Why Is My Metabolism Slow?
We hear a lot about metabolism–and often blame our “slow metabolism” for our inability to keep our weight under control. But what is metabolism, exactly? And is there anything we can do to change our metabolic rate?
Metabolism basically refers to all the chemical processes that take place in the body in order to sustain life–allowing you to breathe, pump blood, keep your brain functioning and extract energy from your food.
When you hear the term metabolic rate–more accurately called basal (or resting) metabolic rate–that refers to the number of calories your body at rest uses each day, just to keep all your vital organs functioning.
You burn additional calories through your daily activities and formal exercise, but by far, the majority of the calories that you burn each day are your basal calories.
The number of calories that you burn every day is directly related to your body composition. Think of your body as divided into two compartments. In one compartment is all the body fat; in the other compartment is everything that isn’t fat (e.g., bone, fluid, tissue, muscle)–that’s the fat-free compartment. The size of your fat-free compartment determines your metabolic rate, with every pound of fat-free mass burning about 14 calories per day.
Here are a few truths and myths about metabolism:
MYTH: AGING SLOWS YOUR METABOLISM
Truth: People do tend to put on weight as they get older, but it isn’t inevitable. People have a tendency to exercise less, or less vigorously, as they age–and that means fewer calories burned per day. As activity levels and intensity go down, loss of muscle mass can occur. This then shrinks the body’s fat-free compartment and leads to a lower metabolic rate. Cardiovascular exercise will burn calories, and resistance training to preserve or build up muscle are great defenses against age-related weight gain.
MYTH: YOU’RE STUCK WITH THE METABOLISM YOU HAVE, AND YOU CAN’T CHANGE IT
Truth: We all seem to know people who can “eat whatever they want and never gain weight” or those who “just look at food and put on 10 pounds.” But lifestyle plays a big part in determining the calories you burn per day. While it may appear that there are people who eat all the time and never seem to gain, chances are they make healthy, relatively low-calorie selections naturally. And many of these people burn more calories through what is called Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)–basically, they move around a lot during the day. They might fidget more, get up from their desks frequently during the day to stretch, or walk down the hall to talk to a colleague instead of emailing. Next time you’re in a public place–say a coffeehouse–become an observer. You may notice that heavier people sit very still and hardly move. Leaner people may use more hand gestures, or wiggle a foot or a crossed leg. The point is, build more muscle and then use it by moving around more throughout the day.
MYTH: IF I CUT CALORIES, MY METABOLIC RATE WILL SLOW DOWN, SO WHAT’S THE POINT OF EXERCISING?
Truth: It is true that your metabolic rate can slow a bit when you cut calories. After all, your body’s natural inclination will be to try to conserve calories as best it can. But these decreases are relatively small, and if people become more active as they lose weight, this can offset these small changes. By dieting and exercising, you can help to preserve the rate at which your body burns calories.
Your muscle mass works like a furnace, burning calories and stored fat for energy. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism, the faster you burn calories. Eating plenty of protein daily is essential to maintaining your muscle mass for good health, energy and effective weight management.
Keep your metabolism revved with these tips to how to increase metabolism
Filed under Health, Fitness and Exercise