work less hard, extending their longevity. Who wouldn’t want to spend more time enjoying life?
This article was originally published in the February 2025 issue of alive magazine.
