A Lesson on Metabolism

We hear everyone talk about metabolism. Is it fast or slow? Will this food affect it? Training like this is best etc etc. We caught up with Adam Stansbury who gave us a very thorough lesson on the subject. Get your notepad out and get ready to learn!

What does Metabolism mean? 


By gaining an understanding of what Metabolism actually means and what is actually happening in the body, you can then make more empowered choices to improve your lifestyle and to bullet proof your metabolism, making it work for you, not against you!

Energy Balance in the Body 


Think of energy balance as a pair of kitchen scales, on one side we have energy out and on the other energy in:
Energy In - Energy ingested through the food and drink we consume. 
If Energy In exceeds Energy Out then we are in Positive Energy Balance and weight gain is usually experienced.

Energy Out - Energy expended through metabolic processes and activity.
 If Energy Out exceeds Energy In we are in a Negative Energy Balance and weight loss is usually experienced. 
Understanding this law is an essential part of understanding metabolism and how Energy Balance affects your Health, Body Composition and Performance.

Components of your Metabolism

Your Metabolism or Metabolic Rate is the sum total of all the chemical reactions in the body along with energy produced and expended through its various functions. Your overall Metabolism or Metabolic Rate can be summed up by the following 5 metabolic components that utilise energy throughout the body:

BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate

This is the measure of energy used by your body to undertake the most vital functions in the body.

RMR - Resting Metabolic Rate

This is the sum of energy expended by your body during rest.

TEF - Thermic Effect of Feeding

This is the measure of energy your body uses on a daily basis to digest, absorb and assimilate the food you eat, which can be upto 10% of the daily energy expenditure.

NEAT - Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

This is the amount of energy your body expends to perform everyday activities such as walking up the stairs or doing the washing up.

Exercise Activity

In active individuals they may expend up to 30% of their daily energy expenditure through exercise, maybe more depending on the length and intensity of the sessions.

The first two BMR(Basal Metabolic Rate) and RMR(Resting Metabolic Rate) are indicators of a healthy and optimally functioning Metabolism and are stimulated by both Energy In and Energy Out.

So now we have a good understanding of first how energy flows in and out of the body and what Metabolism actually relates to, we can start to think about which components we can actually manipulate and stimulate to get the desired effect to help with body composition.

How to Eat for Metabolic Mastery!

What and When to Eat

Making sure your diet is made up of whole (single ingredient), unprocessed foods with a good balance of essential fats and low in refined carbohydrates will go much of the way to ensuring that important metabolic hormones are balanced within the body, so that your metabolism is functioning optimally.

If fat loss is your immediate goal then I follow this general rule of thumb and I realise there is no one size fits all approach but this short term approach will have the desired effect for most, by saving the consumption of the starchier carbohydrates in your diet for only your post-workout meal and removing fats in this meal to aid efficient assimilation and absorption of carbohydrates and protein. With the remaining meals made up of protein and fats, these are your any-time meals.

Balancing Hormones to light up your Metabolic Furnace!

Rather than going into each individual hormone and its effects, I will address 5 different systems to focus on in the body that need to be balanced and maintained for optimum overall hormonal output for not only a healthy metabolism but for overall health and some basics to help you manage these.

1. Blood Sugar 


Eating real food, avoiding flour, sugar and excessive intake of processed carbohydrates while regularly performing high intensity exercise will all help to balance blood sugar and the relevant hormones.

2. Adrenal System 


Taking regular time out from busy, stressful schedules to meditate, relax and step away from the constant chatter of thoughts that can manifest in the body and cause health issues, will reduce the stimulation and release of adrenal hormones. Focus on sleep and relaxation where possible, to balance out this system that is abused by the modern way of life.

3. Gut and Digestive Health


This system is also very much related to the adrenal system and vice versa. Poor dietary choices and gut health such as parasites, dysbiosis, leaky gut etc will lead to inflammation that will suppress the production of hormones throughout the body, creating a stress response, which in turn can lead to a cascade of autoimmune related disorders and a poorly functioning immune system.

4. Detoxification

Increasing sources of Folate (Folic Acid), vitamin B6 and B12 will help with the detoxification pathways in the liver and gall bladder, these are found in foods such as fish, eggs, walnuts, leafy green vegetables and liver itself.

5. Essential Fatty Acid Balance

Improving the intake and ratio of long chain omega 3(EPA and DHA) derived from oily fish and algal sources to omega 6’s can help reduce inflammation in the body. This can be bought on by an excessive omega 6 to omega 3 ratio, which can also lead to the blocking of hormone receptor sites. Omega 3 (EPA and DHA) also improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.

Conclusion

You should now have a very good grasp and understanding of the different aspects that can affect a healthy and optimal functioning metabolism.

From the way energy flows in and out of our bodies using Energy Balance to maintain weight and body composition, the Metabolic Components that make up the way you expend that energy and the ways in which you can stimulate the increase of energy expenditure using Nutrition, Training and Hormonal Balance to favour a leaner healthier body.

So now using this new found knowledge as your naked flame, light your internal furnace and experience the improved long term health, body composition and performance benefits that come with a healthy Metabolism.

Stay Consistent and Be Committed

Adam Stansbury

www.coverfitness.co.uk
Twitter: adam_stansbury
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