Metabolism and metabolic rate Just what is metabolism? When it comes to weight management and dieting, one term that you hear a good deal of mention of is “metabolism”, but exactly what is metabolism and how can it have an impact on your weight reduction efforts? The word metabolism has Greek roots and it means “change” or “transformation”. In terms of the body, metabolism and metabolic rate are defined as the pace at which your system uses up energy or calories to perform crucial functions. During each moment of every day, your body is constantly burning calories - regardless of whether you're sleeping, relaxing or performing exercises. Your body and its internal organs must have constant “fuel” to power itself, which is one of the many reasons why a balanced diet, with a range of nutrients and vitamins, is so important. Your metabolism is the regulator and manager of this fuel. How can metabolism affect weight loss? No doubt you've heard many people talk of a “fast” or “slow” metabolism” with regards to weight management. They are referring to a person’s resting metabolism or basal metabolic rate (BMR). Essentially, this is the total measure of energy expended for normal maintenance, repair and operation of your system. For certain people, their body’s ability to digest (burn) food / calories and use it for energy is a quick process (a fast metabolism) and for some others it may take longer (a slow metabolism). Our metabolism has a tendency to slow down as we age. Moreover, metabolic rates can vary a great deal from person to person, even as between those people that have the same age, height and weight. Acknowledging your specific metabolic rate is therefore rather important with respect to devising an appropriate weight management programme. For instance, many people believe cutting out meals will help them to lose weight more quickly. The simple truth is, this is not just an unhealthy and short-sighted tactic, but it may well cause you to put on pounds and lose muscle mass. There is no such thing as a secret to losing weight - it's all about balance, variety and moderation: Balance • Balancing the quantity of calories you take in with the variety of calories your system utilises or “burns off”. • Eating a well-balanced diet and making sure your body gets the “fuel” it needs to efficiently and effectively perform its many physiological functions. Variety Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. Ensuring that you have variety in both your meal plan and exercise routine will not only make certain you are getting a broad assortment of nutrients and staying fit and healthy, but it will also make it easier for you to maintain your weight management programme for the long-term (through change in lifestyle), because you are less likely to get bored and revert to bad old habits. Moderation As with variety, moderation is vital to a successful weight management programme. Giving yourself the rare “treat” and having a modest amount of everything will make your health targets much more realistic and achievable. Is it possible to alter your metabolism? In a nutshell, the answer is “yes”, there are ways to raise your metabolism: Exercise and strength training Physical activity and strength training are a couple of the best ways to do this. Those who have more muscle tissue than fat are more likely to have a higher metabolism than people who are overweight. The reason being is muscle burns calories faster than fat - one other reason to adopt an all-round approach to weight management, which emphasises the need for both a balanced diet and a good exercise regime. Health supplements Many people find that nutritional supplements  (particularly meal replacements and protein powders) provide them with the additional support that they need to get started on the road to a more healthy weight, or help them to maintain that weight. * Before changing your diet or taking health supplements, it is recommended to consult your doctor or qualified health practitioner (particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medications).   © Specialist Supplements Ltd 2011 This is an information site only!  0845 094 3627 Slim, Trim and Healthy Slim, Trim and Healthy [Diet] [Health Info] [Herbs] [Metabolism] [Slimming] [Weight Loss] [Slimming Products] [Slimming Diets] [Slim Down] [Slimming and Nutrition] [Health Care] [Weight Management Supplements] [Colon Cleansers] [Digestive System Supplements] [Cleanse and Detox Supplements] [Organic Products] [Superfood Supplements] [Health Foods] [Meal Replacements] [Protein Powders] [Probiotics] [Fat Burner Formula] [Home] [Health Information] [Balanced Diet] [Meal Replacements and Protein Powders] [Your Metabolism] [Obesity] [Sitemap] [HTML Sitemap] [HTM Sitemap] [Links] [Blog]