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Hard Exercise and
Metabolism
You've probably heard the
phrase “I have a fast metabolism.” uttered by a skinny person. You may have
also heard “I have a slow metabolism.” uttered by a heavy set person. In
fact, you may have even said, or at least thought, such a thing about
yourself. Here are three big questions that you should ask yourself, though.
What is metabolism?
There are a couple ways to describe metabolism. The most in-depth way is
that it's the series of chemical reactions within the human body. Those
reactions are necessary for all aspects of our lives. They help with things
like energy conversion and
growth.
Metabolism takes place when a series of enzymes are used to convert
chemicals into other chemicals. By using these enzymes, along with
spontaneous releases of energy, the body can do one of two major things,
depending on the type of metabolism.
You see, metabolism can be divided into two types. There's Anabolism, which
can help to create nucleic acids and proteins. There's also Catabolism,
though. Catabolism is a process of cellular respiration. Essentially, it
breaks down organic components into energy that the body can use to
function.
Another, and perhaps easier, way to define metabolism is that it is the rate
at which your body burns calories. For example, your resting
metabolic rate
is known as the RMR. Everybody's RMR is different, but your RMR makes up
about sixty-five to seventy-five percent of the calories that you're going
to burn each day. Now this brings me to the second question that you should
be asking.
Can a person actually have a particularly slow or particularly fast
metabolism?
The answer to that question is definitely, yes. A person can indeed be
predisposed to having either a slow metabolism or a fast one. For some
people that means they can seemingly eat anything and never
gain weight. For
others, though, it sometimes feels as though they can pack on the
pounds by
just looking at a cookie or cupcake the wrong way.
Of course, that's not really true. You do have to actually eat to
gain
weight. For some people, though, it's a lot easier to keep the pounds off
than for others. The good news is, though, that you aren't necessarily stuck
with a slow metabolism, if you happen to be one of those people. The third
big question is, how do you control your
metabolism instead of it
controlling you?
Metabolism and Exercise:
Well, as mentioned above, RMR only accounts for up to three quarters of your
calorie expenditure in a day. There are two things that make up the rest.
The first is calorie burning related to food digestion, which makes up no
more than about ten percent of the daily expenditure. The second is energy
expended from the physical activities of daily life.
Can hard exercise elevate your metabolic rate? Well, yes, it certainly can.
If you're taking in less calories than your body needs during exercise it
will start to metabolize existing energy sources in your body. In other
words, it will raid your fat deposits. That can be a great way to lose some
weight and temporarily increase your metabolism.
What you need to understand, though, is that the
benefits may not work
exactly as you intend them to. For example, many people think that their
metabolism will continue on at a faster rate after they
stop exercising.
Well, if you're just doing a medium sort of
workout, that's true, but not
really worth it. Your metabolism should return to its normal rate within an
hour after you stop exercising and you're only likely to burn around thirty
extra calories.
The Irony of the Situation:
The irony of the situation is that, if you exercise at a much higher
intensity, your metabolism should stay boosted for a
longer time after you
stop. However, people who do high-intensity workouts tend to be professional
athletes, or, at least, people who are already in
great shape. If you're
looking to lose a few pounds, you probably aren't in the condition you need
to be in to do a routine that would help you in that way. As mentioned
earlier, though, some exercise is certainly better than none, as far as
metabolism boosting goes.
Other Metabolism Boosters:
Of course, exercise isn't the only way to boost your metabolism. Changing
your diet and staying properly hydrated, for example, can each play a large
part in weight gain or loss and energy conversion, in general. So, it's a
good idea to talk to your doctor about a diet and exercise routine that will
work best to boost your metabolism, based on your personal issues, such as
age, weight and general health.
What It All Comes Down To:
It all comes down to one thing. Exercise is good for you and it will
increase your metabolism. It's not going to make you
thinner over night,
though. However, provided you have realistic goals in mind, you can increase
your metabolism through exercise and other factors and help yourself to meet
those goals faster.
The causes of muscle fatigue during exercise
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before starting any new diet.
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