Most fitness athletes want to learn about their metabolism to better understand how they can live healthier or lose weight more effectively. Find here the most important information about the function and activation of your metabolism.
Why does a person need a metabolism?
Due to its metabolism, humans can gain energy and construction materials from their food. Through a variety of biochemical reactions foods are broken down into ever smaller components, so that these building blocks can finally be processed by human cells. The metabolism thus serves to maintain body functions. A healthy metabolism is the basis for a healthy life and optimal body weight.
Which factors determine your total calorie consumption?
In addition to your basal metabolic rate, your performance rate has a large share of your individual metabolic rate and thus of your daily total calorie consumption.
The basal metabolic rate is, among other things, influenced by age, gender, body weight, height and muscle mass, and is the amount of energy that your body uses at rest (such as when sleeping). This energy is needed by your body for vital functions such as digestion as well as organ and brain activity. Your muscle mass affects your calorie consumption, because the more muscles you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate is. The basal metabolic rate accounts for about 70% of daily calorie consumption.
Your daily physical and mental activities determine your performance rate. Exhausting activities lead to higher energy consumption. The performance rate represents about 20-25% of the daily calorie consumption.
The remaining 5-10% of calories are burned by the thermal effects of food. This is the energy your body needs to metabolize the ingested food. That`s right, you also consume calories when digesting. Your daily total calorie consumption is the sum of these values.
How active is my metabolism?
Measuring your individual metabolic rate is not that easy. A common method in fitness centers and medical facilities today is the so-called “spirometry”, which measures the composition and volume of your breath and your oxygen consumption. From the results of the measurement, the metabolic basal metabolism can be calculated and statements on physical performance can be made. The data also have a very practical use, because together with information from a professional fitness check they serve personal trainers and nutritionists as the basis for the creation of individual nutrition and weight loss programs.
Why do people gain weight?
Nature has designed our body to always prepare for times of shortage and hunger. Therefore, excess energy from food that is not used immediately is stored for later use in the form of body fat. The main reasons for gaining weight, in addition to eating too much food, are poor nutrition, lack of exercise or disease, all of which have a negative impact on the metabolism.
Conclusion: tips for a more active metabolism
Have fun with a healthy and active life. If you have fun, you are much more motivated. There are sufficient reasons to live healthy and active. An active metabolism and a better attitude to life are two very important reasons to give up unhealthy habits. Find the key reasons that matter most to you.
Increase your basal metabolic rate. As you’ve already read, your basal metabolic rate accounts for 70% of your total daily calorie intake. Be active, walk by foot and increase your muscle mass through regular workouts. Avoid “sitting marathons” in the office by getting up and moving regularly.
Nourish yourself. You should love nutrients because your quality of life builds on that. Make the amount and variety of nutrients the main criterion of your diet. As a result, you no longer have to think about what to buy as a snack or for dinner in the supermarket.
Avoid brutal diets. Hunger diets are not good for body, mind and soul. It has often been stated that hard diets are rather counterproductive in many ways. Plan your healthy and slim lifestyle long term and learn to eat disciplined. Healthy eating habits are a very important basis for a good figure and a good attitude to life.
Avoid negative effects on your metabolism. There are many factors that affect your metabolism negatively, such as stress, an unhealthy lifestyle, too little sleep, alcohol and smoking.
