Posted on April 7, 2014
Did you know that everyone has a unique metabolic type? It’s important to learn how to eat right for your metabolic type because the same foods that keep your friends slim may be making you puffy and tired. Discover your metabolic type with this quiz and learn what you should be eating to feel full, shed pounds and get energized.
1) How would you describe your appetite?
a. I have a strong appetite.
b. I have a weak appetite.
c. My appetite is unpredictable.
2) What kinds of food do you crave most often?
a. Salty foods
b. Sweets
c. I crave both sweet and salty foods.
3) Which set of words best describes you?
a. Talkative and outgoing
b. Ambitious, organized and stressed
c. Anxious, nervous and fatigued
4) What kind of ailment do you experience the most?
a. Fatigue and anxiety
b. Struggle with weight
c. Aches and pains
QUESTION RESULTS
Q:How would you describe your appetite?
ANSWERS POINTS USER ANSWER
a. I have a strong appetite. 1 This is characteristic of a Type A metabolic type.
b. I have a weak appetite. 2 This is characteristic of a Type B metabolic type.
c. My appetite is unpredictable. 3 This is characteristic of a Type C metabolic type.
Q:What kinds of food do you crave most often?
ANSWERS POINTS USER ANSWER
a. Salty foods 1 This is characteristic of a Type A metabolic type.
b. Sweets 2 This is characteristic of a Type B metabolic type.
c. Both sweet and salty foods. 3 This is characteristic of a Type C metabolic type.
Q:Which set of words best describes you?
ANSWERS POINTS USER ANSWER
a. Talkative and outgoing 1 This is characteristic of a Type A metabolic type.
b. Ambitious, organized and stressed 2 This is characteristic of a Type B metabolic type.
c. Anxious, nervous and fatigued 3 This is characteristic of a Type C metabolic type.
Q:What kind of ailment do you experience the most?
ANSWERS POINTS USER ANSWER
a. Fatigue and anxiety 1 This is characteristic of a Type A metabolic type.
b. Struggle with weight 2 This is characteristic of a Type B metabolic type.
c. Aches and pains 3 This is characteristic of a Type C metabolic type.
Metabolic Type A
If you’re a Type A, you love salty food, such as potato chips, and are also prone to anxiety. What you probably don’t realize is that frequent bouts of anxiety may actually be caused by your body’s reaction to eating salty or fatty foods. As a Type A, you also have a strong appetite, experience fatigue often, are talkative, and possess an outgoing personality.
Strong appetite
Crave fatty, salty foods
Fatigue and anxiety
Talkative, outgoing
How to Eat:
If you’re type A, you burn proteins and fats much more efficiently than you burn carbs. The salty, fatty food cravings you experience stem from your body’s need for protein. At mealtime, your plate should be comprised mainly of protein and breakdown as following:
50% protein
30% fats
20% carbohydrates
Choose lean cuts of protein that are dark in color such as beef, dark meat chicken or turkey, and fish such as tuna or salmon. These dark-colored foods are high in purine, a substance in the body that protects and nourishes blood vessels. Go for dairy that contains fat. That’s right! Type A’s should eat whole-fat cheese, cream, 2% milk and eggs. These items are better for you than low- or no-fat dairy products loaded with sugar. Remember, full fats are not hydrogenated or trans fats found in processed foods like chips & cookies. Those nasty items should be avoided no matter what your metabolic type. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, but steer clear of too many refined and starchy ones. These are sugar-laden and will actually add to your anxiety. Instead of white potatoes or white bread, reach for whole grains such as oatmeal and whole-wheat pasta.
Metabolic Type B
If you’re a Type B, you have a strong penchant for sweets – candy, ice cream, cookies, cake, you name it. Your body is actually crying out for healthy carbs, but you’re craving sugar instead. As a Type B, you also possess a relatively weak appetite, are sensitive, driven, organized, sometimes stressed, have a caffeine dependency, and may also struggle with your weight.
Weak appetite
Crave sweets
Sensitive
Ambitious, organized, stressed
Dependent on caffeine
Struggle with weight
How to Eat:
If you’re Type B, you do best on a low-fat, relatively low-protein diet that includes mainly good carbs, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Your mealtime plate should contain:
70% carbs
20% protein
10% fats
Hurrah for Type B’s! You get to eat mainly carb-based meals. However, you must eat whole grains: barley, brown rice, and whole wheat bread etc. Be aware that you need low-protein as opposed to no-protein. Choose low-purine proteins that are light and lean: white-meat poultry, white fish, such as cod or flounder, and plant-based proteins including lentils and chickpeas. Eat low-fat forms of dairy such as cheese, yogurt and milk. To reduce your dependency on caffeine, start by cutting down on coffee or black tea, and substitute with green tea.
Metabolic Type C
If you are unable to determine whether you’re are a Type A or B and like both sweet and salty foods equally, you’re probably a Type C. Type C’s are mixed types who have fluctuating appetites, can experience fatigue, anxiety and nervousness, may suffer aches and pains, and have little trouble with weight control.
Fluctuating/unpredictable appetite
Crave sweet and salty foods
Fatigue
Anxious, nervous
May suffer aches and pains
Little trouble with weight control
How to Eat:
Type C’s have the ability to metabolize proteins, fats and carbs equally, which is why you crave both salty and sweet foods. Your mealtime plate should be divided into thirds:
33% protein
33% fats
33% carbs
As a Type C, you’re allowed to put the most fats on your plate. Choose a mixture of low- and full-fat foods such as low-fat cheese, yogurt, olive oil, etc. Mix and match dark and light proteins as well: light and dark meat poultry, beef, salmon, cod, kidney beans, soy, etc. The last portion of your plate should contain good carbs, including various whole grains and healthy starchy vegetables: 100% whole-wheat breads and cereals, sweet potatoes, bananas, etc.