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Video: Metabolism
Metabolism - how much is in this word
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is also called metabolism. It is the process of complete conversion of chemicals in our body that support development, growth, activity and life in general.
In other words, metabolism is the rate at which the body converts food into energy. A person with a fast metabolism uses energy faster than a person with a slow metabolism.
This process takes place around the clock without a break for sleep. However, by your actions, you can slow down the metabolism or speed it up. First, let's calculate its baseline.
How to measure metabolism
The unit of measurement for metabolism is calorie.
There are the following metabolic levels: baseline level (BOOM) (the amount of energy that the body needs to maintain basic functions - breathing, heartbeat, etc., without taking into account the level of individual activity) and the metabolic rate taking into account physical activity.
The basal metabolic rate can be calculated using the following formula:
BOOM = weight x 24
For example, if your weight is 75 kg, your BOOM will be:
75kg x 24 kcal = 1800 kcal
So, even if a person lies motionless on the bed all day, for normal activity of the brain, heart, lungs, and other organs, you need from 1800 kk per day and above. If you consume less than 1800 kk, in this case, the metabolism will slow down, the body will work in a saving mode. This means that the fats will not go anywhere, on the contrary, they will even be protected, new fat may appear even from the eaten leaf of lettuce. That is why nutritionists and trainers urge young girls not to go on a diet. So it is very easy to get a metabolic disorder, for this it is enough to go on a diet for only 1-2 weeks.
After calculating the BOOM, you can proceed to calculating the metabolism taking into account individual physical activity. An ordinary person who drives a car to work, has a sedentary job, at best, does fitness twice a week, has a low level of physical activity. To find out how many calories this person needs per day, you need to make simple calculations using the following formula:
M = BOOM x 1.3.
For example, a 75 kg person needs 2,340 calories a day to keep the body at a normal metabolic rate.
If your hobby or work is associated with increased physical activity, in this case, multiply your BOOM by 1.6. Well, athletes and workers of heavy physical labor should be multiplied by 2.2 or 2.5, depending on your energy consumption.
What determines the metabolic rate
There are not many factors that affect the metabolic rate. In order of importance: genetics, hormones, muscle count, diet, activity level, stress.
Genetics - we inherit it from our parents. Genetics are expressed in metabolic rate, distribution of adipose tissue and other physiological parameters. And one of the recent studies showed that if a woman gained a lot during pregnancy, then her baby is likely to also face the problem of being overweight.
- Hormonal background - disturbances in the production of thyroid hormones, insulin, sex hormones affect the rate of weight loss and fat accumulation.
- The number of muscles - in simple terms, it is not beneficial for the body to maintain muscle tissue, it has to spend a lot of calories on it. Thus, the more muscles in your body, the faster your metabolism.
- Diet - When you eat healthy food, get enough protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals, your body works better. Heavy diets force him to reduce his calorie expenditure and can lead to serious hormonal imbalances.
- The level of activity is the fundamental factor from which we started to calculate the BOOM.
- Stress - can disrupt the hormonal system, and this is fraught with metabolic problems. Therefore, nutritionists recommend that you move on to a healthy diet without stress and pay attention to its control.
Ways to speed up your metabolism
We are not able to change genetics, but we can find out about the state of the hormonal background and consult a doctor in a timely manner if there are problems.
We can also improve body composition - increase muscle and burn fat through healthy eating and strength training. This will improve your appearance, feel, and burn more calories while relaxing.
Maintaining a high level of non-training activity will eliminate the need to cut your diet too much and jeopardize hormones. Stress control is the key to comfortable weight loss and a high quality of life.
So, our body works constantly, while burning energy 24 hours a day. Even in sleep, the body does not stop working. And, if your goal is to lose weight, the worst thing you can do for yourself is create too much of a calorie deficit.
The smartest thing you can do is keep your metabolism high. This will allow you to burn energy faster, which means that a piece of cake or a few cocktails will not be able to harm you and your figure.
And the most correct thing is a moderate diet and an active lifestyle!
Author: Ekaterina G., nutritionist, fitness blogger (specially for Calorizator.ru)
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