INCREASING metabolic rates has been a topic of interest to many, especially among weight-conscious individuals. Understanding metabolism is crucial for obtaining an optimal metabolic rate. Metabolism is the conversion of energy intake i.e., food consumption into products, including energy and waste. Increasing the rate of conversion is believed to burn off body fat. But is this true?
MSU Medical Centre (MSUMC) health screening and wellness specialist Dr Faridah Mohd Zin explains, “Our body consumes energy in four pathways: basal metabolism, food thermogenesis, nonexercise activities thermogenesis (NEAT) and exercise activities thermogenesis (EAT). More than half of the body’s metabolism is consumed as basal metabolism, for the function of vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, brain and many others (about 60%).
The thermic effect of food has the lowest contribution which involves the energy needed to change the food we eat into substances that are “edible” by our cells i.e., glucose (about 10%). Increasing the metabolic rate would mean increasing the energy-burning rate of the body, which theoretically could be increased by optimising the NEAT, EAT, thermic effect of food and body metabolism.
NEAT is simply the energy consumed when performing daily activity. Optimising daily activities such as cooking while standing or pacing around the room while on the phone has been shown to increase metabolic rates. Since these activities will naturally be done every day, enhancing the energy burned through this pathway could be regarded as an opportunity that should not be missed. Moreover, NEAT is found to be associated with improvement in overall health and helps with body fat reduction.
EAT is the body’s way of consuming energy through structured exercise which primarily includes cardiovascular, strengthening, flexibility and balance. Furthermore, each type should have specific criteria in terms of frequency, intensity, time and types (FITT approach) for different objectives of exercise. For example, in maintaining fitness, a total of 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week is recommended, while a longer duration is needed for body weight reduction.
Food thermogenesis contributes the least to body energy consumption. High lean protein and whole foods burn more energy during metabolism compared to other types of food. Although eating high lean protein and whole foods induces higher thermogenesis, hence a higher metabolic rate, the contribution made in the increment of daily body metabolism is still the lowest.
The major factors contributing to the basal metabolic rate include sex, height, age, ethnicity, body composition and genetic factors. While the body compositions are mainly composed of the vital organs, bones, body fat and muscle mass, the latter two are the only factors that can be intentionally changed.
Total body fat is composed of essential and storage fat. Storage fat is mainly deposited under the skin as subcutaneous fat, or around the body organs as visceral fat. The latter has been shown to have a strong correlation with the increment in cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke. Energy consumption of more than required would be stored in the body as fat. Hence, a negative balance between energy intake and consumption is essential to force our body to use up the storage fat as a source of energy, leading to weight reduction. Since storage fat originates from food intake, adjusting one’s diet is essential for achieving the desired body fat level.
Increasing muscle mass would increase the ability of the body to use up energy. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends regular resistance training exercises as the key to building and keeping muscle. Men and women should participate in muscle-strengthening activities that work the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders and arms) at least two times each week. Examples of musclestrengthening activities include lifting weights, using resistance bands, doing push-ups and some types of yoga. Even everyday activities such as gardening, playing with your kids and carrying groceries can strengthen muscles.
Although resistance training is an important part of a complete exercise regimen, consuming the appropriate amount and type of protein to maintain and build muscles is just as important. On top of that, a healthy balanced diet is crucial to ensure adequate macro- and micro-nutrients needed for a healthy body.
Body metabolism occurs continuously, allowing ongoing opportunities to maximise its effect. Body fat is a way for our body to store unused energy. Hence, optimising the body’s metabolism while eating lower than our body’s daily energy requirement will force our body to burn off energy from the stored body fat. Thus, consistency in maintaining this negative balance in energy will gradually shave off unwanted storage fat.
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