What Is Metabolism & Why Is It So Important?

Metabolism always comes up when it comes to losing weight. Over and over again, fitness gurus will tell you that knowing your metabolism will help you design a fitness plan that will help you lose weight efficiently and effectively. So what exactly is metabolism and why is it so important? Metabolism is a process wherein your body burns calories in order to sustain life. There are many metabolic processes in the body, all of them occurring within each and every cell.

The more your metabolism is active, the more calories you will burn

The rate in which your body burns calories depends on several factors:

1. Age: the older you get, the slower your metabolism gets

2. Gender: males have faster metabolism than females

3. Activity level: a person that has an active lifestyle can burn calories better than those who are sedentary

4. Diet: eating certain food types can help increase metabolic rate

If you wish for your metabolism to work for you for healthy weight loss, crash dieting will not work.

Consuming less than 1500 calories a day will only slow down your metabolism for the body perceives this as a stage of crisis

Initially, you will lose weight because your body is using your fat and protein reserves for survival. Eventually, your body will reach its peak and no matter how small a meal you consume, your metabolism has already adjusted to a slower rate. As a result, you will just store more fat and not burn more. You will now have cold intolerance, easy fatigability, and dry skin. However, you must not disregard these symptoms as they can indicate other health conditions that can affect your metabolic rate.

Each person has a different metabolic rate, much like a personal finger print. Never compare your own metabolic rate with someone even though you have the same activity level. Whenever you feel that a low-calorie diet may work for you, think again. You need to consider a lot of things about your body before you enter such program for weight loss. Eating moderate and frequent meals will help you better for controlling your metabolism.

Written by Michelle Cruz of Ultimate Fitness Gear, your top source for the Shaun T Insanity Workout. GetInsanity.com.