都是代謝慢惹的禍?

 

Can you have a “slow” or “fast” metabolism? 

你是代謝快 還是 代謝慢 的人?

And does this help explain why weight loss is a bear for some people and a romp for others? 

And why “hardgainers” feel like they have to fight tooth-and-claw for every ounce of muscle growth?

代謝率快慢 可以解釋為什麼減重對某些人而言很難, 而對某些人 卻很簡單嗎? 可以解釋為什麼有些人就是很難增肌嗎?

Sort of. But not for the reasons often given.

看起來答案似乎是這樣的, 但理由不是我們常聽到的那樣.

First, the good news: You don’t have an innately slow or fast metabolism. 

首先, 好消息是: 代謝速度不是天生的.

While you may burn more or less energy every day than average (for your body weight), this isn’t a function of genetic predetermination, hormonal hardwiring, or metabolic voodoo. Instead, the “speed” of your metabolism is mostly set by . . .

我們每天消耗的熱量會在我們的平均代謝率 上下波動, 而這個值並不是由基因或賀爾蒙決定的. 而是由以下幾點決定...

1. How much you move around.(日常活動度)

This includes formal exercise, of course, but it also takes in all of the miscellaneous movements like standing, walking, fidgeting, and so forth—actions known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) that can burn hundreds or even thousands of calories per day. 

除了運動外, 這還包括了其它生活中的肢體活動, 如站立, 走路, 以及其它非運動的活動.

2. How much muscle mass you have.(肌肉量多寡)

Research shows that muscle is more metabolically active than fat, burning about 6 calories per pound per day (versus just 2 calories per pound of body fat per day) and contributing around 20% of total daily energy expenditure in people with normal body compositions (and more in more muscular folk).

肌肉消耗的熱量為6 cal 每天每磅(脂肪則為2 cal 每天每磅), 且肌肉消耗的熱量佔一般普通人(身體組成正常的人)每天消耗熱量的百分之二十.

3. How much protein and relatively unprocessed food you eat.(攝取蛋白質與原型食物的量)

High-protein and whole foods require more energy to digest than high-carb, high-fat, and highly processed foods, and these factors can significantly raise or lower your total daily energy expenditure. 

人體消化高蛋白質與未經加工食物所需燃燒的熱量比消化高碳水化合物(精緻化碳水化合物),高油,高度加工過的食物 還要多.

For example, 20-to-35% of the energy contained in protein is required to digest it compared to just 5-to-10% for carbohydrate and 0-to-3% for fat.

例如, 蛋白質裡的能量有20~35%需要人體消化, 而碳水化合物則只有5~10%, 脂肪更只有0~3%.

And in one study, the digestion of a meal of white bread and American cheese “cost” about 10% of the calories it contained, whereas a meal of multi-grain bread and cheddar cheese required double that amount.

有研究發現, 包含了白麵包與美國起司的一餐需消耗的熱量為該餐熱量的10%左右, 而一餐全穀雜糧麵包與切達司則需前者的兩倍熱量.

Thus, if you’d like a “faster” metabolism, you have three buttons to push: movement, muscle, and menu. That is, you can move more, gain muscle, and eat more protein and whole (minimally processed) foods. 

所以, 想要有快一點的代謝率, 你有三個選項: 多動一點, 增加肌肉, 以及吃更多蛋白質與原型食物.

And if you feel your “fast” metabolism is snarling your progress in the gym, don’t move less and eat more junk. 

如果你覺得你的健身成果一直無起色, 那麼少動, 多吃垃圾食物絕對不是你該做的.

Instead, audit your caloric intake and workout programming because you’re probably eating fewer calories every day than you realize or following the wrong training routine for your goals and circumstances (or both).

你應該做的是去檢視你的熱量攝取及重訓表, 因為或許你吃得過少了, 或是你採用了不適合的訓練課表.(或者兩者皆是)

以上內容是另一封同樣由上一篇作者所寫的電子報的部份內容.

我從不覺得有年紀大了代謝注定會變慢這回事, 至少在我身上沒有感受到, 我知道講這話會被諷刺"得了便宜還賣乖". 我不是天生瘦, 我也曾胖過, 雖然是久遠以前的事, 但我仍記得當時想靠穿衣服遮住發胖身體的那個無助感. 我同意作者上面說的, 代謝率不是天生的, 所以別再怪罪給基因了.(如果基因只是你不想好好照顧自己的藉口, then by all means.)