In the midst of the cult of health and the body, there are diets for all tastes: hyperproteic, hypocaloric, fasting-based diets, focused on eliminating carbohydrates … In today’s article we are going to talk about the accelerated metabolism diet , a diet that, in addition to helping you lose weight, seeks to activate your metabolism so that you can continue to burn fat more easily for the rest of your life.
What is the fast metabolism diet?
The accelerated metabolism diet is the brainchild of nutritionist and agri-food expert Haylie Pomroy, who has been helping athletes and celebrities lose weight with this method since 2013, and aims to speed up your metabolism so that you can continue to burn fat even if you eat more (as long as you follow a healthy eating plan, obviously). It also promises that you can lose up to 10 kilos in 28 days .
This diet does not require you to count fats or carbohydrates or keep track of calories in the foods you eat, but it does require you to stick to the foods allowed in the plan and strictly avoid other foods .
The hypothesis from which this diet arises
After years working in cattle breeding, Pomroy observed that the meat of the animals could be made more or less fat depending on what type of food and feed they were provided : some managed to slow down their metabolism and make them store more fat, while giving them others you could get leaner meats.
The nutritionist thought that this same system could also work in humans , and that by eating a series of foods and restricting others at certain times , combining others with a specific physical activity, it could be possible to activate the metabolism and burn more fat .
Despite the numerous positive reviews by those who have followed this diet both working with it directly and following it through his book, there is no solid scientific or medical evidence behind the idea that eating certain foods in a certain order speeds up metabolism . However, by introducing a series of healthy eating guidelines combined with exercise, it is undeniable that weight loss occurs (although not as pronounced as the diet promises a priori).
What can and cannot be eaten on this diet?
The diet allows for plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy whole grains , which is a plus. For its part, it also categorically prohibits a series of foods :
- Wheat
- Corn
- Dairy products
- Soy
- Sugars
- Caffeine
In addition, for the accelerated metabolism diet to take effect, a series of strict rules must be followed: dieting for 28 days , eating at least 5 times a day (without allowing more than 4 hours to pass between each intake); have breakfast in the first half hour of the day; drink the equivalent of a third of your weight in deciliters of water ; eat in each phase only the foods that touch; and exercising three times a week .
How the Fast Metabolism Diet Works
The Fast Metabolism Diet has three phases, each of which has its own approach and distinct food lists . The phases rotate each week, and then repeat three times for a total of four weeks. The idea is to provide your body with all the variety of nutrients it needs, but not all at once to allow the systems and organs that each phase targets to rest and restore themselves . Thus, you will accelerate your metabolism and you will be able to burn fat while you eat.
Phase 1 (Monday and Tuesday): carbohydrates and cardio
Phase 1 is the high-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, and low-fat phase. Include carbohydrate-rich foods such as brown rice and quinoa, fruits that are high in natural sugars, and foods low in fat and moderate protein . You should eat three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and two snacks (mid-morning and mid-afternoon) consisting of fruits. In addition, one of the two days of this phase will have to do vigorous cardiovascular exercise : running, spinning, HIIT training, etc.
Phase 2 (Wednesday and Thursday): proteins and weights
Phase 2 has a high protein content, moderate vegetables, and an absence of carbohydrates and fats . Follow the same system of three meals and two snacks (in this case protein) and you will have to do weights or strength exercises at least one of the two days.
Phase 3 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday): healthy fats and emotional well-being
In phase 3 we will find a high content of healthy fats, moderate carbohydrates, moderate proteins and very few sugars. Include foods high in healthy fats, such as avocados and coconuts, lots of berries, some grains, and little meat.
Large meals will include all food groups and snacks will be exclusively healthy fats. Exercise in phase 3 should include at least one day of stress-reducing activity such as yoga, meditation, or a relaxing massage .
