Produced by | Sohu Health
Author | Ma Aqin, Clinical Nutrition Department, Shunyi Maternal and Child Hospital
Editor | Liu Jiabi
In recent years, the topic of weight loss has been gaining increasing popularity. Ma Aqin from the Clinical Nutrition Department of Shunyi Maternal and Child Hospital mentioned that they often encounter people in the outpatient department who are unwilling to burn calories through exercise and choose to lose weight by restricting their diet. In fact, exercise can increase the body’s basal metabolic rate, helping people more efficiently achieve the goal of weight loss.
What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) refers to the minimum energy consumption required by the body to maintain vital functions in a quiet, awake, and fasting state; it accounts for the majority of our daily energy expenditure, usually between 60% and 75%. Therefore, increasing the basal metabolic rate means that our body can burn more calories even at rest, thereby achieving weight loss more effectively.
How to Increase Basal Metabolic Rate?
1. Increase Muscle Mass
Muscles are the main organs that consume calories. Compared to fat, muscles can burn more energy even at rest. Therefore, increasing muscle mass through appropriate strength training is an effective way to boost basal metabolic rate.
2. Consume Sufficient Protein
Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair. Adequate protein intake helps in muscle growth and maintenance, leading to an increase in basal metabolic rate.
3. Maintain Sufficient Sleep
Insufficient sleep can lead to a decrease in basal metabolic rate. Therefore, ensuring 7 to 9 hours of adequate sleep each night is crucial for enhancing basal metabolic rate.
4. Reduce Stress
Long-term stress can put the body in a state of stress, lowering the basal metabolic rate. Reducing stress through exercise, meditation, yoga, and other methods helps in increasing the basal metabolic rate.
Weight loss is not just about diet restriction
Although restricting diet can lead to short-term weight loss, in the long run, this method may result in nutritional deficiencies, a decrease in basal metabolic rate, and other issues. Once normal diet is resumed, weight regain can easily occur. Therefore, we should dispel the misconception of “dieting for weight loss” and focus on improving basal metabolic rate to achieve a healthy and sustainable weight loss effect.
