¶ Unlocking Metabolism Secrets for Busy Parents
Ever feel like your metabolism is kind of like hitting the snooze button while life's stuck on fast forward .
Yeah , yeah .
Especially with the kids work and like just getting dinner on the table every night . It's like finding time to work out is a whole thing in itself .
Right .
But you know what we're diving into this really cool book today ?
Yeah .
I think it might have the answers to like unlocking our metabolisms even when we're super busy .
You're talking about Metabolism Boost . Quick Tips for Busy Parents by Dr Damaris Murillo-Grossman .
Yes , yeah , exactly that one . And forget about reading the whole thing . We're just , you know , cherry picking the juiciest bits Okay , especially from those first few chapters , and get this . I was actually surprised by some of the stuff in here . It's not all like the same old diet and exercise stuff .
Yeah , we're talking about like surprising foods we're going to get into hormones and get this , even the gut microbiome .
Wow Right , how cool is that ? Yeah , it's . It's interesting because people , I think , often forget that our metabolism is always like switched on you know it's working behind the scenes . It's not just when we're , you know , hitting the gym or anything .
That's so true . We're so quick to beat ourselves up over that extra slice of pizza , but we never like stop and appreciate all the amazing things our bodies are doing every second of the day . And get this Dr Grossman . She says that if we understand our own metabolism , like our own unique metabolism , that could be a total game changer .
Yeah , absolutely . It's like having you know the cheat codes to your own , like energy factory .
Right .
And thankfully you know there are some things we can control , like our lifestyle choices , even if we can't change things , like you know , our age or our genetics .
OK , see , that's empowering .
Yeah .
I like that . So let's talk food , because the book dives into what Dr Grossman calls nutritional metabolism . Ooh , it sounds very official .
Yeah , it does , doesn't it ? It's basically just , you know , making sure that you're choosing foods that actually fuel your body properly and efficiently , not just adding empty calories .
You know you wouldn't put like the wrong fuel in a really high performance car , would you ? That's a good point . I never thought of it like that Right , and I got to admit I had a bit of an aha moment when I was reading about lean protein .
I know it's good for you , but I never knew it actually took more energy to digest , like compared to carbs or fats .
Yeah , it's true , it's called the thermic effect of food . So with protein you can burn up to 30% of the calories just from digesting it .
Whoa , no way . Yeah . So more protein , more calorie burn , even when I'm just like living my life , sign me up .
Exactly .
Okay , I have to confess , when I saw leafy greens on the list of metabolism boosting foods , I was like here we go again . Like we all know , veggies are good for you , but is there something like else going on there ?
There is yeah , it's not just about you know all the vitamins and minerals . They're great , but leafy greens have these powerful compounds that can actually help reduce inflammation in your body , which can , like , directly impact your metabolism .
Interesting , yeah , so it's like they're doing double duty they're fueling us up , but they're also keeping things running smoothly . I also want to talk about meal timing , because that's something I constantly struggle with .
Yeah .
Like how often you're eating when you're eating .
Yeah , it's so crucial , especially with like a busy schedule . You know it's easy to just skip meals entirely or just like completely overeat when you finally have a second , and that just wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels .
Okay , so what's the secret ? What are we supposed to do ?
¶ Optimizing Metabolism and Health
Well , Dr Grossman , she's a big advocate for having smaller , more frequent meals and snacks throughout the day .
Interesting , yeah . So instead of those three big meals , it's more about like keeping your metabolism , keeping that engine humming with just like a steady stream of good fuel all day .
Exactly , exactly , and it helps to stabilize your blood sugar levels so you don't have those like energy crashes that make you just want to grab , you know , sugary snacks and stuff .
Right , right .
It's all about that consistent energy , rather than like those peaks and dips throughout the day .
OK , that makes a lot of sense . Now , I know we've only just like scratched the surface here , but I'm already feeling kind of inspired to make some changes .
Yeah .
OK , so let's , let's talk about exercise , right ? I kind of have like a love hate relationship with that word .
Yeah .
Especially , as you know , a busy parent . Love-hate relationship with that word . Yeah , especially , as you know , a busy parent . But Dr Grossman actually has a whole chapter about this she does . It's called Effective Workouts for Busy Parents .
Okay .
Which honestly felt like a breath of fresh air .
Yeah , it's encouraging right To know that you don't have to like join a gym or spend hours and hours . Yes .
To actually make a difference .
Exactly .
And the interesting thing here is that even those like really short bursts of activity can have a positive impact on your metabolism .
That's good to hear , because sometimes honestly , even just thinking about working out is exhausting in itself .
Totally , totally , but one of the things that she mentions is HII .
Okay .
High intensity interval training . Okay high intensity interval training , which is , I think , a really amazing option if you're busy , because it's these short bursts of intense exercise , but with recovery periods in between .
Okay .
So we're talking 20 to 30 minutes a few times a week .
Okay , that feels doable Right . What is it about HIIT , though ? What makes it so magical for our metabolism ?
So one word Hi , after burn , after burn .
Yeah , so HIIT triggers something called EPIOC .
Okay .
Which is excess post-exercise oxygen consumption . Basically , it just means that your body continues to burn calories at a higher rate Wow Even after you finished exercising .
Wait , seriously , so I can like be done with my workout .
Yeah .
And my body's still like torching calories .
In the background , yeah , that's amazing .
Yeah , and my body's still like torching calories In the background . Yeah , that's amazing .
Right .
Okay , I'm , I'm sold .
Yeah .
But what about ? What about rest and recovery ?
Yes .
Because , realistically , how crucial is that in all of this ?
It's . It's just as important as the workouts themselves .
Really .
Oh , yeah , like too much of a good thing you know , you can overdo it . Overtraining without enough rest can actually like backfire . It can lead to fatigue and injuries . It can even like mess with your hormones , which can then , you know , have a knock on effect on your metabolism .
Of course it's all connected , right .
It is yeah .
Okay , so we need to be treating rest like it's like an essential part of this plan .
Absolutely yeah . Treat it like a necessity , not like Not a luxury . Exactly .
Yeah , when I have time , you know .
Exactly .
Which , who has time for that , speaking of things that are all connected hormones .
Okay .
That was , I'll admit , like that was the part of the book that I was like ooh , this feels a little daunting to me .
Yeah .
Hormones . That's a lot Gut health , like it all felt very complex .
Yeah , it can be . It's a lot to unpack .
Yeah .
But I think she actually does a really good job of breaking it down .
She does .
And making it kind of surprisingly accessible .
She does , yeah , okay , so let's let's start with the hormones , because how do they , how do they even play into this ? Like , how do hormones actually affect our metabolism ?
How do hormones actually affect our metabolism . So I mean hormones essentially are like these messengers that are regulating . You know pretty much everything that happens in your body , right , and that includes your metabolism . So you know we've talked about insulin and how that impacts . You know blood sugar control and things like that .
But there are other hormones as well . You know you've got cortisol , which is like our stress hormone .
Yeah , yeah , cortisol . Cortisol and I are very well acquainted .
Right , and I think you know , especially as a parent , it's very easy to feel constantly stressed .
Right .
But the thing with cortisol is when you're you know , chronically stressed .
Right .
And those cortisol levels are elevated . That can actually lead to your body storing more fat , particularly around like your midsection .
See , that explains a lot , right ? It's almost like our bodies are like hardwired to hold onto fat when we're stressed Totally , which probably made a lot of sense , you know , back in the caveman days .
Right .
But not so much now , when it's just like a constant .
Yeah , when it's like oh , your everyday life , exactly right yeah .
And then there's the thyroid as well .
Yeah .
Which produces hormones , which again directly impact metabolism .
Exactly , exactly , and that's one of those things you know , if you have like an overactive thyroid or an underactive thyroid that can really impact everything Like from your weight to your energy levels , to even like your mood .
Wow , your thyroid is like a real multitasker .
It is . It does a lot .
It really does . And this is where things get really interesting , because she starts to connect the dots between our hormones and wait for it gut health .
Yes .
And I'm going to be honest , like I always kind of thought that gut health was a little bit of a like a buzzword , like a trendy thing to say , but it turns out all of those like trillions of bacteria that are living in our digestive tract .
Your gut microbiome .
Our gut microbiome . It's like this whole other world that's going on inside of us .
Yeah , it's a whole ecosystem that's impacting so much more than just like our digestion , which I think is what people think about .
It's a metropolis .
A metropolis Right . It's crazy , it's wild .
Okay . So if we , if we like , zoom in on that for a second . Okay , our gut microbiome how is that actually impacting our metabolism ?
So this is where I think it gets really fascinating . So these little bacteria , these microbes in our gut .
Yeah .
They actually produce some of the same hormones that our bodies do .
What .
Yeah , including ones that regulate metabolism and appetite ? No way .
Yeah , so it's like we have this like internal dialogue going on .
Right .
Between , like our hormones and our gut bacteria .
Yeah .
It's all like kind of feeding into influencing each other . Yeah , Metabolism , yeah . And what happens then when things get out of whack ?
Right . Well , that's when you start getting into things like metabolic syndrome . Ok , you know she talks about book .
Metabolic syndrome . See , now , that sounds a little ominous .
That does sound a bit scary , yeah .
Is it as ? Is it as scary as it sounds ? Metabolic syndrome ? See , no , that sounds a little ominous .
It does sound a bit scary yeah .
Is it as ? Is it as scary as it sounds ?
It's . It's definitely a serious condition .
Okay .
But the good news is that you know making changes to your lifestyle can actually make a big difference .
Okay , so less like doom and gloom .
Yeah , yeah .
More like a wake up call .
Yeah , I think that's a good way to put it .
Okay .
So metabolic syndrome ? It basically means that you have an increased risk of you know .
Of what ?
Heart disease , stroke , type 2 diabetes , things that you don't really want .
No , not really .
But it's not like one thing , it's a cluster of different things . So it's like having high blood pressure , high blood sugar . You know , maybe carrying a bit of extra weight around your middle and your cholesterol levels might be a bit out of whack . So a few things that we want to kind of Keep in check .
Right , yeah , I think we can all agree . Those are all things that we want to keep in check , but thankfully , dr Grossman , she doesn't just like leave us hanging . She gives us an action plan .
She does , yeah , she does , and she . She boils it down to these three like key takeaways which I think are really , really helpful , especially for , you know , busy parents like yourself .
Lay it on me , I'm ready .
OK , so number one .
OK . Prioritize real food on me , I'm ready , okay . So number one prioritize real food . Okay , that that sounds good , but I feel like real food .
that can be kind of vague , it can .
Like what are we really talking about here ?
So , basically , as much as you can , focus on whole unprocessed foods , things like , you know , fruits , vegetables , lean protein , healthy fats . Those are like .
Those are the things .
The real MVPs , those are your rock stars , and I think this is where , even if it's just like a little bit of planning , can go a really long way .
Tell me about it . I feel like meal planning as a parent is like its own separate job . It is .
It is , I feel your pain its own separate job it is . It is , I feel your pain .
But I think , even just like you know , sitting down on a Sunday night and just jotting down some meal ideas , or you know prepping some healthy snacks in advance so they're ready to go Right , those little things can just make such a difference when you're , you know , time crunched during the week .
It's about setting yourself up for success .
Totally .
If I've got those good choices ready to go in my fridge , I'm less likely to , you know , go for the cookies when , like that afternoon , slump hits .
Exactly , exactly . And that kind of brings us to takeaway number two , which is all about moving your body daily and again , you know , it doesn't have to be this like big , crazy workout routine .
Please no , as if I have time for that . This like big , crazy workout routine Please no , as if I have time for that . But no , like seriously . Are you saying that those little like bursts of activity throughout the day can actually make a ?
difference ? Oh , absolutely they do . Yeah , it's like think of it as trying to like sneak in movement wherever you . Can , you know , take the stairs instead of the elevator park a little bit further away from the grocery store .
Right right , right have Elevator .
Yeah , park a little bit further away from the grocery store , right , right , right , have a dance party with your kids in the living room . You know it all counts .
I love that . Okay , so make it fun .
Yeah , exactly .
And like , fit it into my day . Okay , I like it .
Okay , so takeaway number three . Takeaway number three is all about stress management .
Oh , stress management , the like the ever present .
The thing that I feel like it's like trying to juggle .
Yeah , water balloons Right . Why riding a unicycle Like it's doable ?
You can do it , but it's messy . It's going to be messy .
Right , OK so , but stress management like why ?
Well , I think this is something that people often overlook , you know we think about . You know the food we're eating and the exercise , but stress management is really important , and not just for you know , like feeling calmer , although that's a bonus , but it actually really impacts your metabolic health as well .
Okay .
Because remember cortisol .
Cortisol ? Yes , Not friend cortisol , the stress hormone Right .
Keeping your stress levels managed can really help to keep those levels in check Right . Keeping your stress levels managed can really help to keep those levels in check Right , which can then support you know healthy blood sugar levels .
You know a healthy gut as well .
It really , it really is all connected , isn't it ?
It is . It's all connected yeah .
¶ Mindful Stress Management and Nutrition
It's overwhelming , like when I'm feeling stressed . I'm not thinking about you know , taking a deep breath , but are there any like ? Are there any like real , like stress management tools or techniques ?
Yeah , yeah , for sure , for sure . And she talks about mindfulness , Okay , and , and again , it doesn't have to be anything really complicated , you know . Even if it's just like taking a few deep breaths , just being present in the moment , those things can actually make a big difference . And spending time in nature , I think , is another one that she talks about .
Yeah , I'm on board with that that has like incredible benefits for both your like mental and your physical well-being . I know that I always just feel more like centered and calm After , even just like a walk in the park .
Totally , totally yeah .
You know what I mean .
And sometimes that's all it takes , yeah , is just to kind of shift your mindset a little bit and just kind of reset those , those stress levels .
Amazing , wow , ok , this has been , this has been an eye-opening deep dive . We've covered so much from , like the actual science of metabolism . They have To like tips for people like me who , like barely have time to , you know , brush their hair in the morning , right , let alone like , do a two-hour workout . But I do feel like I don't know .
It's kind of empowering .
Yeah .
To know that even those small changes , if we do them consistently .
Consistently is key .
Can actually like make a big difference .
It's not about you know , those big , drastic , changes .
Right .
That you're not going to stick to . Right , it's about making those small sustainable changes that you can actually fit into your life .
Yes , yeah , Love it , Okay . Well , that was metabolism boost Quick tips for busy parents . That was metabolism boost quick tips for busy parents . But here's a final thought for our listeners , for you guys , because you know we talked a lot about the physical side of things .
Yeah .
The food we eat , the exercise we do , how to manage stress , all that stuff Right . But I think we all know like food , especially as parents .
Yes .
Can be about so much more than that . Oh , absolutely it can be about comfort Totally . It can be about so much more than that , right ? Oh , absolutely yeah , it can be about comfort Totally . It can be about emotions , like it can even be like a reward .
Oh , 100% yeah .
You know . So my question for you guys listening is how much do you think our mindset and our , like our relationship with food , how much does that play into all of this as well , along with all the practical stuff ? Just something to think about , as you .