The Word on Weightloss

Of course you metabolism is linked to your weight, but if you blame your weight and weight gain on a slow metabolism, here are some things to consider.

Contrary to common belief, a slow metabolism is rarely the cause of excess weight gain. While your metabolism influences your body’s basic energy needs, the largest factors in your weight loss program should remain your food and beverage intake and your level and amount of physical activity.

Let’s start by breaking it down. Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into the energy your body needs to perform every day functions. During this complex biochemical process, calories are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function. Even when you’re at rest you’re body is working hard circulating blood, adjusting hormone levels, growing and repairing cells and breathing.

Your basal metabolic rate (BMR), is what we call our metabolism. Your BMR accounts for about 60 to 75 percent of the calories you burn every day and several factors go into determining your individual basal metabolic rate:

1. Your body’s size and composition. It’s true that people who are larger or have more muscle burn up more calories, especially at rest.
2. Your gender. Sorry ladies, but men usually have less body fat and thus more muscle than women do. Even at the same age and weight men usually burn more calories when at rest.
3. Your age. The closer you get to being ‘over the hill,’ muscle mass tends to decrease as fat makes up more of your weight.

So what about the other 25 to 30 percent of the calories your burn every day? There are two other factors here and these are the ones you have the most potential to change:

1. Thermogenesis: Chalk up about 10 percent of the calories used every day to digesting, absorbing, transporting and storing the food you consume.
2. Physical Activity: Your daily exercise accounts for the rest of the calories your body burns up each day.

It’s very tempting to play the blame game and say your weight or weight gain is because of your metabolism. Because metabolism is a natural process based upon your body’s natural factors, your body automatically balances it to meet your individual needs.

How can you affect your metabolism in a way to achieve your weight loss program and goals?

Well, start by counting your calories. Weight gain is most commonly the result of eating more calories than you burn. To lose weight you need to create an energy deficit by eating fewer calories and increasing the number of calories you burn through physical and strength training activities. 

Regular aerobic exercises paired with strength training is your best bet. Try incorporating at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity into your daily routine to increase the amount of calories your body burns daily. Next, try lifting weights. Because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue muscle mass is a key factor in burned calories thus weight loss.

It’s time to own up to your weight, assess what you can do differently and get moving to make those changes that lead you to a successful weight loss program!