What Are The Factors That Affect Metabolic Rate? Your body must carry out millions of chemical reactions to stay alive and operate, which are collectively referred to as the metabolism.
Your metabolism can influence the quantity of energy your body requires at any one time, which can contribute to weight gain. Excess energy is stored in the form of fat.
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Don’t immediately attribute weight gain to a “slow metabolism,” as better food choices and exercise have the greatest impact.
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the energy your body burns only to keep operating at rest, accounts for the majority of the energy consumed in your metabolism (50-80%).
What is metabolism?
The chemical (metabolic) processes that occur while your body turns foods and liquids into energy are referred to as metabolism. To make and release energy, it’s a complicated process that mixes calories and oxygen. This energy is used to power the body’s processes.
What is the basal metabolic rate (BMR)?
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the bare minimum of calories your body requires to function while at rest. This amount differs from one person to the next. Your BMR provides 60-70 percent of the energy your body requires. Rapid weight reduction and aggressive calorie restriction lower your BMR, which is one of the reasons why weight loss is rarely linear and may plateau.
What’s the difference between a fast metabolism and slow metabolism?
Even when at rest, someone with a rapid metabolism or BMR burns a lot of calories. Your body requires fewer calories to stay going if you have a slow metabolism or BMR.
A rapid metabolism does not always imply svelteness. In reality, research have shown that those who are overweight or obese have quick metabolisms. Their bodies require extra energy to maintain basic physiological functions.
10 Factors that Affect your Metabolism
1. Muscle mass. The amount of muscle tissue on your body. Muscle requires more energy to function than fat. So the more muscle tissue you carry, the more energy your body needs just to exist. (Resistance or strength training is most effective for building and maintaining mass.)
2. Age. As you get older, your metabolic rate generally slows. This is because of a loss of muscle tissue and changes in hormonal and neurological processes. During development, children go through periods of growth with extreme rates of metabolism.
3. Body size. Those with bigger bodies have a larger BMR because they have larger organs and fluid volume to maintain.
4. Gender. Men generally have faster metabolisms than women.
5. Genetics. Some families have faster BMR than others with some genetic disorders also affecting metabolism.
6. Physical activity. Exercise increases muscle mass and powers up your metabolic engines burning kilojoules at a faster rate, even when at rest.
7. Hormonal factors. Hormonal imbalances such as hypo & hyperthyroidism can affect your metabolism.
8. Environmental factors. Environmental changes such as increased heat or cold forces the body to work harder to maintain its normal temperature and increases BMR.
9. Drugs. Caffeine and nicotine can increase your BMR whilst medications such as antidepressants and steroids increase weight gain regardless of what you eat.
10. Diet. Food changes your metabolism. What and how you eat has a big influence on your BMR.
This list shows us some things you can change to alter your BMR and some things you can’t. The good news is that you can do plenty to alter the balance.
Chiropractic principles tell us that working to create a body that works well without interference will powerfully affect health. The food, exercise and activity choices that we make can also increase BMR and reduce interference to the nervous system allowing your body to thrive. A win-win situation.
How Can I Have A Healthy Metabolism?
These steps may benefit your metabolism:
- Don’t skip meals. Your metabolism quickly adapts and starts using fewer calories for body functions. If you restrict calories too much, your body starts to break down muscle for energy. A loss of muscle mass slows the metabolism.
- Fuel your metabolism with fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and healthy carbohydrates and fats.
- Strength train or do other weight-resistance type exercises to build muscles.
- Quit smoking. Your metabolism may slow down a bit, but you’ll lower your risk of cancer, heart disease and other problems.
