Do you believe you’re doomed to be overweight due to a sluggish metabolism? New research indicates that what’s wrong with your engine can be fixed. It is possible to improve metabolic functioning, and that means you can be healthier, feel younger and look better.
Doctors once thought all our bodies worked pretty much the same way when it comes to metabolism. Now they know that’s not true. Genes, along with other biological predispositions, most likely influence metabolic function. You can inherit a poky metabolism, it seems, as easily as blue eyes.
A fast metabolism is easy to spot: These are the people who can chow down yet remain slim. Then there’s your best friend, who seems to live on yogurt and rice cakes but is still a size 16. A slow internal engine, left unchecked, usually leads to weight gain and obesity.
Right now there are no safe, effective medications to speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight, says Barry Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D., chief of endocrinology at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. “Lifestyle changes are the only viable alternatives for people currently struggling with metabolic problems.”
That means changing what and how you eat, and increasing your level of activity. We’ll show you simple, easy ways to get real results.
