Keen To Be Lean? ? Some Metabolic Musings

Metabolism is the process by which your body changes food into living tissue and changes living tissue into energy and waste products. Metabolic Rate is the speed at which the body uses energy (burns calories.) There are two genetically-determined types of people; those with a naturally low metabolic rate (slow fuel burners), and those with a naturally high metabolic rate (fast fuel burners). Slow fuel burners tend to have trouble keeping weight off.

Two primary concepts will help to explain how metabolic rate may be increased:

1.) Diet affects metabolic rate.

2.) Lean body mass, or muscle, is essential for fast and efficient fuel burning.

1.) Diet Affects Metabolic Rate

A balanced diet that includes complex carbohydrates, proteins, healthy types/ quantities of fats, adequate supplies of vitamins and minerals, etc. will effectively fuel your metabolism. Taking in an appropriate number of calories to meet your needs by eating regular, healthy meals and snacking on healthy low calorie foods will keep your metabolism working efficiently throughout the day.

On the other hand, if you skip meals or follow a diet that's too low in calories, you will send the message to your body that you are starving. To compensate for this perceived threat of starvation your body will lower it's metabolic rate and you will burn fewer calories.

2.)Lean Body Mass, or muscle, is essential for fast and efficient fuel burning.

An average body burns about 2 calories per day per pound of fat and about 35 calories per day per pound of muscle. Muscles are always metabolically active, even when you are sleeping.

Weight-bearing exercise speeds up your metabolic rate quite simply because it builds muscle and for each pound of muscle gained, your body will burn about 35 more calories per day. As well, you will get the added benefit of burning off calories and fat deposits as a direct result of the energy used in doing the exercises. Exercise will help to attain a leaner, stronger, metabolically efficient body.

On the other hand, if you fail to exercise adequately while reducing your caloric intake, up to one third of the weight loss is likely to be muscle, not fat, leaving your body burning 35 fewer calories each day per pound of muscle lost. i.e. If you make your goal only a goal to 'lose 9 pounds', at the end of the diet you are likely to have lost up to 3 pounds of muscle and your body will be burning about 105 fewer calories per day. i.e. Again? your metabolic rate will have become slower, making it easy for the fat to creep back on in a short period of time.

In summary, for metabolism to function in prime form and lead to your attainment of that lean look you'd like to keep forever and learn to love, both a balanced diet and adequate exercise are required.

Visit http://www.fatfreebutdelicious.com for low fat dessert, treats and snack recipes.

---

4 Tips for Fast Fat Loss Part I

Fat Loss Tip #1) Train With WeightsWorking out with weights... Read More

Read Food Labels To Lose Weight

I was at the grocery store the other day, doing... Read More

Facts You Need To Know About A Low Carb Diet

What is low carb?We've all heard about the Atkins diet... Read More

Can?t Lose Weight? It May Not Be Your Fault!

Are you frustrated with your weight problem and don't know... Read More

Diet Pills and Consumer Fraud

Diet pills have met with many different fates, and come... Read More

Body Fat Distribution Factors

Most men and women put on weight differently. But on... Read More

Lose Weight Permanently And Maximize Health With New Diet & Exercise Habits

I'm sick of all the fad diets I see people... Read More

7 Part Plan To Beating Childhood Obesity

Everyone from politicians to parents is talking about fighting the... Read More

Phentermine Side Effects

When you're taking Phentermine, you should go to the emergency... Read More

Tips for Weight Loss

For a healthy body, it is very important to have... Read More

Lose Weight - Find Hidden Calories

If it seems that you have been eating as usual... Read More

3 Steps Gastric Bypass Patients Can Take to Avoid Calcium Deficiency

Most Americans do not get enough calcium in their diets;... Read More

After Gastric Bypass: Some Tough Love on Grieving Food

New gastric bypass patients say they miss food, they grieve... Read More

Is There a New Fat Loss Miracle on the Horizon?

For the past several years one subject has been coming... Read More

Does It Matter If You Are Overweight?

Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated... Read More

The Key to Weight Loss: The INSIDE OUT Factor ? The #1 Mindset in Changing Your Weight Forever!

WHAT DOES BEING FIT REALLY MEAN?The "INSIDE-OUT" approach to fitness... Read More

High Carb & Low Carb Diets: How To Avoid The Dangers

There's a two hundred year history of people prescribing both... Read More

5 Diet Pill Free Weightloss Tips For Powerful Living

Before you even think of taking diet pills to lose... Read More

Obesity:The Gateway to Diseases

Do you know the name of that one disease which... Read More

3 Ways Going with the Flow Will Make You Fat - And What To Do About It!

Wanna know the truth? If you're going to... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #14

You know what is so amazing? We get to keep... Read More

What Cows Know About Weight Loss That We Have Forgotten

I want to talk to you about cows and what... Read More

Seven Reasons Why You Might Take Hoodia

Good health is all too easily taken for granted until... Read More

How Did I Get So FAT!

"I never saw it coming, how did I get so... Read More

Pick Up Your Pen and Lose Weight!

Although every dieter knows that keeping food records is a... Read More

Hollywood Weight Loss Secrets ? Five Things to Avoid!

As an employee of famous fitness star Kathy Smith, personal... Read More

5 Ways To Make Protein Benefit You

Imagine this ... What if you could ?Increase the rate... Read More

Why Did Your Diet Fail You? Or Did You Fail Your Diet?

Are you someone who has, in the past, been on... Read More

Hear What Your Diet Pills Say

Used a diet pill recently and got depressed because you... Read More

Loss Your Weight

WEIGHT LOSS:Nutrition and weight-loss researchers say that some supplements can... Read More

Simple Plans for Social Eating and Travel

It's one thing to stick with your diet regimen when... Read More

Four Steps to Hunger Control

Axiom Number Two: Hunger ControlTrying to lose weight without understanding... Read More

Go for Scientific Weight Loss

Considering the US Center for Disease Control's advice is a... Read More