Fact Files : What is my metabolism?

The speed at which your body burns energy (calories/kilojoules) is called the metabolic rate. Think of it like the way a car uses up petrol. An idling car uses up some fuel. When the car is moving it uses more, and when it accelerates up a hill it will use a lot more petrol.

Our bodies work the same way. We burn some calories even when we are relaxing or asleep (i.e. like an idling car) because it takes energy to maintain our normal body temperature and to keep our lungs, heart, brain, and other organs working. When we engage in activities, the more strenuous they are, the more calories we burn (i.e. like a car moving at a slow pace versus speeding).

Dieting slows Your Metabolism

Our bodies do not understand the concept of dieting. As far as it is concerned, a diet is starvation, and it does not know how long the starvation period will last. So it clings to fat like a motorist who is running out of gas and preserves fuel. Remember the last time you were driving along the highway and suddenly noticed that the gas gauge was below empty? You tried to remember how far below “E” your gauge will go. You went easy on the accelerator, driving very smoothly, and turned off the engine at stop lights to conserve gas until you got to the station.

Your body does the same sort of thing when food is in short supply. It turns down the metabolic flame to save as much of the fat on your body as possible until the starvation period is over, because fat is the body’s fuel reserve. This is very frustrating to dieters. They often find that, even though they are eating very little, their bodies do not easily shed the kilos. Even worse, the slowed metabolism can continue beyond the dieting period, sometime for weeks. For that reason, fat is easily and rapidly accumulated again after the dieting period. This causes the familiar yo-yo phenomenon, in which dieters lose some weight, then re-bound to a higher weight than started with.

There is another problem with skimpy eating. Not only does the body lower the metabolic flame to conserve energy; it also gets ready to take maximal advantage of any food source it finds. It is not a question of weak or gluttony. The human body has a built-in tendency to binge after periods of starvation. Your body assumes that any food in front of you might be the only calorie source you might have a while, so it demands a binge. Therefore binges come from diets. For a similar reason, it is best not to skip meals. Skipping breakfast and lunch leads to overeating later in the day.

So if you’re looking for an effective way to lose weight, forget the word ‘diet’. Quick weight loss and fad diets have little hope of long term success.

The point to remember though is that your metabolic rate can be changed. The solution is gradual dietary changes you can live with and consistent physical activity you can stick to. Making permanent changes to your eating habits (i.e. eating regular meals and no more fad – low calorie diets) and getting regular physical activity each day can help increase your metabolic rate and produce gradual but effective weight loss.

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