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Metabolism - RCJ
It is hard to believe that we are
already into the fourth month of the New Year. By now, most
of us have abandoned our “New Year Resolution” of shedding a
few pounds. In fact, only one out of one hundred dieters
will lose the weight they want permanently. Many diets fail
because it is nearly impossible to continue to eat the same
foods every day. Another reason for failure is the lack of
physical activity while dieting can lower your daily caloric
requirements or metabolism.
The
Bantam Medical Dictionary defines metabolism as “the sum
of all the chemical and physical changes that take place
with in the body and enable its continued growth and
function.” Simply put, it is a means by which the body uses
energy (calories) in order to function properly.
The body needs a minimum amount of
energy to maintain vital functions such as breathing,
digestion and circulation (basal metabolic rate—BMR.) As we
age, our metabolism slows by 2% per year and most of us find
weight loss harder to achieve.
Weight loss medications claim to
boost your metabolism in order to achieve weight loss—with
very little effort. Many of these “so-called” miracle pills
contain a drug called ephedra which acts like adrenalin in
the body. Ephedra, also called Ma
huang, is a naturally occurring substance derived from
plants. The drug has been band by the Food and Drug
Administration as it raises the blood pressure and stresses
the circulatory system causing heart attacks and strokes.
The good news is that you can
improve your metabolism safely by simply eating right and
exercising.
Yes, food can increase your
metabolism. Many diets fail because they restrict calories
to the point where your metabolism slows, making it more
difficult to lose weight. When the body is starving of
calories (energy), it tends to conserve fat and slows the
metabolism in an attempt to survive. Eventually, the body
begins to break down (catabolism) vital tissue such as
muscle protein for fuel. The immediate weight loss noticed
is the loss of water weight as the body attempts to flush
away a buy-product of protein catabolism known as nitrogen
through the kidneys. The water weight quickly regains as
soon as you replenish the fluid but the muscle wasting will
continue as long as you restrict your calories.
Once you start to lose muscle mass,
your BMR changes as well. One pound of muscle will burn 50
calories a day—at rest. Dieters can lose up to one pound of
muscle for every 3 pounds of fat by restricting fuel the
body needs in order to function. If a dieter loses 10 pounds
of muscle, he or she must consume 500 fewer calories a day
in order to maintain their weight-loss. Additionally,
thyroid hormone production may decrease resulting in even
slower metabolism.
When the dieter returns to their
old ways, the weight regains quickly in the form of fat with
less muscle mass than they had before they started the
diet. Additionally, the dieter will require fewer calories
per day as a result of the loss of lean body mass.
They real key to a successful
weight loss is kicking your metabolism into high gear
through aerobic exercise, strength training, and eating the
right foods. Strength training with either free weights or
resistance bands (at least twice a week) can really boost
your metabolism as well as keep your metabolism high for
many hours after the workout. Aerobic activity such as
walking, jogging, cycling or swimming for 30 minutes a day,
three to four times a week is also essential for successful
weight loss. And don’t forget to eat. Research suggests that
eating small meals frequently can not only boost metabolism,
but also help you to lose weight.
The goal for any diet is to maintain lean body mass while
losing body fat. It is possible to gain one pound of muscle
for every pound of fat lost. Obviously, the scale will not
change, but the pant size will. Remember, a healthy diet is
not a fad diet; rather it is a diet with the right amounts
and types of food in order to achieve and maintain a desired
weight. When combined with physical activity, the health
benefits will continue for years.
Content
of articles can only be used with writer attribution to Dr.
Kevin Weiland.
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