Metabolism and Weight Loss

You may have heard the word metabolism being used when describing weight loss, but what does this term actually mean? Usually, a poor metabolism is blamed for weight gain, but is it really the culprit?

Metabolism is used to describe all the chemical reactions taking place within the body when converting food into energy. When we eat food, the calories we eat combine with oxygen to create energy. This energy is then used to fuel all the many processes of the body.

At rest the body needs a lot of energy to function, such as breathing,
growing and repairing cells, brain activity and more. The energy needs of the body at rest is called the basal metabolic rate. This is the minimum energy the body requires to carry out basic activities.

Basal metabolic rate varies based on gender, the size and shape of your body and age. For some people the basal metabolic rate may be high, resulting in more calories being burned, causing a reduction in weight. In other people, the basal metabolic rate may be low, which can cause an increase in weight. This can be illustrated in the diagram on the right (click to enlarge)

The key to losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle it to burn more calories and reduce caloric intake. Here is an example of what it takes to burn off some of our favourite foods:

Despite all the weight loss products available, the fundamentals remain the same. A healthy diet and exercise will always be the key to good health and improved quality of life.