You likely know your metabolism is linked to your weight.
But do you know how?
Common belief holds that a slim person's metabolism is high
and an overweight person's metabolism is low. But this isn't
always the case. Metabolism alone doesn't determine your
weight.
Weight is also dependent on the balance of calories
consumed versus calories burned. Take in more calories
than your body needs, and you gain weight. Take in less and
you lose weight. Metabolism, then, is the engine that burns
these calories and is the scale that regulates your energy
needs.
Stated simply, metabolism is the process by which your
body converts food into energy. During this biochemical
process, calories — from carbohydrates, fats and proteins —
are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body
needs to function.
The number of calories your body burns each day is called
your total energy expenditure. The following three factors
make up your total energy expenditure:
• Basic needs. Even when your body is at rest, it
requires energy for the basics, such as fuel for organs,
breathing, circulating blood, adjusting hormone levels,
plus growing and repairing cells. Calories expended to
cover these basic functions are your basal metabolic
rate.
Typically, a person's basal metabolic rate is the largest
portion of energy use, representing two-thirds to
three-quarters of the calories used each day. Energy
needs for these basic functions stay fairly consistent
and aren't easily changed.
• Food processing. Digesting, absorbing, transporting
and storing the food you consume also takes calories.
This accounts for about 10 percent of the calories used
each day. For the most part, your body's energy
requirement to process food stays relatively steady and
isn't easily changed.
• Physical activity. Physical activity — such as playing
tennis, walking to the store, chasing after the dog and
any other movement — accounts for the remainder of
calories used. You control the number of calories
burned depending on the frequency, duration and
intensity of your activities.
It may seem logical to think that significant weight gain or
being overweight is always related to a low metabolism or
possibly even a condition such as under-active thyroid gland
(hypothyroidism). In reality, there are many factors that
play a role. Most people who are overweight don't have an
underlying medical condition, however a medical evaluation
can determine whether a medical condition could be
influencing your weight.
One of the key factors for Weight gain is an energy
imbalance — consuming more calories than your body
burns. To lose weight, then, you need to create an energy
deficit by eating fewer calories, increasing the number of
calories you burn through physical activity, or preferably
both.
If you and everyone else were physically and functionally
identical, it would be easy to determine the standard energy
needs. But many factors influence calorie requirements,
including body size and composition, age, and sex.
To function properly, a bigger body mass requires more
energy (more calories) than does a smaller body mass.
Also, muscle burns more calories than fat does. So the more
muscle you have in relation to fat, the higher your basal
metabolic rate.
As you get older, the amount of lean body muscle tends to
decrease. As a result, Metabolism slows and fat begins to
account for more of your weight. Together these changes
reduce your calorie needs.
Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than do
women of the same age and weight. This is why men
generally have a higher basal metabolic rate and burn more
calories than women do.
Your ability to change your basal metabolism is limited.
However, you can increase daily exercise and activity to
build muscle tissue and burn more calories. Recent clinical
studies have proven that in addition to exercise, some
dietary supplements can actually help increase your
metabolic rate and reverse the effect age has on your
metabolism.
Although metabolism influences your energy needs, it’s your
food intake and physical activity that will ultimately
determine your long term weight loss success.
Losing weight, like any task you undertake, requires that
you have dedication and motivation to succeed. This means
you need to get your head in the right place.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق