Metabolism is the term used to describe the chemical reactions that are involved in maintaining the living state of the organisms and of the cells. It refers to the process of the body that turns food and drink into energy. It is also the process that determines the speed at which a person burns calories. It provides for the process of knowing how a person gains weight and how he loses weight.
Metabolism is important to know most especially to those who are trying to stay fit. It is better to know how one’s body reacts to food intake as well as the nutritions that come with it. Every person differs in metabolism. Some people burn calories faster and some burn slower. Although nutritions are the key to metabolism, a healthy diet cannot always assure a person of a fast metabolism. This is because there are many factors that affect a person’s metabolism. These factors are age, sex, and proportion of lean body mass. Some experts even consider heredity a factor as well. It is said that after the age of 40, metabolism naturally slows down by about 5% per decade. It is also said that women at rest burn calories less than men at rest. As to the proportion of lean body mass, it is said that the more muscles that a person has, the higher his or her metabolic rate is. There is also the truth that there are really just people who burn calories faster than everyone else.
A surprising fact about metabolism is that the more weight the person carries, the faster his or her metabolic rate is. This is the explanation why a person who is heavier tends to lose weight faster than a person who is lighter even though the kinds and amount of food they eat may be the same. This is also why a healthy diet cannot always assure a faster metabolism. A person starting to stay fit tends to lose weight more at the start of the healthy diet than later on. In addition, the ways of metabolism rely on the nutritions that the body receives. Thus, a healthy diet, to affect metabolism, must consist of nutrients coming from carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids.
People who are trying to start and who are continuing to stay fit must remember that although metabolism is affected by certain factors, there are ways to speed up the process. Being particular with food intake is one – what amount, when to eat, and how to eat – but exercise is another thing. Exercising is one of the best ways to burn calories. This exercise must include aerobic workouts and weight training. Aerobic workouts burn calories while weight training builds muscles. Muscles are important in metabolism because, as mentioned earlier, the more muscles that a person has, the higher his or her metabolic rate is. Muscles burn more calories than fats especially when at rest. Thus, the more muscles that a person has, the higher the metabolic rate is when resting. Some women are afraid that they will bulk up and that is why they do not want to try weight training. This should not be scary at all because women do not have the necessary hormones to build up muscles like those of men.
Good article, alot of good info.
Some other ways to boost metabolism is to incorporate High intensity interval training (HIIT). A form of cardio where one puts in ALL their effort into a couple of 10-30 second windows, such as sprinting and biking (i prefer the latter).
Eating a diet high in protein also makes one burn more calories compared to if carbs or fats were consumed instead. This macro nutrient increases thermogenesis more so than the others.
Also, this one is truly optional, a fatburner supplement. They usually give energy, focus, appetite suppressing effects on top of making the body burn more calories also through increasing thermogenesis/boosting metabolism.