Metabolism And Weight Loss. The Connection?
Metabolism – Over the years we have learnt that this is probably the single most important thing we need to remember to maintain our curves. We are going to rip apart the technical jargon and bring it down to you in plain old English. Just the way we like it.
What is metabolism?
In simple words, metabolism is the rate at which your body burns those nasty calories. It is collectively the process which converts food into energy. Think of it as the engine which keeps the body going.
What affects metabolism?
Did you know that you are not always the master of your metabolism? Genes, gender and age are some of the things that you don’t choose. Your genetic background has a big role to play, when it comes to your metabolism. All hope is not lost because there are several factors that help you control your metabolism– levels of physical activity, the number of meals you have in a day, your body fat levels, your exercise routine and your overall attitude.
Weight Loss / Weight Gain
Okay, have you ever thought what triggers weight loss or weight gain? Are you sick and tired of people who keep blabbering jargon straight from the mouth of a salesman at a weight loss institute? You may partially benefit from all the intricacies of the crazy diet and pre-prepared meals from their specially trained chefs but let me tell you, it all comes down to your metabolic rate. Metabolic rate, what’s that? Well, it’s made up of 3 things. One, BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate is the amount of energy burnt when your body is resting, or doing nothing. Two, is the energy consumed in physical activity. Three, the Thermic Effect of Food is the energy that is used to digest the food we eat.
The Connection
Now that we’ve fed you all the dope about metabolism on one hand and weight loss on the other, let’s look at the connection. Obviously, we can see that higher the metabolic rate, higher is the consumption of energy from the body. Where does the energy come from? The food you eat! If you are thinking “Oh, I’ll simply cut down on the food I eat to a minimum”, that’s not the way to do it, missy! Our bodies require a certain minimum number of nutrients and energy levels to keep it going at a healthy rate. Blocking that intake is not going to help you. The better way to do it is boosting the rate of your metabolism. In simple words– burning more energy.
What can you do?
We’ve talked about metabolism, weight loss, and its connection. What’s next? What can you do to boost your metabolism to achieve weight loss in a healthy way? Experts suggest some basic things you can incorporate into your routine to get the job done.
- Exercising is step one. Working out in the gym, or jogging in the park, whatever your style is, burn those KJs away.
- Eating Healthy – Don’t go into crazy diets. Eat right, know your foods and cook yourself some delicious yet nutritious meals.
- Hydrate yourself – Drink more water! Water keeps the body going and stops it from being sluggish.
- Get Active – This is all about lifestyle. Do you hit the couch as soon as you are back from work? Go out, enjoy the outdoors, move around, go places, meet new people and more importantly, have fun doing it.
As much as important it is to read and know the facts about your metabolism and other nitty gritty things, it is vital that you do something about it. No amount of knowledge is going to trigger that boost in your metabolism. Get up, move and enjoy life!
