Have you ever wondered whether your metabolism really slows with
age and whether or not weight loss and metabolism are related. Do we
simply get fatter as we get older? But before this question is answered
lets define what metabolism is. Metabolism is the amount of energy the
body uses each day.
The basal metabolic rate accounts for about 80% of our caloric expenditure to keep our organs functioning as they should. The rest of our metabolism is used to fuel our daily activity.
Exercise and Strength Training
The largest affect we can have on our metabolism and weight loss is through activity or exercise. It is a fact that the more active a person is the greater their metabolism will be. Ones metabolism can be increased over time by adding more exercise. Taking up walking, running, or cycling habitually will boost the metabolism increasing weight loss.
Taking up strength or weight training will boost the metabolism even more due to increased muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat and therefore a more muscular body will have a higher metabolism. For this reason men have higher metabolisms than women because they are generally more muscular. And, this may be the reason why men seem to be able to withstand eating more fatty foods, such as ice cream.
Diet and Eating Habits
The foods you eat affect the metabolism as well. Foods high in sugars, saturated fat, and artificial sweeteners will slow digestion and cause weight gain. Eating a balanced nutritious diet of whole foods (grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, lean meats, and fish) will provide the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that give your body the energy and consistent blood sugar levels it needs. Another benefit from eating whole foods is that they take much longer to digest making you feel full for longer.
How often you eat also affects your metabolism. Binge eating or snacking on the go causes the bodies energy levels to fluctuate wildly. This inconsistency forces the body to decrease its metabolism to conserve energy, storing food as fat. On the other hand if one takes in a balanced nutritious meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours the body will digest the food more efficiently and provide more consistent energy levels. This regularity in energy levels will in turn increase the metabolism and aid in weight loss.
Therefore, metabolism and weight loss can be controlled by eating a balanced nutritious diet regularly.
Sleep Habits
Sleep, or lack there of, also can affect metabolism. In today's modern industrial society cutting back on sleep is often a response to work pressures. Studies show that chronic sleep deprivation adversely affects metabolism, decreasing the bodies ability to regulate glucose levels. Lack of sleep causes hormonal imbalances as well, and in particular, levels of the stress hormone cortisol are increased with the lack of proper restful sleep. Cortisol increases appetite despite ample food consumption, throwing the metabolic rate out of whack. Getting regular restful sleep will help control metabolism.
Our Environment
A person with minimal activity will still burn calories and exhibit a basal metabolic rate. Human beings are homeotherms which means that our bodies work to keep our bodies within a narrow temperature band. When we are cold we burn more fuel to keep warm and when we are hot our bodies work to eliminate the excess heat. Heat is eliminated primarily through convection and radiation but when we are active our bodies also use evaporative cooling, or sweat, to remove excess heat. We can affect our metabolism by controlling our climate. By keeping temperatures a little cooler the body is forced to a higher metabolic rate. Further, by then exercising outdoors in cooler temperatures we can increase our metabolism even further. But, this should be considered a secondary effect over exercise itself.
Can We Control Our Metabolism?
The bottom line is that by eating a healthy nutritious well balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep, you can control your metabolism and lose weight. Just because you are getting older doesn't mean your metabolism has to slow down. Just because you graduated college and landed that great paying desk job doesn't mean your metabolism slowed down all by it self. Take time out of your busy life to exercise regularly and eat a healthy well balanced diet and you will find that your metabolism is as high at 40 as it was at 30, and you can probably keep it high well in to your 70's if you try.
The basal metabolic rate accounts for about 80% of our caloric expenditure to keep our organs functioning as they should. The rest of our metabolism is used to fuel our daily activity.
Exercise and Strength Training
The largest affect we can have on our metabolism and weight loss is through activity or exercise. It is a fact that the more active a person is the greater their metabolism will be. Ones metabolism can be increased over time by adding more exercise. Taking up walking, running, or cycling habitually will boost the metabolism increasing weight loss.
Taking up strength or weight training will boost the metabolism even more due to increased muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat and therefore a more muscular body will have a higher metabolism. For this reason men have higher metabolisms than women because they are generally more muscular. And, this may be the reason why men seem to be able to withstand eating more fatty foods, such as ice cream.
Diet and Eating Habits
The foods you eat affect the metabolism as well. Foods high in sugars, saturated fat, and artificial sweeteners will slow digestion and cause weight gain. Eating a balanced nutritious diet of whole foods (grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, lean meats, and fish) will provide the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that give your body the energy and consistent blood sugar levels it needs. Another benefit from eating whole foods is that they take much longer to digest making you feel full for longer.
How often you eat also affects your metabolism. Binge eating or snacking on the go causes the bodies energy levels to fluctuate wildly. This inconsistency forces the body to decrease its metabolism to conserve energy, storing food as fat. On the other hand if one takes in a balanced nutritious meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours the body will digest the food more efficiently and provide more consistent energy levels. This regularity in energy levels will in turn increase the metabolism and aid in weight loss.
Therefore, metabolism and weight loss can be controlled by eating a balanced nutritious diet regularly.
Sleep Habits
Sleep, or lack there of, also can affect metabolism. In today's modern industrial society cutting back on sleep is often a response to work pressures. Studies show that chronic sleep deprivation adversely affects metabolism, decreasing the bodies ability to regulate glucose levels. Lack of sleep causes hormonal imbalances as well, and in particular, levels of the stress hormone cortisol are increased with the lack of proper restful sleep. Cortisol increases appetite despite ample food consumption, throwing the metabolic rate out of whack. Getting regular restful sleep will help control metabolism.
Our Environment
A person with minimal activity will still burn calories and exhibit a basal metabolic rate. Human beings are homeotherms which means that our bodies work to keep our bodies within a narrow temperature band. When we are cold we burn more fuel to keep warm and when we are hot our bodies work to eliminate the excess heat. Heat is eliminated primarily through convection and radiation but when we are active our bodies also use evaporative cooling, or sweat, to remove excess heat. We can affect our metabolism by controlling our climate. By keeping temperatures a little cooler the body is forced to a higher metabolic rate. Further, by then exercising outdoors in cooler temperatures we can increase our metabolism even further. But, this should be considered a secondary effect over exercise itself.
Can We Control Our Metabolism?
The bottom line is that by eating a healthy nutritious well balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep, you can control your metabolism and lose weight. Just because you are getting older doesn't mean your metabolism has to slow down. Just because you graduated college and landed that great paying desk job doesn't mean your metabolism slowed down all by it self. Take time out of your busy life to exercise regularly and eat a healthy well balanced diet and you will find that your metabolism is as high at 40 as it was at 30, and you can probably keep it high well in to your 70's if you try.
Greg Dunham writes about the relation between training, fitness,
and diet. Click here to learn more about weight loss programs for real
people [http://www.wlpfrp.com]
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Greg_Dunham/290562
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