Diet & Fitness: Go Slim with Metabolic Rate

"It's my metabolism!" Raquel screamed at all of us. It was one of those dull evenings, when five of us, girls, decided to meet for supper at the Indian food stall near to our students' quarters. The usual topics of guys, dating, beauty tips and school assignments went around until we decided to discuss about why people grow fat. The well-rounded, heavy-set Raquel had become embarrassingly quiet. Being young, insensitive and obviously mischievous, the rest of us continued to drag fat people through our verbal mud. That was when Raquel let out that anguish scream. We were stunned for a moment and then burst out laughing. After that incident, Raquel did not join us for supper for quite a number of weeks. We never mentioned "fat" in front of Raquel ever again.

Of course, Raquel was right. She could be on the heavier side due her inactive metabolism. Apparently this infirmity affects far greater number of fat people than previously expected. It is therefore true that by improving our metabolism, we should be burning away those unwanted calories and thus have a better chance in growing slim. All those sluggish fat tissues should be replaced with lean muscle tissues. However, before we dream of having this slim and trim body, let's try to understand what metabolism is all about.

What is Metabolism?
Metabolism is a whole series of complicated cellular activities that happens each time our bodies burn energy or calories. This is extremely vital in maintaining and supporting our daily activities. In another word, metabolism is the amount of energy produced when food is burned. If we were to take the motor of a car as an analogy, metabolism can be symbolized by the speed of the motor that keeps the car moving. This is known as rpm in car and for the human body, it is called metabolism rate.

The good news for fat people is that we are constantly burning calories - whether we are sitting, eating or sleeping. Even our simplest activity for survival like breathing, also requires metabolism. All these subconscious activities are supported by what we called as basal metabolism.

When our daily energy requirement is met, any unused or surplus calories will be stored away, mostly as fat. Therefore, when we consume more calories than needed, we definitely will gain weight. So, when a person's metabolism is low, she will not have the ability to burn the calories fast enough. Her body will start storing up fats even when she consumes very little food. She will need to increase her metabolism rate by doing intensive exercise.

Basically, there are three components that made up metabolism:

1) Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Most of the calories burned, go to support the body's subconscious activities. These include heart beat, breathing, coughing and even maintaining our body's temperature. In fact, about 60 to 70 percent of our energy is used in these activities.

One of the ways to measure BMR is by using the Harris-Benedict Equation:
Males: 66 + (13.7 x W) + (5 x H) - (6.8 x A)
Females: 655 + (9.6 x W) + (1.7 x H) - (4.7 x A)
Where W = actual weight in kg
H = height in cm
A = age in years

For example, 29-year-old Raquel weighing 80kg and 150cm tall, would have BMR = 655 + (9.6 x 80) + (1.7 x 150) - (4.7 x 29)
= 1541.7

2) Physical Activity Energy Expenditure (PAEE)
Our level of physical activities also determines our metabolism rate. Physical activity has a significant effect on energy expenditure and it contributes up to 20 to 30 percent of daily energy use.

3) Thermogenesis or Thermic Effect of Food
This is the final component and it refers to the energy we use to eat, digest and metabolize food. It contributes about 10 percent of energy used. For example, if you eat 2000 calories a day, you should be burning 200 calories a day simply by eating and digesting your food

By adding these three components together, we will know how many calories of food we need.

To increase the metabolism rate we have to create a higher demand for calories to be burned. The best way to achieve this is through physical activities. Cardiovascular exercises are especially ideal in creating a higher demand for energy. The increased metabolism rate will need more food or fuel to burn. If no additional fuel is available, it will naturally burn the excessive fats in the body. As long as no additional fat is added, the body should remain slim and trim.

Here are seven easy tips and hints on how we can increase metabolism.

Drink More Water
Water is the best available liquid for our body because it aids in cleansing the body of cellular wastes. Moreover, when the metabolic rate increases, our body will generate more heat which will then dehydrate cells. You should therefore drink at least eight glasses daily to cleanse your body and keep your cells hydrated.

Break the Fast
Breakfast is the necessary fuel for your body just as petrol is fuel to your car. It is important never to skip breakfast! If you wait until mid-morning or afternoon to eat "brunch", your metabolism rate would have dropped. The same amount of food consumed at different time may produce different results. With a higher metabolism in the morning, your body should have a better chance of burning off the excessive calories the breakfast may produce.

Eat Smaller Portions
Cutting down on the food portions is the first step to the slimming process. If you are really discipline and able to eat very small portions, you may eat 4 to 6 small meals a day with intervals of up to three hours each.

Whole and Unprocessed Foods
Whenever possible, go for whole and unprocessed foods like wholegrain breads, brown or red rice, wholemeal noodles and greens. These are great fuel for energy and help to keep us satiated for a longer time.

Healthy and Balance Diet
Keep to a healthy regime of nutrition intake. Be very cautious of junk foods like potato chips, snacks, cakes and also other high-fat foods. Go for lean protein supplemented with loads of fresh vegetables and fruits. Malaysia is blessed with various types of local fruits. Be creative and experiment with a wide variety of healthy foods. Have you tried our "buah salak"?

Get The Body Moving!
To many, "exercise" is a bad word. I have learned to think of it as a relaxation time to pamper my body. Having a thirty-minute brisk walk with loved ones is fun. I not only get to breathe the fresh air in the park, work up a good heartbeat and burn some calories; I also get to spend quality time with my family. You can get your body to burn calories by just doing your daily household chores. You can clean harder, mop faster and work up a heavy sweat.

Listen to your body
It is your body and no one should know it better than you. Your body will find ways to communicate with you. For example, it uses pain, weariness and other signals to warn you of its needs. Learn when your body is exhausted and need rest. Do not push yourself beyond this stress level. Like all things, there are limitations in your body.

Metabolism Enhancing Foods

There are certain foods that we can take to increase our metabolism. Here are three types that can help in raising thermogenesis naturally and safely:

Fresh Juicing
Juicing fresh fruits or vegetables provides lots of beneficial nutrients that are readily available to your cells. Besides that, fresh juice provides the easy-to-burn calories to instantly perk up your energy level. As your body digests that glass of fibres and other rich nutrients, your metabolism rate will also increase.

Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)
Virgin coconut oil is one of the most misunderstood oils! VCO is not only beneficial to skin and hair, it also contains fatty acids in the form of middle chain triglycerides (MCT). MCT burns up easily in our body and increases metabolism rate. Some studies have shown that VCO promotes healthy thyroid activities. If you haven't known yet - recent medical research indicates that an under-active thyroid may be the top reason why most women have weight problems.

Ginger
Commonly used as a cure for stomach discomfort, ginger is a great herb to induce thermogenesis. You can try many ways of enjoying ginger. Try making ginger smoothies, ginger soup or 100% pure ginger tea. This is definitely easier than exercise and it should help to keep you along the slimming pathway

Metabolize To Success
Now that you are empowered with the knowledge on metabolism, you may want to start using it. Purchase a bottle of VCO and start gulping a couple of tablespoons of this "miracle oil" daily. Bring out your juice blender from the closet and spin up a diet charm of fresh juices. Put ginger into everything that you eat. Dance while doing your housework. Run up and down the stairs and avoid the elevator completely. Make an appointment to walk or jog with your friends or loved ones. Count your calories daily and make sure that they are under control. Next time when a friend calls you to go "yum char" or "makan", ask her to go walking or jogging instead! Make your metabolism work for you and you will enjoy a long active and healthy life.