Factors determining Metabolism

Metabolism is a complex process, which is a simple supply and demand analogy.  Your metabolism is defined as your body’s demand for energy. A person with a high metabolism has a higher demand for energy than a person with a low metabolism. As your body uses up its energy, it needs to create more energy for basic bodily functions, activity, and to respond to fight or flight. This process of creating more energy in itself requires energy. Therefore, a person who uses more energy will need to create more energy and will use more.

The human body is extremely efficient.  It knows exactly how much energy it needs to be producing based on age, body type and activity level.

• A high-metabolism person’s energy supply and demand scenario is like a fire hose.
• A low-metabolism person’s energy supply and demand scenario is like a dripping faucet.

There are many factors that influence your body’s energy requirements including age, calorie intake, and activity level.

1. Age

A lot of people think that age is the biggest factor driving your metabolism. If age is the only factor, then everyone who is 30 would look the same. Everyone who is 40 would look the same. Everyone who is 50 would look the same. Clearly, this isn’t the case. There are some people in their 50s who are in much better shape than some people in their 20s. So don’t let anyone tell you that age is the only factor driving your metabolism.

2. Intake of Calories:

It requires energy to digest food and this is the logic behind the idea of eating 4 meals per day to keep your body “constantly burning fat”.  Calorie intake is another misunderstood piece of the metabolism puzzle. If you eat beyond what your body’s energy needs are, you’ll still gain weight. Say you eat a 500 calorie meal and your body burns 20 calories digesting the meal. There are still 480 calories leftover. Now, if you’re active and using up these 480 calories or more either to replenish depleted energy levels from prior exercise or for future exercise then you’re in the clear. If not, then they just get stored as fat. Remember, at the end of the day it’s still a supply and demand equation.

3. Activity: 

The activity level factor is really the key to your metabolism. Your body will supply energy based on your body needs. The best way to raise your metabolism is to be more active. This is tricky because depending on how fit you are; it will take some time for your body to respond.

It is really hard at first for a fat person to undergo very intense exercise. His body won’t provide enough energy to keep up. When he begins to exercise, his body responds instantly because it has seen time again that he means business. More importantly, his body is supplying more energy during rest periods to replenish depleted stores and in anticipation of higher energy demand in the near future.