Increase Your Metabolism with Exercise

What Is Your Metabolism?

One of the many benefits of exercise is to increase metabolism. They are cyclical reactions that take place in the body. Metabolic pathways provide the body with everything it needs to survive. This includes enzymes, hormones, blood, bone and muscles.

Processes in the body rely on metabolism. For example, dead tissue is also broken down and disposed of and it can be used for the production of energy. Via the circulatory system, pathways are created by the foods that we eat which are consequently broken down and distributed throughout the body.

Metabolism is essential for maintaining healthy muscle tissue. The muscle tissue is metabolically active and people with more muscle tend to use more energy.

What Exactly Is Metabolism?

Metabolism refers to a rate of energy usage.

This rate of energy usage is known as metabolic rate and when we are at rest, such as during sleep, we burn calories at a lower rate which is called the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and can be a good indicator of levels of fitness.

Eating Right

Control, regulation and the metabolic rate is important for optimising health. Eating small amounts of food regularly is the key to achieving a higher and more stable rate. Ideally, food should be consumed every 2-3 hours and the stomach should definitely not be left empty for more than 5 hours at a time.

By leaving large gaps between meals, the body resorts to a mode whereby it prepares for starvation, conserving fat and utilising muscles as the main source of energy. The rate then drops and the proportion of muscle decreases while the amount of fat increases.

Blood Sugars

Consuming foods in sporadic patterns results in a large drop in blood sugar levels which can lead to energy slumps and hunger pains. Eating small amounts of food regularly maintains a higher metabolic rate which can help you to slim more easily and quickly with the chance of sustaining such weight loss being that much higher.

This can also help you to maintain steady blood sugar levels and energy levels. Many diet plans such as Slim-Fast suggest that you eat 6 times per day, with others also promoting this type of eating pattern for health benefits.

A healthy, well balanced diet in combination with taking regular physical activity is the key to success for anyone looking to slim, tone up and achieve their target weight with the aim of sustaining such weight loss in a controlled way.