Adam's Apple
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Burn, Baby, Burn
By Barb Beggoetz, The Indianapolis Star
December 20, 2005
Excerpts:
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the process the body goes through to convert food into energy -- burn calories -- in order to sustain life. It has several components:
Basal or resting metabolism: About 60 to 65 percent of calories eaten daily are spent just keeping you alive and supporting basic body functions.
Physical activity: About 25 percent of calories are used for movement and physical activity.
Thermic effect of food: About 10 percent of calories are spent eating and digesting food.
How do you determine your metabolism -- the calories you need daily?
A formula called the Harris Benedict Equation calculates your basal metabolic rate (BMR) calorie requirements, based on your height, weight, gender and age. It then applies an activity factor to determine how many total calories you need every day. The results will be accurate for all but the very muscular (underestimate needs) and the very fat (overestimate needs).
To determine your basal metabolic rate, go to www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/. Plug in your personal information and you'll get a calorie amount. Then multiply that number by 1.2 if you are sedentary (little or no exercise); 1.375 if you are lightly active; 1.5 if you are moderately active (3-5 days of exercise); 1.725 if you are very active; and 2.0 if you are extra active.
The result will be the total number of calories you need daily to maintain your current weight.
For example, a moderately active female who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 130 pounds needs 2,102 calories a day. A moderately active male is who 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds needs 2,796 calories a day.
10 ways to rev up your metabolism and burn more calories
1. Do weight training or resistance exercises three times a week for about 30 minutes to build more muscle tissue. Muscle burns up to five times more calories than fat.
2. Exercise aerobically, adding interval training or bursts of high-intensity moves, such as 30-second sprints to a 10-minute-mile pace run. Metabolism will rise during exercise and, some say, for several hours afterwards as muscles recover.
3. Eat a hearty breakfast. Skipping this meal or any meal will slow your metabolism because your body tries to conserve energy without enough food.
4. Eat more frequent small, balanced meals, instead of two big ones, or eat healthy snacks (fruits, vegetables) between meals to prevent becoming too hungry. The hungrier you are, the more likely you will overeat.
5. Drink plenty of water, at least 64 ounces per day. Dehydration can contribute to an inefficient metabolism by slightly dropping body temperature, causing the body to store fat to help raise the temperature.
6. Eat more whole foods rather than processed foods to give your digestive system a workout that burns calories. For example, choose an apple over apple juice.
7. Vary your workout, perhaps alternating gym workouts with outside activities. Your body gets efficient at doing the same exercise day after day, and you burn fewer calories.
8. Eat less fat -- no more than 30 percent of total calories. Your body can efficiently turn fat you eat into body fat, but it takes more energy to turn carbohydrates into fat.
9. Consume products shown to boost metabolism: green tea (contains catechins that increase brain chemical norepinephrine); fish (reduces levels of leptin hormone), peanut butter (rich in cell-energizing magnesium); bananas (rich in potassium that regulates body's water balance).
10. Eat enough iron (three to four daily servings of foods, such as chicken, fortified cereal, soy nuts, lean red meat). Without enough, the body can't get enough oxygen to cells, slowing down metabolism.
for full article:
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051220/LIVING01/512200301/1....
By Barb Beggoetz, The Indianapolis Star
December 20, 2005
Excerpts:
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the process the body goes through to convert food into energy -- burn calories -- in order to sustain life. It has several components:
Basal or resting metabolism: About 60 to 65 percent of calories eaten daily are spent just keeping you alive and supporting basic body functions.
Physical activity: About 25 percent of calories are used for movement and physical activity.
Thermic effect of food: About 10 percent of calories are spent eating and digesting food.
How do you determine your metabolism -- the calories you need daily?
A formula called the Harris Benedict Equation calculates your basal metabolic rate (BMR) calorie requirements, based on your height, weight, gender and age. It then applies an activity factor to determine how many total calories you need every day. The results will be accurate for all but the very muscular (underestimate needs) and the very fat (overestimate needs).
To determine your basal metabolic rate, go to www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/. Plug in your personal information and you'll get a calorie amount. Then multiply that number by 1.2 if you are sedentary (little or no exercise); 1.375 if you are lightly active; 1.5 if you are moderately active (3-5 days of exercise); 1.725 if you are very active; and 2.0 if you are extra active.
The result will be the total number of calories you need daily to maintain your current weight.
For example, a moderately active female who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 130 pounds needs 2,102 calories a day. A moderately active male is who 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds needs 2,796 calories a day.
10 ways to rev up your metabolism and burn more calories
1. Do weight training or resistance exercises three times a week for about 30 minutes to build more muscle tissue. Muscle burns up to five times more calories than fat.
2. Exercise aerobically, adding interval training or bursts of high-intensity moves, such as 30-second sprints to a 10-minute-mile pace run. Metabolism will rise during exercise and, some say, for several hours afterwards as muscles recover.
3. Eat a hearty breakfast. Skipping this meal or any meal will slow your metabolism because your body tries to conserve energy without enough food.
4. Eat more frequent small, balanced meals, instead of two big ones, or eat healthy snacks (fruits, vegetables) between meals to prevent becoming too hungry. The hungrier you are, the more likely you will overeat.
5. Drink plenty of water, at least 64 ounces per day. Dehydration can contribute to an inefficient metabolism by slightly dropping body temperature, causing the body to store fat to help raise the temperature.
6. Eat more whole foods rather than processed foods to give your digestive system a workout that burns calories. For example, choose an apple over apple juice.
7. Vary your workout, perhaps alternating gym workouts with outside activities. Your body gets efficient at doing the same exercise day after day, and you burn fewer calories.
8. Eat less fat -- no more than 30 percent of total calories. Your body can efficiently turn fat you eat into body fat, but it takes more energy to turn carbohydrates into fat.
9. Consume products shown to boost metabolism: green tea (contains catechins that increase brain chemical norepinephrine); fish (reduces levels of leptin hormone), peanut butter (rich in cell-energizing magnesium); bananas (rich in potassium that regulates body's water balance).
10. Eat enough iron (three to four daily servings of foods, such as chicken, fortified cereal, soy nuts, lean red meat). Without enough, the body can't get enough oxygen to cells, slowing down metabolism.
for full article:
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051220/LIVING01/512200301/1....
