We probably all know the person who battles with weight struggles,
pinning the problem down to their apparent ‘slow metabolism’, some even
arguing that this has even been passed down to them through ancestors
suffering with these dodgy genes that hinder any potential weight loss.
However, just how true is this? Do overweight and obese people really
suffer with a ‘slow metabolism’?
On the flip side there are then the people who regularly consume
takeaways, chocolate bars, beers, without seemingly growing a belly of
any kind, don’t add any inches to their waist, and don’t seem to gain a
single pound. How do they do it? Are they superhuman compared to the
rest of us, do they work incredibly hard at the gym on a regular basis
on the sly, or are they possessed with a metabolism faster than the
speed of light?
Firstly, we must understand what exactly a
person’s metabolism is. Many people automatically assume that
metabolism is merely the body burning up calories, and thus leading to
weight loss. Whilst this is half-true, there is more to it than this. In
fact metabolism is the complex process by which the body breaks down
food and converts it into energy (measured in kilojoules). Therefore
surely somebody with a ‘slow metabolism’ would actually not receive the
necessary energy from the food they eat and would actually lose weight!
The breaking down of food and conversion to energy are processes
called anabolism (constructive metabolism) and catabolism (destructive
metabolism). In anabolism, small molecules are changed into larger, more
complex molecules of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Anabolism to
work successfully, needs energy via the calories in food, and is the
process by which the body stores energy. In catabolism, the large
molecules are broken down by cells in order to release energy and
dispose of waste. This energy release provides fuel for anabolism.
Therefore anabolism and catabolism exist in balance with each other and
are the two most important factors of metabolism.
An important term that should be taken into account when considering
weight gain/weight loss is basal metabolic rate (BMR). This refers to
how many calories you use up over the course of a day if you just did
nothing besides resting all day long. Basically it is the release and
use of energy purely for the functioning of vital organs to keep you
alive including; heart lungs, nervous system, kidneys, etc.
A good, accurate reading of a person’s BMR is taken by analysing
their levels of oxygen breathed in and the amount of carbon dioxide
breathed out. The best times to deduce a more accurate reading are first
thing in the morning, after an overnight fast, or when the person is
lay down in relaxing and comfortable surroundings. After testing BMRs
for a number of people, scientists have found in numerous studies that
overweight people actually use up more energy to keep their bodies
ticking along. This is mainly because larger individuals will have
bigger organs and muscles to go with their larger frame.
Therefore it makes little sense for somebody overweight to blame this
on a ‘slow metabolism’. If anything, they will no doubt have a higher
BMR in comparison to those of a more average weight as their bodies and
muscles have to work that little bit harder each day to cope with the
extra weight. More muscle mass results in more energy being expended
when dormant and a higher metabolic rate. In general, men tend to have
much larger muscle mass than women and will thus typically have a higher
BMR too.
So what about the person who is overweight and blames this on their
‘slow metabolism’? You can now tell them that this is just a myth.
Remember that weight loss only happens when the amount of energy the
body uses is more than the amount of energy it is taking in. If the body
is taking in more calories than it is burning up, then these calories
will be turned into and stored as fat.
A ‘slow’ or ‘fast’ metabolism depends is the basal metabolic rate;
somebody with a low BMR will burn fewer calories whilst resting compared
to somebody else with a high BMR. Those who want to lose weight will
need to re-evaluate their daily diet intake and consider becoming more
active. Eating less, or moving more are the obvious ways to lose weight,
but preferably doing both would be advantageous. In addition, both
weight training and aerobic exercise are sure-fire ways to start
increasing your BMR. There should be no excuse that a ‘slow metabolism’
is in your genes when you can start doing something about it today!
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