Just about everyone has at least one person in their life that can literally stuff his or her mouth with delicious high calorie foods like burgers and cake without gaining a single ounce. When asked about this, these people often attribute the inability to gain excess weight on their metabolism. Have you ever wondered if you increase metabolism you will decrease your weight? If you’ve ever thought about this and are wondering if you can lose more weight if you increase your metabolism, keep reading because we’re going to look at some interesting facts.

Exactly what is metabolism?

Metabolism is the process through which the body uses the energy produced from food nutrition for the various physiological and non physiological functions.

Energy metabolism is the process that the body uses to chemically process the calories in the food we eat and convert it to energy. This energy is them used for physiological functions. The body needs energy to manage core bodily functions like circulating blood, repairing cellular damage, breathing and secreting hormones even when the body is resting.

The metabolic rate can be defined as the number of calories needed to keep the body functioning even when at rest; this is known as the base metabolic rate and it can be calculated by multiplying your weight by 10, so if you weigh 120 lbs you base metabolic rate will be 1200 calories. This means that any food consumption that gives you more than 1200 calories a day will lead to weight gain regardless of the type of food item.

Can you really lose weight if you increase your metabolism?

The process of metabolism is completely natural. While the metabolism is fine tuned to meet the energy needs of different physiological systems, there are some factors that can have an impact on the metabolic rate including physical activity, nutrition, age, and gender.

Individuals that have a high metabolic rate burn calories faster than individuals with slower metabolism. If two people were tested, one with a high metabolism and the other with a slow metabolism, the results would show that the person with a slow metabolism will burn calories slower than the individual with a high metabolic rate.

Can you really change or increase metabolism?

Yes, you can increase your metabolism and this will have a direct bearing on your weight loss goals. Among the various factors that impact the metabolic rate is aging. Most people find that it gets progressively hard to lose weight as they grow older; this can be attributed to a decreasing metabolic rate. However, there are some remarkably simple steps that can be taken to speed up your metabolism and keep obesity at bay. These include strength training and aerobic exercises which contribute greatly in boosting your metabolic rate.

Aerobic exercise and strength training will increase muscle tissue. This is what increases metabolism. Muscles need more calories than fatty tissues to maintain and repair themselves. Some supplements and foods will increase your metabolism, allowing you to lose weight in the process.

Is increasing your metabolism the only thing that you will need to lose weight?

Even though increasing your metabolism can help you lose weight faster and reach your weight loss goals sooner, it’s unwise to rely solely on a higher metabolic rate for weight loss. There’s no way you should expect to lose weight while gorging yourself on sugar, carbohydrate, and fat laden foods simply because you’ve been able to increase metabolism.

It’s important to remember that any calories above the needs of the base metabolic rate will be turned into fat that’s stored in the cells. If you consume more calories than your body needs, you will either have to burn these calories or add inches to your waist line. This is the reason that it’s critical to follow an exercise regimen and healthy diet when you’re trying to lose weight.

It’s a good idea to discuss your individual needs with a dietitian and do your best not to eat more than the base calories that your body needs. This doesn’t mean you have to starve yourself or stick to strict diet regimen. In fact, doing so will likely have an adverse impact on the natural metabolic rate. The best option when trying to increase metabolism is to eat a balanced diet that includes every nutritional group.

Learn more about increasing your metabolism. Stop by Michael Gale’s site where you can learn how you can easily increase your metabolism and what the 101 tips can easily do for you.

  Tags: Diets, Diet