Your metabolism is more than just hormones

Metabolism is your body’s way of converting what you eat and drink into energy.  This complex process of the calories eaten are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function.  At the heart of every cells energy source are mitochondria which are responsible for this very act of converting oxygen and food into energy.

Mitochondria are the energy factories fueling your metabolism

Mitochondria use a combustion process which captures the energy from burning calories and store it in 3 specific chemical compounds:

• ATP-Adenosine TriPhosphate
• NADH-Nicotinamide Dinucleotide
• FADH-Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide

These storage sites allow the energy to be transferred to cells to do their work.

Impaired muscle mitochondrial function normalized one year after bariatric surgery

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with impaired skeletal muscle mitochondrial metabolism.  A small study of 8 patients before weight loss surgery and one year after surgery was able to show that one year after surgery mitochondrial function was comparable to that of lean controls.

“They concluded that impaired skeletal muscle mitochondrial function is a consequence of obesity that recovers after marked weight loss”

The genetic piece of your metabolism

Research has shown that if you have a parent or sibling who has type 2 diabetes, your mitochondria are likely to be 50% less effective at burning calories than the average person, even if you are thin.

Your genetics are not your destiny

The good news is we have to power to change our genetic expression because of epigenetic’s influence.  Mitochondria are impacted by the quantity, type and quality of foods and beverages eaten.  Food is essentially information to mitochondria either damaging or strengthening them.

What damages mitochondria?

Surprisingly, overeating and undereating have the powder to damage mitochondria.  WLS is already considered a very low calorie diet(VLCD) so restricting more calories thinking you will lose more weight can be more damaging than good.  Instead of restricting food at every meal it would be beneficial to adopt a restricted eating period called Intermittent Fasting(IF)(learn more about IF here) , which has been found to boost mitochondrial function.

On the flip side, overeating is just as damaging but thankfully this is where WLS already has you covered.  The amount of restriction most receive by having the roux-en-y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy overeating isn’t typically the problem.  Working with a Registered Dietitian to help identify the right fuel for your body needs will help.

Other important factors that have damaging capabilities are:

• stress
• toxin exposure
• heavy metals
• infections
• gut bacteria- bad bacteria release a toxin called lipopolysaccharides which cause inflammation and damage mitochondria.  Taking a pharmaceutical grade probiotic will help crowd out the bad bacteria and increase the good bacteria stopping the damage.

How to optimize mitochondrial function

Weight loss surgery is just a tool and even though at one year mitochondrial function is normalized that doesn’t mean it will permanently maintain this status without effort.  So to truly boost your metabolism to lose more weight adopting these concepts can help:

• Eat the rainbow
• Eat plenty of healthy fats
• Get rid of the highly processed junk food
• Strength training builds muscle and creates more mitochondria
• Take supplements like Fish oil, CoQ10, and B vitamins
• Sleep 7-8 hours nightly

If you are interested in boosting your mitochondria to help you lose more weight, you need to join our 30-Day Class

Our 30 Day Back on Track Class will help you get off of the junk food and boost your antioxidants & healthy fats.  The online training covers what type of exercise improves mitochondrial function influencing how quickly you burn oxygen and calories combined with the power of sleep is sure to maximize success.  This class is only offered to members of our private Gastric Health Club. Click the below image to join

If you are battling regain or just looking to lose more weight.  Join our private facebook group – The Gastric Health Club

Here’s what one of our members has to say….

Your future health awaits…