Metabolism is a medical term that describes the variety of chemical reactions that occur in the cell. The purpose of these reactions is to generate energy, synthesize larger molecules, or catalyze other biochemical processes.
While all living beings have some form of metabolism, the rate at which it occurs might be different. Factors that influence metabolic rate include age, gender, weight, height, body type, physical activity, diet, and genetics.
In this article, we will cover an interesting diet that uses scientific concepts regarding metabolism to promote weight loss.
Caloric Deficit
The Concept behind Metabolic Confusion
In order to understand the metabolic confusion diet, we first need to tackle caloric deficit. In general, two elements comprise the equation of caloric deficit:
Caloric intake
As the name implies, caloric intake is the number of calories you consume. You can simply calculate this number by measuring the amount of macronutrients you eat per day and multiply them by their respective caloric value.
Each macronutrient has a different number of calories, boiling down to:
- Carbohydrates (sugars) – 1 gram contains 4 calories
- Lipids (fats) – 1 gram contains 9 calories
- Protein – 1 gram contains 4 calories
Energy expenditure
Energy expenditure is the amount of energy your body uses per day.
For most people, this number varies between 1,500 to 3,000 calories, depending on the factors we covered above.
Takeaway
Example:
A 25-year-old male with these physical characteristics:
- Bodyweight – 90 kg (200 lb.)
- Height – 1.85 cm (6 ft.)
Using an online calculator, we will find that this person burns approximately 2,324 calories per day.
According to researchers, burning 7,000 calories generally translates to losing 1 kg (2 pounds) of weight.
How does a metabolic confusion diet work?
While the concepts detailed above seem easy to follow, the physiology of your body is rarely simple. You see, when you lower your caloric intake abruptly, your brain will interpret this event as if you are starving. To your primitive brain, the only thing that would make you stop eating is a state of danger.
For instance, getting stuck in a cave with a bear blocking the entrance.
As a result, your brain will slow down metabolism to lower energy expenditure, which could bring your weight loss journey to an end.
In one study, scientists concluded that participants who maintained their normal caloric intake for 3 days a week experienced significant weight loss when they restricted their calories for the rest of the week. The results were compared to a control group that only focused on a continuous pattern of caloric restriction.
What is metabolic confusion diet plan?
There is no consensus on one metabolic diet plan. Instead, people focus more on their caloric intake rather than the type of food they consume.
As for the number of calories, you can start with the 2:5 pattern where you eat a normal diet for 5 days and restrict your calories for 2 days. Other people prefer the 3:4 pattern. Depending on your energy expenditure, you can lower your intake to 1200–1500 calories per day.
Does metabolic confusion work for weight loss?
The purpose of following the metabolic confusion diet is to lose weight without starving yourself. The relative caloric deficit will undoubtedly lead to weight loss.
Even better, the metabolic confusion diet will help you keep that weight off.
Here is how that happens:
When people lose weight rapidly in a short period of time, they tend to regain it. Experts believe that caloric deficit diets slow down metabolism; therefore, when you get back to a normal diet, you will start eating normal proportions again, but your metabolism will remain slower for some time. Consequently, gaining weight occurs a lot faster.
How fast does metabolic confusion work?
By reading the sections above, you probably can answer this question.
To follow your progress, we recommend using a logbook where you write down your weight loss progress on a daily/weekly basis.
Takeaway message
The metabolic confusion diet is a great example of using a physiological concept to achieve beneficial outcomes. By preventing the slowdown of your metabolic rate, it mediates and maintains weight loss.
We hope that this article helped you appreciate the value of metabolic confusion.
If you have any questions, concerns, or a personal story about this diet, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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