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The Basics of Our Metabolism
Health | January 13, 2015
So What Exactly Is Our Metabolism?
Metabolism is generic term that covers the variety of chemical processes that occur in our bodies to provide energy, grow and recover. Our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) measures how many calories we burn on an average day. Knowing your BMR will allow you to better assess your daily caloric intake. It’s helpful to know what your BMR is when trying to shed excess weight or fat or even gain weight by limiting or increasing one’s calories.
Factors That Affect Your Metabolism
The speed and efficiency of our Basal Metabolic Rate are affected by a variety of factors including age, gender, genetic predispositions, etc. Age, in particular, can be a significant factor. Between the ages of 25-30 our BMR drops by 2% or more for each succeeding decade of our lives. This factor alone helps explain why we sometimes gain weight in our late twenties and thirties without having made any major changes to our lifestyles. Menopause is another factor affecting our BMR as we get older.
Still, the variances between what are considered fast or slow metabolisms are usually only 200-300 calories. That’s not nearly as significant as people sometimes assume it is though over time it can definitely affect us.
Exercise Really Does Boost Your Metabolism
More than any other factor, exercise and building lean muscle will boost your metabolism. Scientifically speaking, numerous studies now demonstrate this to be a fact. A recent study done at Appalachian State University showed that 45 minutes of vigorous cycling elevated the participants’ BMR for up to 14 hours. Imagine what a 20-minute HIIT routine at the Zgym is doing!
An even more compelling study lead by Dr. Robert Gerszten, the director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, showed that even 10 minutes of exercise drastically affected our metabolism. The study examined blood samples of participants before and after exercising and found profound, positive changes to their metabolic rate that persisted long after exercising. An important finding in the study was that people who were already considered fit burned twice as much fat than people who were not due to a more efficient metabolism.
There’s no need for us to make excuses about our slow or sluggish metabolism when we know that exercise can remedy even the slowest among us. No excuses, Warriorz!
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I highly recommend a book titled ‘forever fat loss’ it’s written by Ari Whitten. He explains metabolism (he’s an expert on it) I found his book to be enlightening and very helpful! 🙂
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medicine hat, alberta, canada
hi Zuzka. ..thanks for the comment posting. My metabolism must have been decreased over the last few years I find it easier to put on weight harder to take it off and more lazy 🙁 ic your workout I watch them first, to get the routine down and then my chest just can’t seem to get it going you make it seem so easy. I know that you put beginners information in and for that I’m grateful I’m not sure why I have aversion to working out your body is very motivating, so this next month I have made a simple goal I can’t say because I can’t, but it’s a simple one and I’m going to join the siege him again, that’s my membership has lapsed in the last month. I own a membership to a monthly gym but because I’m fatterthen I am comfortable, I am sadly embarrassed to go.I really like your site and the changes that have come since you have being apart from Bodyrock. I sometimes miss thethe something that you had some kind of emotional connection with the camera / audience.your workout seemed very concise and pointed some were very long, and breathless and others were simple and deeply effective. I favor the workouts now as they are all yours and your own style is beautiful. Thanks for all your wonderful content that you have allowed nonzgym members to have as not everyone can always have that extra ten dollars for the membership. Even though it is low, sometimes we just have too many bills. Have a wonderfilled day tomorrow of its still nite for you there when this is posted. Love T.