It's All About Metabolism

I spent hours today sorting the newsletter I subscribed from Men's Health. The theme on metabolism has become the center of my attention. In order to burn more fat, the metabolism must be right. The choice of exercises, foods and drinks are somehow essential. I am proud of myself for being able to avoid fast foods most of the time, even when I feel hungry after the gym.


The definition of metabolism I read: "the chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life." It is also related with the principle of losing weights. Principally, if one intends to lose weights, one should eat fewer calories since the more calories come in, the more gain on weights come as results.

Although, I'm not trying to write a sophisticated article regarding metabolism, I try to summarize the things which I find very interesting and important. The 3 important components of metabolism:
1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). I never heard this term before since I didn't study biology. However, it is technically defined as follows: "the energy expended when an individual is lying at complete rest, in the morning, after sleep, in the postabsorptive state." I understand it as "passive calories burn." Examples: lung function, immune response, blood circulation, and tissue repair. This also the largest piece of the metabolic pie. It accounts for 60 to 70 percent of total calories expended each day.
2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). It simply means the caloric "handling cost" of digesting, using, and storing food energy. It consists of the 10 to 15 percent of total daily metabolism.
3. The Active Life: (exercise-activity thermogenesis, or EAT) and (non-exercise-activity thermogenesis, or NEAT). This is the part, where the calories are supposed to be burnt by physical exercises. It makes up 15 to 30 percent of the average man's metabolism.



It is obvious for me that I don't need tons of exercises, just in order to lose weight. I just need to eat less and do the exercises correctly. I used to think that I needed to do lots of exercises in order to have a lean and toned body. I went to the gym 3x a week and spent almost 2 hours there. As results, I had less free time for having fun. By changing my lifestyle nowadays I only need to go to the gym 2x a week and spend only about 1 hour there to gain more muscles. Additionally, I go swimming for 30 minutes 2x a week and play badminton 1x a week. It sounds already more fun than concentrating the exercises in the gym.

By saying that I eat less, I am not saying that I'm having a diet. My goal hasn't changed at all, namely by eating things I want to eat, I still can grow muscles and have great body. One thing about diet is that you can get fat faster than before, since you will only hide the fat temporarily while doing the diet. After you stop, it is more likely for you to gain especially abdominal fat. Men's Health suggests that you have more exercises and less diet. I agree partly on the advice. However, what's the point having a diet, if you intend to eat again "normally" and do less exercises in the future. On the other side, you'll also feel miserable.


As for losing fat, I drink regularly Japanese (not Chinese) green tea. It doesn't burn much calories, but it helps and is good for the heart as well.