By now, you already have a sense of how metabolism relates to weight loss (catabolic metabolism, or breaking cells down and transforming them into energy). To understand this process even more clearly, we can introduce a very important player in the weight loss game: the calorie.

Calories

Calories are simply units of measure. They aren’t actually things in and of themselves; they are labels for other things, just like how an inch really isn’t anything, but it measures the distance between two points. So what do calories measure? Easy: they measure energy.

Yup, the evil calorie – the bane of the dieter’s existence – is really just a 3-syllable label for energy. And it’s important to highlight this, because the body itself, despite its vast intelligence (much of which medical science cannot yet understand, only appreciate in awe) does not really do a very intelligent job of distinguishing good energy from bad.

Actually, to be blunt, the body doesn’t care about where the energy comes from. Let’s explore this a little more, because it’s very important to the overall understanding of how to boost your metabolism, particularly when we look at food choices. In our choice-laden grocery stores, with dozens of varieties of foods – hundreds, perhaps – there seems to be a fairly clear awareness of what’s good food, and what’s bad or junk food.

For example, we don’t need a book to remind us that, all else being equal, a plum is a good food, whereas a tub of thick and creamy double-fudge ice cream is a bad food. Not bad tasting, of course; but, really, you won’t find many fit people eating a vat of ice cream a day, for obvious reasons. So what does this have to do with calories and energy? It’s this: while you and I can evaluate our food choices and say that something (like a plum) is a healthy source of energy, and something else (like a tub of ice cream) is an unhealthy source of energy, the body doesn’t evaluate. 

Really. It sounds strange and amazing, but the body really doesn’t care. To the body, energy is energy. It takes whatever it gets, and doesn’t really know that some foods are healthier than others. It’s kind of like a garbage disposal: it takes what you put down it, whether it should go down or not. So let’s apply this to the body, and to weight gain. When the body receives a calorie – which, as we know, is merely a label for energy – it must do something with that energy.

In other words, putting all other nutrients and minerals aside, if a plum delivers 100 calories to the body, it has to accept those 100 calories. The same goes for 500 calories from a (small) tub of ice cream: those 500 calories have to be dealt with. Now, the body does two things to that energy: it either metabolizes it via anabolism, or it metabolizes it via catabolism. That is, it will either convert the energy (calories) into cells/tissue, or it will use that energy (calories) to break down cells.

Now the link between calories/energy, metabolism, and weight loss becomes rather clear and direct. When there is an excess of energy, and the body can’t use this energy to deal with any needs at the time, it will be forced to create cells with that extra energy. It has to. It doesn’t necessarily want to, but after figuring out that the energy can’t be used to do anything (such as help you exercise or digest some food), it has to turn it into cells through anabolism.

And those extra cells? Yup, you guessed it: added weight! In a nutshell (and nuts have lots of calories by the way, so watch out and eat them in small portions...), the whole calorie/metabolism/weight gain thing is really just about excess energy. When there are too many calories in the body – that is, when there’s too much energy from food – then the body transforms those calories into stuff. And that stuff, most of the time, is fat. Sometimes, of course, those extra calories are transformed into muscle; and this is usually a good thing for those watching their weight or trying to maintain an optimal body fat ratio.

In fact, because muscles require calories to maintain, people with strong muscle tone burn calories without actually doing anything; their metabolism burns it for them. This is the primary reason why exercising and building lean muscle is part of an overall program to boost your metabolism; because the more lean muscle you have, the more places excess calories can go before they’re turned into fat.

A Final Word About Fat

There’s a nasty rumor floating around out there that fat cells are permanent. And the nastiest thing about this rumor is that it’s true. Yes, most experts conceded that fat cells – once created – are there for life. Yet this doesn’t spell doom and gloom to those of us who could stand to drop a few pounds. Because even though experts believe that fat cells are permanent, they also agree that fat cells can be shrunk. So even if the absolute number of fat cells in your body remains the same, their size - and hence their appearance and percentage of your overall weight - can be reduced.

Recap

So while we haven’t gone into any medical detail – because we don’t need to or want to – we have covered some key basics about metabolism. In fact, you probably know as much about metabolism now as many so-called experts. The bottom line is simply that metabolism represents a process – countless processes, in fact – that convert food into energy. When this process creates cells, it’s called anabolism. When this process breaks cells down, it’s called catabolism.

For people trying to lose weight, it’s important to experience catabolism. That is, it’s important convert food into energy that is used to break cells down. Catabolism is also important because it prevents excess energy (calories) from being stored by the body. Remember: when the body has too many calories – regardless of what food source those calories came from – it can only do two things. It can desperately try and see if you have any energy needs (like maybe you’re running a marathon at the time).

Or, more often, it will have to store those calories. It has no choice. And unless you have lean muscle that is gobbling up those excess calories, you’ll be adding fat. The remainder of this book, however, is going to point you in the opposite direction. You’ll learn various techniques, tips, and strategies to boost your metabolism.

Dropping weight is a challenge for a lot of, however it doesn't have to an insurmountable one. There are lots of ways to make your fat burning goal more accessible. If one method does not work for you, you can always attempt something else. The essential thing is to keep at it. Read through this post to find out great deals of excellent concepts and ideas to assist you lose weight.

Eating protein with each meal will certainly, produce weight reduction. Filling up on lean protein will certainly be more satisfying to you then carbs or fats will. It will fill you up much faster and keep you complete for longer amount of times. If you fill on carbs, you will find that about an hour or two later, you will be starving once more.

Make certain to get the correct quantity of water every day. When your body is dehydrated, it has the tendency to hold on to fat stores due to the fact that water is required to flush out your system. Drinking sufficient water every day, especially if you have not been, assists to flush your system and make you leaner.

Get a good friend to be your weight-loss workout pal. Not only will having a close friend hold you accountable so you will not bypass your workout for a night on the couch, but it will likewise inspire you to work harder. The friendly competition will certainly spur you to press yourself a little even more during each workout.

Consider merely turning off the television if you want to lose even more weight. When they integrate eating with seeing their favorite programs, researches have actually revealed that people consume considerably more calories. Instead, sit down together as a household and focus on talking to one another and enjoying your meal.

Do not forget to also watch exactly what you drink when you are seeing exactly what you eat. Study the calories of your preferred beverages so that you can fit them into your diet comfortably. Likewise, switch to "light" versions of your drinks of selection to 'shave excess calories off' your daily intake.

Eating morning meal is among the most fundamental parts of losing weight. You have a much better opportunity at losing and maintaining any weight loss when you eat breakfast. Starting your day off right sets up a favorable attitude and helps you make valuable options for the rest of the day.

One simple means to deceive yourself into eating less is to use a smaller plate. When you make use of a large plate, you have tendency to desire to fill it. You can fill a small plate like a dessert plate to the edges without feeling guilty about consuming everything on it.

To seriously add to your weight reduction efforts, drink 16 ounces of water right prior to a meal. Not just is it simply plain healthy to start with, those 2 glasses of water will certainly fill you up and no matter how excellent the meal is you will consume less! It might be much easier said than done, particularly when you are hungry however it is a wonderful means to truly reduce weight!

If you are trying to drop weight during the holiday, it can be difficult with so many parties and gatherings where there are high fat, high calorie, foods and treats served. To keep yourself on track, consume a healthy and filling meal ahead of time. You can still indulge while you are there, however you will consume less than if you had actually appeared hungry.

You ought to not compare yourself to other people when trying to lose weight because exactly what works for a single person, might not work for another. Individuals do not drop weight at the same rate and the technique is to determine exactly what works finest for you then, persevere. Remember, the basic formula of using up more calories than you take in, consume plenty of water, and consume healthy, for your plan to work.

Find a non-food method to reward your efforts. Rather of treating yourself to a hot fudge sundae for reaching a weight-loss or fitness objective, treat yourself to a brand-new workout outfit, a round of mini-golf or a health spa treatment. This will certainly train your brain to associate success with these sort of activities, rather than food.

Hopefully, a few of these pointers will certainly help you in reaching your goal. Experimentation and education to see what will certainly work in your situation will be essential in reaching your goals. If you stick to it, whether you can get there in a month or even 6 you can attain your weight loss objectives.

Minimizing weight is a trouble for a lot of, however it does not have to an overwhelming one. If one approach does not work for you, you can constantly try something else. Eating protein with each meal will certainly, cause fat burning. Filling on lean protein will be more pleasing to you then carbs or fats will.

Hopefully, a few of these weight loss tips will certainly help you in reaching your goal. Testing and education to see precisely what will work in your circumstance will definitely be important in reaching your goals. If you adhere to it, whether you can arrive in a month and even six you can attain your weight management goals.

Author : Robert Sanders Sanders