The Relation Between Metabolism And Fat Loss

Consider this scenario- one of your close friends below the age of forty comes back after his routine medical checkup with a grimace on his face. The doctor told him in a flat tone that he must reduce his weight at least by thirty pounds to live a healthy life and if he didnt want his cholesterol to go up leading to risk of serious heart problems.

Very real indeed!

With our changing life styles, we have time for everything else but our health. We have added all the luxury goods for our comforts but ignore the fact that luxuries can be enjoyed only if we have a fit body.

Being over weight is one of the very common and almost ignored diseases. Nobody takes it seriously till it becomes a social stigma or the doctor presses the warning signals. Still worse, some people take corrective measures only after they have paid huge hospital bills.

What is Metabolism? Why body gains weight? Thats one of the basic questions.

The answer is also very basic- you consume lesser calories while the intake is higher. One might wonder how two persons having similar diet or calorie intake can have different weights. It is important to understand the process of fat burning in the body. The rate at which human body consumes energy, or burns calories is called Metabolism. Metabolism is directly related to the weight gain or weight loss.

Body energy is consumed in making the body functional. Even if we dont do any thing and just sleep the whole day, the energy is consumed in making internal body processes functional for example- functioning of heart, lungs, kidneys etc. Resting Metabolism tells the minimum amount of calories an individuals body needs to function. Physical Activities like walking, jogging, running or any kind of exercises increase this energy consumption.

How to Calculate Metabolic Rate?

Metabolism functions in the similar manner for everybody however; the rate at which it breaks down the nutrients in the food and converts them into energy can be different for different persons. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) tells the rate of calorie burning when the body is at rest. As a thumb rule, one can multiply his/her weight in pounds with ten to have a rough idea of calories required per day.

For example if your weight is 130 pounds, then your body can consume approximately 1300 kcal per day.

Any excessive intake of calories would result in weight gain since body metabolic rate cant use up the extra energy and this gets converted into fats. There you start gaining weight! For exact calculations, you need to contact a qualified dietitian or a trainer.

Effects of Metabolism on Weight

People with higher metabolic rate burn calories faster than the people with slower metabolic rate. This directly effects their body energy requirements. Now if two individuals with similar diet have different metabolic rates, then the person having slower rate would start gaining weight since he/she is getting a surplus supply of energy that remains unused and gets converted into fats.

A persons age, health, life style etc. can affect the metabolic rate and thus different body weights. Physical activities and exercises increase the metabolic rate and therefore lead to weight loss. With old age, due to change in balance of hormones, the metabolic rate changes and that leads to weight gain. However, research has shown that with proper physical training and exercises, and some changes in life style, the metabolic rate can be changed to reduce the weight.

How to Increase Metabolic Rate?

Exercises and weight trainings lead to a more muscular body. Now muscles burn calories faster than fats. Thus the metabolic rate of individuals having muscular bodies is higher. To lose weight, one should therefore focus on increasing the metabolic rate which can be achieved by:

* Plan your diet with the help of a dietitian who will tell you how much calories you need daily.
* Burn your calories by physical activities.
* Exercise regularly. Brisk walking is an exercise any body can do and it costs nothing.

These simple and easy steps can lead you to a healthier and fitter life where you can enjoy your luxuries as well.

About the Author

Eugene is right now providing information for individuals who wants to achieve optimal health with the use of nutritional supplements at his blog on http://www.howcanigethealthy.com/healthblog/

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