Explaining Metabolism and Metabolic Rate

Our bodies are able to convert food into energy or fuel and this process is known as metabolism. Some of the energy is used up by our bodies as needed while some are stored up as fat, which is used later on. Metabolism plays an important role in our life as it enables our body to repair itself and perform different functions.

Your metabolic rate has a direct effect on your weight. If your metabolic rate is low (you have slow metabolism), your body is not burning the calories effectively. What happens is that the extra or unwanted calories get stored and become body fat. This would explain why you gain weight if you have a low metabolic rate. On the other hand, if your metabolic rate is high (you have fast metabolism), your body is burning the calories effectively, the result of which is that less calories get stored as fats.

If you need to shed off unwanted pounds, it is important that you raise your metabolism. If you have been diagnosed with a metabolic disorder or your metabolic rate is decreasing because of aging, you also need to find ways of raising your metabolism.

It is vital that you understand the metabolic needs of your body and how it uses calories as doing so will greatly help you know how to raise your metabolism effectively. Your body's metabolic needs refers to how much energy is needed by your body in order for it to perform its daily functions. Calorie usage, on the other hand, refers to how many calories are burned during the performance of bodily functions such as thinking or moving.

Knowing your body's metabolic needs and calorie usage, you can calculate your metabolic rate. Your metabolic rate refers to the degree and how efficient your body is able to do its daily bodily functions. In order to raise your metabolism, you need to first find out what your basal or resting metabolic rate, since this differs from person to person. Resting metabolic rate refers to how many calories are needed to be burned and converted into energy that the body needs in order to have the organs and tissues working properly. Your weight determines how many calories you need to burn in order to fuel the many processes in your body. Compared to a light person, a heavy person would need to burn more calories.

There is no one specific approach to raising metabolism since every individual's metabolic rate varies and is affected by several factors. In this regard, raising your metabolism may require an approach that is different from the person next to you. Your genes can affect your metabolism. There are individuals born to families with fast metabolisms while there are those who are born to families with low metabolisms.

Your metabolic rate is also affected by age. Generally, younger people have faster metabolism. As we get older, our metabolism slows down. You would also need to look into the kind of life you are living such as how much physical activity you are doing. Exercising is one of the best and natural ways of raising your metabolism and your body can continue to burn calories long after you have finished exercising. Take a look, too, at your muscle mass. In general, the more muscles you have, the more calories you will burn. And lastly, nutrition plays a vital role in raising metabolism. Your body needs to be properly supplied with the right foods containing the nutrients and vitamins.

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