February 26, 2025 • 18 mins
Unlock the secrets of a thriving metabolism with insights from Dr. Damaris Murillo-Grossman's book, "Metabolism Boost: Quick Tips for Busy Parents." Discover the power of smart food choices and meal timing, which can transform your energy levels without demanding hours at the gym. From lean proteins to leafy greens, learn how to fuel your body efficiently, reducing inflammation and maximizing calorie burn. We promise you'll gain practical strategies to manage your metabolism amidst a busy schedule, making health an achievable and rewarding journey.
Explore the fascinating world where exercise, hormones, and mindset intersect, revealing how they collectively influence our metabolic health. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) takes center stage, illustrating the profound afterburn effect and the critical need for rest and recovery. Hormonal balance, impacted by stress and gut health, plays a significant role in metabolism, and our episode sheds light on navigating these complex interactions. Delve into the art of managing stress and cultivating a positive relationship with food, empowering you to make small, sustainable lifestyle changes that support long-term well-being. Tune in to transform your understanding of metabolism and embrace a healthier, more balanced life.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ever feel like your metabolism is kind of like
hitting the snooze button whilelife's stuck on fast forward.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Especially with the kids work and like just getting
dinner on the table every night.
It's like finding time to workout is a whole thing in itself.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Right.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
But you know what we're diving into this really
cool book today?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I think it might have the answers to like unlocking
our metabolisms even when we'resuper busy.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
You're talking about Metabolism Boost.
Quick Tips for Busy Parents byDr Damaris Murillo-Grossman.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Yes, yeah, exactly that one.
And forget about reading thewhole thing.
We're just, you know, cherrypicking the juiciest bits Okay,
especially from those first fewchapters, and get this.
I was actually surprised bysome of the stuff in here.
It's not all like the same olddiet and exercise stuff.
Yeah, we're talking about likesurprising foods we're going to
(00:57):
get into hormones and get this,even the gut microbiome.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Wow Right, how cool is that?
Yeah, it's.
It's interesting because people, I think, often forget that our
metabolism is always likeswitched on you know it's
working behind the scenes.
It's not just when we're, youknow, hitting the gym or
anything.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
That's so true.
We're so quick to beatourselves up over that extra
slice of pizza, but we neverlike stop and appreciate all the
amazing things our bodies aredoing every second of the day.
And get this Dr Grossman.
She says that if we understandour own metabolism, like our own
unique metabolism, that couldbe a total game changer.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, absolutely.
It's like having you know thecheat codes to your own, like
energy factory.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Right.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
And thankfully you know there are some things we
can control, like our lifestylechoices, even if we can't change
things, like you know, our ageor our genetics.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
OK, see, that's empowering.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I like that.
So let's talk food, because thebook dives into what Dr
Grossman calls nutritionalmetabolism.
Ooh, it sounds very official.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, it does, doesn't it?
It's basically just, you know,making sure that you're choosing
foods that actually fuel yourbody properly and efficiently,
not just adding empty calories.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
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 thatRight, and I got to admit I had
a bit of an aha moment when Iwas reading about lean protein.
I know it's good for you, but Inever knew it actually took
more energy to digest, likecompared to carbs or fats.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah, it's true, it's called the thermic effect of
food.
So with protein you can burn upto 30% of the calories just
from digesting it.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Whoa, no way.
Yeah.
So more protein, more calorieburn, even when I'm just like
living my life, sign me up.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Okay, I have to confess, when I saw leafy greens
on the list of metabolismboosting foods, I was like here
we go again.
Like we all know, veggies aregood for you, but is there
something like else going onthere?
Speaker 2 (02:53):
There is yeah, it's not just about you know all the
vitamins and minerals.
They're great, but leafy greenshave these powerful compounds
that can actually help reduceinflammation in your body, which
can, like, directly impact yourmetabolism.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Interesting, yeah, so it's like they're doing double
duty they're fueling us up, butthey're also keeping things
running smoothly.
I also want to talk about mealtiming, because that's something
I constantly struggle with.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Like how often you're eating when you're eating.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Yeah, it's so crucial , especially with like a busy
schedule.
You know it's easy to just skipmeals entirely or just like
completely overeat when youfinally have a second, and that
just wreaks havoc on your bloodsugar levels.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Okay, so what's the secret?
What are we supposed to do?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Well, Dr Grossman, she's a big advocate for having
smaller, more frequent meals andsnacks throughout the day.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Interesting, yeah.
So instead of those three bigmeals, it's more about like
keeping your metabolism, keepingthat engine humming with just
like a steady stream of goodfuel all day.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Exactly, exactly, and it helps to stabilize your
blood sugar levels so you don'thave those like energy crashes
that make you just want to grab,you know, sugary snacks and
stuff.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Right, right.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
It's all about that consistent energy, rather than
like those peaks and dipsthroughout the day.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
OK, that makes a lot of sense.
Now, I know we've only justlike scratched the surface here,
but I'm already feeling kind ofinspired to make some changes.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
OK, so let's, let's talk about exercise, right?
I kind of have like a love haterelationship with that word.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Especially, as you know, a busy parent.
Love-hate relationship withthat word.
Yeah, especially, as you know,a busy parent.
But Dr Grossman actually has awhole chapter about this she
does.
It's called Effective Workoutsfor Busy Parents.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Which honestly felt like a breath of fresh air.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, it's encouraging right To know that
you don't have to like join agym or spend hours and hours.
Yes.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
To actually make a difference.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
And the interesting thing here is that even those
like really short bursts ofactivity can have a positive
impact on your metabolism.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That's good to hear, because sometimes honestly, even
just thinking about working outis exhausting in itself.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Totally, totally, but one of the things that she
mentions is HII.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
High intensity interval training.
Okay high intensity intervaltraining, which is, I think, a
really amazing option if you'rebusy, because it's these short
bursts of intense exercise, butwith recovery periods in between
.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
So we're talking 20 to 30 minutes a few times a week
.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Okay, that feels doable Right.
What is it about HIIT, though?
What makes it so magical forour metabolism?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
So one word Afterburn , afterburn.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Yeah, so HIIT triggers something called EPIOC,
which is excess post-exerciseoxygen consumption.
Basically, it just means thatyour body continues to burn
calories at a higher rate WowEven after you finished
exercising.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Wait, seriously, so I can like be done with my
workout.
Yeah, and my body's still liketorching calories.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
In the background, yeah, that's amazing.
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, I'm, I'm sold.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
But what about?
What about rest and recovery?
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Because, realistically, how crucial is
that in all of this?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
It's just as important as the workouts
themselves.
Oh yeah, Like too much of agood thing.
You know, you can overdo it.
Overtraining without enoughrest can actually like backfire.
It can lead to fatigue andinjuries.
It can even like mess with yourhormones Right, which can then,
you know, have a knock oneffect on your metabolism.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Of course, it's all connected, right, it is yeah,
okay, so we need to be treatingrest like it's, like an
essential part of this plan.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Absolutely yeah.
Treat it like a necessity, notlike-.
Not a luxury, Not a luxuryexactly.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Yeah, when I have time, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Which who has time for that, Speaking of things
that are all connected hormones.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
That was, I'll admit, like that was the part of the
book that I was like ooh, thisfeels a little daunting to me.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yeah, like hormones.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
That's a lot Gut health, like it all felt very
complex.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Yeah, it can be.
It's a lot to unpack.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
But I think she actually does a really good job
of breaking it down.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
She breaking it down, she does, and making it kind of
surprisingly accessible, shedoes, yeah, ok, so let's let's
start with the hormones, becausehow do they, how do they even
play into this, like, how dohormones actually affect our
metabolism?
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So I mean hormones essentially are like these
messengers that are regulating.
You know pretty much everythingthat happens in your body,
right, and that includes yourmetabolism.
So you know.
We've talked about insulin andhow that impacts.
You know blood sugar controland things like that.
But there are other hormones aswell.
You know you've got cortisol,which is like our stress hormone
(07:31):
.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yeah, cortisol.
Cortisol and I are very wellacquainted.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Right and I think you know, especially as a parent,
it's very easy to feel-.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Oh, constantly.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Constantly stressed Right but the thing with
cortisol is.
When you're chronicallystressed and those cortisol
levels are elevated, that canactually lead to your body
storing more fat, particularlyaround your midsection.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
See, that explains a lot.
It's almost like our bodies arehardwwired to hold on to fat
when we're stressed Totally,which probably made a lot of
sense, you know, back in thecaveman days.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Right.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
But not so much now, when it's just like a constant.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, when it's like oh, your everyday life, exactly
right yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
And then there's the thyroid as well.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Which produces hormones, which again directly
impact metabolism.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Exactly, exactly, and that's one of those things you
know if you have like anoveractive thyroid or an
underactive thyroid that canreally impact everything Like
from your weight to your energylevels, to even like your mood.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Wow, your thyroid is like a real multitasker.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
It is.
It does a lot.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
It really does.
And this is where things getreally interesting, because she
starts to connect the dotsbetween our hormones and wait
for it gut health.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
And I'm going to be honest, like I always kind of
thought that gut health was alittle bit of a like a buzzword,
like a trendy thing to say.
Right bit of a, like a buzzword, like a trendy thing to say,
right, but it turns out all ofthose like trillions of bacteria
yeah that are living in ourdigestive tract your gut
microbiome our gut microbiomeyes they're like.
It's like this whole otherworld that's going on inside of
(09:15):
us yeah, it's a whole ecosystem.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
That's, yeah, impacting so much more than just
like our digestion, which Ithink is what people think about
.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
It's a metropolis.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
A metropolis Right.
It's crazy, it's wild.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Okay.
So if we like, zoom in on thatfor a second.
Okay, our gut microbiome how isthat actually impacting our
metabolism?
Speaker 2 (09:34):
So this is where I think it gets really fascinating
.
So these little bacteria, thesemicrobes in our gut.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
They actually produce some of the same hormones that
our bodies do.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
What.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, including ones that regulate metabolism and
appetite?
No way.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Yeah, so it's like we have this like internal
dialogue going on.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Between, like our hormones and our gut bacteria.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
It's all like kind of feeding into Right influencing
each other, yeah.
Metabolism yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
It's all like kind of feeding into Right, influencing
each other.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Yeah, metabolism yeah , and what happens then when
things get out of whack?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Right.
Well, that's when you startgetting into things like
metabolic syndrome, Okay, whichyou know she talks about in the
book.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Metabolic syndrome.
See, now, that sounds a littleominous.
That does sound a bit scaryyeah, is it as scary as it
sounds?
Metabolic syndrome.
See, no, that sounds a littleominous.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
It does sound a bit scary, yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Is it as scary as it sounds?
Speaker 2 (10:27):
It's definitely a serious condition.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
But the good news is that you know making changes to
your lifestyle can actually makea big difference.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Okay, so less like doom and gloom.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Yeah, yeah, more like a wake-up call.
Yeah, I think that's a good wayto put it.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
So metabolic syndrome ?
It basically means that youhave an increased risk of you
know.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Of what?
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Heart disease, stroke , type 2 diabetes, things that
you don't really want.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
No, not really.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
But it's not like one thing, it's a cluster of
different things.
So it's like having high bloodpressure, high blood sugar.
You know, maybe carrying a bitof extra weight around your
middle and your cholesterollevels might be a bit out of
whack.
So a few things that we want tokind of keep in check.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Right, yeah, I think we can all agree.
Those are all things that wewant to keep in check.
Yeah, but thankfully, drGrossman, she doesn't just like
leave us hanging.
She gives us an action plan.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
She does, yeah, she does, and she.
She boils it down to thesethree like key takeaways which I
think are really, reallyhelpful, especially for you know
yeah Busy parents like yourself.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Lay it on me, I'm ready.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
OK, so number one.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
OK.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Prioritize real food.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
OK that that sounds good, but I feel like real food.
That can be kind of vague.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
It can.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Like what are we really talking about here?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
So basically, as much as you can focus on whole
unprocessed foods, okay.
Things like, you know, fruits,vegetables, lean protein,
healthy fats those are like.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Those are the things.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
The real MVPs, those are your rock stars, and I think
this is where, even if it'sjust like a little bit of
planning can go a really longway.
Tell me about it.
I feel like meal planning as aparent is like its own separate
job Sitting down on a Sundaynight and just jotting down some
(12:18):
meal ideas or, you know,prepping some healthy snacks in
advance so they're ready to goRight.
Those little things can justmake such a difference when
you're, you know, time crunchedduring the week.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
It's about setting yourself up for success.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Totally.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
If I've got those good choices ready to go in my
fridge, I'm less likely to youknow.
Go for the cookies when, likethat afternoon, slump hits.
Exactly, exactly, less likelyto you know.
Go for the cookies when, likethat afternoon slump hits, you
know.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Exactly, exactly.
And that kind of brings us totakeaway number two, which is
all about moving your body dailyand again, you know, it doesn't
have to be this like big, crazyworkout routine.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Please no, as if I have time for that.
But no, like seriously, are yousaying that those little like
bursts of activity throughoutthe day can actually make a
difference?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Oh, absolutely they do.
Yeah, it's like think of it astrying to like sneak in movement
wherever you can, you know,take the stairs instead of the
elevator park a little bitfurther away from the grocery
store.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Right, right right.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Have a dance party with your kids in the living
room.
You know it all counts.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
I love that.
Okay, so make it fun.
Yeah exactly and like fit itinto my day.
I love that.
Okay, so make it fun.
Yeah, exactly Like fit it intomy day.
Okay, I like it.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Okay, so takeaway number three Takeaway number
three is all about stressmanagement.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Oh, stress management , the like, the, the ever
present.
The thing that I feel like it'slike trying to juggle.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Yeah, water balloons.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Right, why riding a unicycle Like it's doable?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
You can do it, but it's messy.
It's going to be messy.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Right, okay, so, but stress management Like why?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Well, I think this is something that people often
overlook.
You know we think about, youknow the food we're eating and
the exercise, but stressmanagement is really important,
and not just for you know, likefeeling calmer, although that's
a bonus, but it actually reallyimpacts your metabolic health as
well.
Okay, because remember cortisol.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Cortisol?
Yes, Not friend cortisol, thestress hormone Right.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Keeping your stress levels managed can really help
to keep those levels in checkRight, which can then support
you know healthy blood sugarlevels Right.
And you know, a healthy gut aswell, it really is all connected
, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (14:25):
It is.
It's all connected yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It's overwhelming, like when I'm feeling stressed.
I'm not thinking about you know, taking a deep breath.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
But are there any like?
Are there any like real, likestress management tools or
techniques?
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure.
And she talks about mindfulness.
Okay, and again, it doesn'thave to be anything really
complicated, right, you know,even if it's just like taking a
few deep breaths, just beingpresent in the moment, those
things can actually make a bigdifference.
And spending time in nature, Ithink, is another one.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Yeah, that she talks about.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
I'm bored with that that has like incredible
benefits for both your likemental and your physical
well-being.
I know that I always just feelmore like centered and calm yeah
, after even just like a walk inthe park.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Totally, totally yeah .
Speaker 1 (15:19):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And sometimes that's all it takes, yeah, is just to
kind of shift your mindset alittle bit and just kind of
reset those, those stress levels.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Amazing, Wow, OK, this has been, this has been an
eye opening hair in the morningRight, Let alone like do a two
hour workout.
But but I, I do.
I do feel like I don't know.
(15:48):
It's kind of empowering.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
To know that even those small changes, if we do
them consistently.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Consistently is key.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Can actually like make a big difference.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
It's not about you know, those big, drastic,
changes.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
That you're not going to stick to.
It's about making those smallsustainable changes that you can
actually fit into your life.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
You know we talked a lot about the physical side of
things the food we eat, theexercise we do, how to manage
stress, all that stuff Right.
But I think we all know likefood, especially as parents, can
(16:30):
be about so much more than that.
Oh, absolutely it can be aboutcomfort.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Totally.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
It can be about emotions Like.
It can even be like a reward.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Oh, 100 percent, yeah , a reward?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Oh, 100%, yeah, you know.
So my question for you guyslistening is how much do you
think our mindset and our like,our relationship with food, how
much does that play into all ofthis as well, along with all the
practical stuff?
Just something to think aboutas you embark on your own like
metabolism-boosting journey.
Ever feel like your metabolism is kind of like
hitting the snooze button whilelife's stuck on fast forward.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Especially with the kids work and like just getting
dinner on the table every night.
It's like finding time to workout is a whole thing in itself.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Right.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
But you know what we're diving into this really
cool book today?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
I think it might have the answers to like unlocking
our metabolisms even when we'resuper busy.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
You're talking about Metabolism Boost.
Quick Tips for Busy Parents byDr Damaris Murillo-Grossman.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Yes, yeah, exactly that one.
And forget about reading thewhole thing.
We're just, you know, cherrypicking the juiciest bits Okay,
especially from those first fewchapters, and get this.
I was actually surprised bysome of the stuff in here.
It's not all like the same olddiet and exercise stuff.
Yeah, we're talking about likesurprising foods we're going to
(00:57):
get into hormones and get this,even the gut microbiome.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Wow Right, how cool is that?
Yeah, it's.
It's interesting because people, I think, often forget that our
metabolism is always likeswitched on you know it's
working behind the scenes.
It's not just when we're, youknow, hitting the gym or
anything.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
That's so true.
We're so quick to beatourselves up over that extra
slice of pizza, but we neverlike stop and appreciate all the
amazing things our bodies aredoing every second of the day.
And get this Dr Grossman.
She says that if we understandour own metabolism, like our own
unique metabolism, that couldbe a total game changer.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, absolutely.
It's like having you know thecheat codes to your own, like
energy factory.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Right.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
And thankfully you know there are some things we
can control, like our lifestylechoices, even if we can't change
things, like you know, our ageor our genetics.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
OK, see, that's empowering.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
I like that.
So let's talk food, because thebook dives into what Dr
Grossman calls nutritionalmetabolism.
Ooh, it sounds very official.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, it does, doesn't it?
It's basically just, you know,making sure that you're choosing
foods that actually fuel yourbody properly and efficiently,
not just adding empty calories.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
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 thatRight, and I got to admit I had
a bit of an aha moment when Iwas reading about lean protein.
I know it's good for you, but Inever knew it actually took
more energy to digest, likecompared to carbs or fats.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah, it's true, it's called the thermic effect of
food.
So with protein you can burn upto 30% of the calories just
from digesting it.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Whoa, no way.
Yeah.
So more protein, more calorieburn, even when I'm just like
living my life, sign me up.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Okay, I have to confess, when I saw leafy greens
on the list of metabolismboosting foods, I was like here
we go again.
Like we all know, veggies aregood for you, but is there
something like else going onthere?
Speaker 2 (02:53):
There is yeah, it's not just about you know all the
vitamins and minerals.
They're great, but leafy greenshave these powerful compounds
that can actually help reduceinflammation in your body, which
can, like, directly impact yourmetabolism.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Interesting, yeah, so it's like they're doing double
duty they're fueling us up, butthey're also keeping things
running smoothly.
I also want to talk about mealtiming, because that's something
I constantly struggle with.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Like how often you're eating when you're eating.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Yeah, it's so crucial , especially with like a busy
schedule.
You know it's easy to just skipmeals entirely or just like
completely overeat when youfinally have a second, and that
just wreaks havoc on your bloodsugar levels.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Okay, so what's the secret?
What are we supposed to do?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Well, Dr Grossman, she's a big advocate for having
smaller, more frequent meals andsnacks throughout the day.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Interesting, yeah.
So instead of those three bigmeals, it's more about like
keeping your metabolism, keepingthat engine humming with just
like a steady stream of goodfuel all day.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Exactly, exactly, and it helps to stabilize your
blood sugar levels so you don'thave those like energy crashes
that make you just want to grab,you know, sugary snacks and
stuff.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Right, right.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
It's all about that consistent energy, rather than
like those peaks and dipsthroughout the day.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
OK, that makes a lot of sense.
Now, I know we've only justlike scratched the surface here,
but I'm already feeling kind ofinspired to make some changes.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
OK, so let's, let's talk about exercise, right?
I kind of have like a love haterelationship with that word.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Especially, as you know, a busy parent.
Love-hate relationship withthat word.
Yeah, especially, as you know,a busy parent.
But Dr Grossman actually has awhole chapter about this she
does.
It's called Effective Workoutsfor Busy Parents.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Which honestly felt like a breath of fresh air.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, it's encouraging right To know that
you don't have to like join agym or spend hours and hours.
Yes.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
To actually make a difference.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
And the interesting thing here is that even those
like really short bursts ofactivity can have a positive
impact on your metabolism.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That's good to hear, because sometimes honestly, even
just thinking about working outis exhausting in itself.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Totally, totally, but one of the things that she
mentions is HII.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
High intensity interval training.
Okay high intensity intervaltraining, which is, I think, a
really amazing option if you'rebusy, because it's these short
bursts of intense exercise, butwith recovery periods in between
.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
So we're talking 20 to 30 minutes a few times a week
.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Okay, that feels doable Right.
What is it about HIIT, though?
What makes it so magical forour metabolism?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
So one word Afterburn , afterburn.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Yeah, so HIIT triggers something called EPIOC,
which is excess post-exerciseoxygen consumption.
Basically, it just means thatyour body continues to burn
calories at a higher rate WowEven after you finished
exercising.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Wait, seriously, so I can like be done with my
workout.
Yeah, and my body's still liketorching calories.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
In the background, yeah, that's amazing.
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, I'm, I'm sold.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
But what about?
What about rest and recovery?
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Because, realistically, how crucial is
that in all of this?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
It's just as important as the workouts
themselves.
Oh yeah, Like too much of agood thing.
You know, you can overdo it.
Overtraining without enoughrest can actually like backfire.
It can lead to fatigue andinjuries.
It can even like mess with yourhormones Right, which can then,
you know, have a knock oneffect on your metabolism.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Of course, it's all connected, right, it is yeah,
okay, so we need to be treatingrest like it's, like an
essential part of this plan.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Absolutely yeah.
Treat it like a necessity, notlike-.
Not a luxury, Not a luxuryexactly.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Yeah, when I have time, you know.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Which who has time for that, Speaking of things
that are all connected hormones.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
That was, I'll admit, like that was the part of the
book that I was like ooh, thisfeels a little daunting to me.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yeah, like hormones.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
That's a lot Gut health, like it all felt very
complex.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Yeah, it can be.
It's a lot to unpack.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
But I think she actually does a really good job
of breaking it down.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
She breaking it down, she does, and making it kind of
surprisingly accessible, shedoes, yeah, ok, so let's let's
start with the hormones, becausehow do they, how do they even
play into this, like, how dohormones actually affect our
metabolism?
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So I mean hormones essentially are like these
messengers that are regulating.
You know pretty much everythingthat happens in your body,
right, and that includes yourmetabolism.
So you know.
We've talked about insulin andhow that impacts.
You know blood sugar controland things like that.
But there are other hormones aswell.
You know you've got cortisol,which is like our stress hormone
(07:31):
.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Yeah, cortisol.
Cortisol and I are very wellacquainted.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Right and I think you know, especially as a parent,
it's very easy to feel-.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Oh, constantly.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Constantly stressed Right but the thing with
cortisol is.
When you're chronicallystressed and those cortisol
levels are elevated, that canactually lead to your body
storing more fat, particularlyaround your midsection.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
See, that explains a lot.
It's almost like our bodies arehardwwired to hold on to fat
when we're stressed Totally,which probably made a lot of
sense, you know, back in thecaveman days.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Right.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
But not so much now, when it's just like a constant.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, when it's like oh, your everyday life, exactly
right yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
And then there's the thyroid as well.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Which produces hormones, which again directly
impact metabolism.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Exactly, exactly, and that's one of those things you
know if you have like anoveractive thyroid or an
underactive thyroid that canreally impact everything Like
from your weight to your energylevels, to even like your mood.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Wow, your thyroid is like a real multitasker.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
It is.
It does a lot.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
It really does.
And this is where things getreally interesting, because she
starts to connect the dotsbetween our hormones and wait
for it gut health.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
And I'm going to be honest, like I always kind of
thought that gut health was alittle bit of a like a buzzword,
like a trendy thing to say.
Right bit of a, like a buzzword, like a trendy thing to say,
right, but it turns out all ofthose like trillions of bacteria
yeah that are living in ourdigestive tract your gut
microbiome our gut microbiomeyes they're like.
It's like this whole otherworld that's going on inside of
(09:15):
us yeah, it's a whole ecosystem.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
That's, yeah, impacting so much more than just
like our digestion, which Ithink is what people think about
.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
It's a metropolis.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
A metropolis Right.
It's crazy, it's wild.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Okay.
So if we like, zoom in on thatfor a second.
Okay, our gut microbiome how isthat actually impacting our
metabolism?
Speaker 2 (09:34):
So this is where I think it gets really fascinating
.
So these little bacteria, thesemicrobes in our gut.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
They actually produce some of the same hormones that
our bodies do.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
What.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, including ones that regulate metabolism and
appetite?
No way.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Yeah, so it's like we have this like internal
dialogue going on.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Between, like our hormones and our gut bacteria.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
It's all like kind of feeding into Right influencing
each other, yeah.
Metabolism yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
It's all like kind of feeding into Right, influencing
each other.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Yeah, metabolism yeah , and what happens then when
things get out of whack?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Right.
Well, that's when you startgetting into things like
metabolic syndrome, Okay, whichyou know she talks about in the
book.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Metabolic syndrome.
See, now, that sounds a littleominous.
That does sound a bit scaryyeah, is it as scary as it
sounds?
Metabolic syndrome.
See, no, that sounds a littleominous.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
It does sound a bit scary, yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Is it as scary as it sounds?
Speaker 2 (10:27):
It's definitely a serious condition.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
But the good news is that you know making changes to
your lifestyle can actually makea big difference.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Okay, so less like doom and gloom.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
Yeah, yeah, more like a wake-up call.
Yeah, I think that's a good wayto put it.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
So metabolic syndrome ?
It basically means that youhave an increased risk of you
know.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Of what?
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Heart disease, stroke , type 2 diabetes, things that
you don't really want.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
No, not really.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
But it's not like one thing, it's a cluster of
different things.
So it's like having high bloodpressure, high blood sugar.
You know, maybe carrying a bitof extra weight around your
middle and your cholesterollevels might be a bit out of
whack.
So a few things that we want tokind of keep in check.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Right, yeah, I think we can all agree.
Those are all things that wewant to keep in check.
Yeah, but thankfully, drGrossman, she doesn't just like
leave us hanging.
She gives us an action plan.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
She does, yeah, she does, and she.
She boils it down to thesethree like key takeaways which I
think are really, reallyhelpful, especially for you know
yeah Busy parents like yourself.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Lay it on me, I'm ready.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
OK, so number one.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
OK.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Prioritize real food.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
OK that that sounds good, but I feel like real food.
That can be kind of vague.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
It can.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Like what are we really talking about here?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
So basically, as much as you can focus on whole
unprocessed foods, okay.
Things like, you know, fruits,vegetables, lean protein,
healthy fats those are like.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Those are the things.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
The real MVPs, those are your rock stars, and I think
this is where, even if it'sjust like a little bit of
planning can go a really longway.
Tell me about it.
I feel like meal planning as aparent is like its own separate
job Sitting down on a Sundaynight and just jotting down some
(12:18):
meal ideas or, you know,prepping some healthy snacks in
advance so they're ready to goRight.
Those little things can justmake such a difference when
you're, you know, time crunchedduring the week.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
It's about setting yourself up for success.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Totally.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
If I've got those good choices ready to go in my
fridge, I'm less likely to youknow.
Go for the cookies when, likethat afternoon, slump hits.
Exactly, exactly, less likelyto you know.
Go for the cookies when, likethat afternoon slump hits, you
know.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Exactly, exactly.
And that kind of brings us totakeaway number two, which is
all about moving your body dailyand again, you know, it doesn't
have to be this like big, crazyworkout routine.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Please no, as if I have time for that.
But no, like seriously, are yousaying that those little like
bursts of activity throughoutthe day can actually make a
difference?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Oh, absolutely they do.
Yeah, it's like think of it astrying to like sneak in movement
wherever you can, you know,take the stairs instead of the
elevator park a little bitfurther away from the grocery
store.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Right, right right.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Have a dance party with your kids in the living
room.
You know it all counts.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
I love that.
Okay, so make it fun.
Yeah exactly and like fit itinto my day.
I love that.
Okay, so make it fun.
Yeah, exactly Like fit it intomy day.
Okay, I like it.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Okay, so takeaway number three Takeaway number
three is all about stressmanagement.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Oh, stress management , the like, the, the ever
present.
The thing that I feel like it'slike trying to juggle.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Yeah, water balloons.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Right, why riding a unicycle Like it's doable?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
You can do it, but it's messy.
It's going to be messy.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Right, okay, so, but stress management Like why?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Well, I think this is something that people often
overlook.
You know we think about, youknow the food we're eating and
the exercise, but stressmanagement is really important,
and not just for you know, likefeeling calmer, although that's
a bonus, but it actually reallyimpacts your metabolic health as
well.
Okay, because remember cortisol.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Cortisol?
Yes, Not friend cortisol, thestress hormone Right.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Keeping your stress levels managed can really help
to keep those levels in checkRight, which can then support
you know healthy blood sugarlevels Right.
And you know, a healthy gut aswell, it really is all connected
, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (14:25):
It is.
It's all connected yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
It's overwhelming, like when I'm feeling stressed.
I'm not thinking about you know, taking a deep breath.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
But are there any like?
Are there any like real, likestress management tools or
techniques?
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure.
And she talks about mindfulness.
Okay, and again, it doesn'thave to be anything really
complicated, right, you know,even if it's just like taking a
few deep breaths, just beingpresent in the moment, those
things can actually make a bigdifference.
And spending time in nature, Ithink, is another one.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Yeah, that she talks about.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
I'm bored with that that has like incredible
benefits for both your likemental and your physical
well-being.
I know that I always just feelmore like centered and calm yeah
, after even just like a walk inthe park.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Totally, totally yeah .
Speaker 1 (15:19):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And sometimes that's all it takes, yeah, is just to
kind of shift your mindset alittle bit and just kind of
reset those, those stress levels.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Amazing, Wow, OK, this has been, this has been an
eye opening hair in the morningRight, Let alone like do a two
hour workout.
But but I, I do.
I do feel like I don't know.
(15:48):
It's kind of empowering.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
To know that even those small changes, if we do
them consistently.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Consistently is key.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Can actually like make a big difference.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
It's not about you know, those big, drastic,
changes.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
That you're not going to stick to.
It's about making those smallsustainable changes that you can
actually fit into your life.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
You know we talked a lot about the physical side of
things the food we eat, theexercise we do, how to manage
stress, all that stuff Right.
But I think we all know likefood, especially as parents, can
(16:30):
be about so much more than that.
Oh, absolutely it can be aboutcomfort.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Totally.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
It can be about emotions Like.
It can even be like a reward.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Oh, 100 percent, yeah , a reward?
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Oh, 100%, yeah, you know.
So my question for you guyslistening is how much do you
think our mindset and our like,our relationship with food, how
much does that play into all ofthis as well, along with all the
practical stuff?
Just something to think aboutas you embark on your own like
metabolism-boosting journey.
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