Optimize Your Metabolic System

Many people never mention metabolism except in reference to body weight. While it’s true that the two have a relationship, understanding a few basic facts about metabolism can not only help us control weight, it can help us understand the relationship between our metabolic process and how we either help or hinder it.

Metabolism is the process by which your body gets and makes energy. It’s divided into two basic activities. Anabolism builds up energy stores of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and Catabolism combines them with oxygen and breaks them down into sugars and acids for fuel to perform body functions. Calories, our body’s fuel, are burned during these processes. Our body is always doing this, even when we’re asleep and the rate at which we burn calories when the body is at rest is called our basal metabolic rate.

Basal metabolic rate varies from person to person based on a number of factors:

1. Body size and composition - larger and more muscular people burn calories faster
2. Gender - men generally have less body fat and more muscle, to they usually burn calories faster
3. Age - muscle mass decreases with age, which slows calorie burning
4. Smoking - smoking increases metabolic rate
5. Physical activity - moving more increases metabolic rate
6. Genetics - some genetic backgrounds grow muscle mass more easily
   

It’s in everyone’s best interest to optimize metabolism, because the plain truth is that, when we take in more calories than we use, we’ll gain weight. There are cases where a medical problem causes this weight gain, like Cushing’s Syndrome or hypothyoidism, but weight maintenance is a complex process that involves diet, lifestyle, sleep, environment, and stress. Everyone, however, loses weight when they take in fewer calories than they use. Everyone.

There are ways to help your metabolism help you, however.   

1. Eat well. Fresh fruits and vegetables and only healthy carbs and lean grass fed meats and proteins.
   
2. Strength train or exercise through passive resistance. Build muscle.
   
3. Quit smoking. Yes, your metabolism will slow down temporarily, but your body will compensate and you’ll live longer to enjoy it.
   

So you’ve done all this and still can’t lose weight? You’re not alone. That’s why IFM maintains a special focus on this area of health. All of our providers understand how to help and some even have a specialty in metabolism and weight loss. Come and see us. We want to hear your story.