Metabolism...how does it really work?

Personally (and I know I'm not alone!), I have always been a bit intimidated by medical lingo, and have unfortunately tried to avoid understanding how the human body really works due to the difficult terminology.  Lucky for all of us, understanding how our bodies work is not nearly as complicated as we'd imagine.  I'd like to try and break down the facts of metabolism in simple terms, in hopes that it will help kick-start your new fit and fabulous lifestyle!  So, what is metabolism?  Metabolism is the process by which our body breaks down food and converts it into energy (whether it be in the form of fat, or giving us that extra push in our workout!)  Metabolism is a complex process, however for our purposes, we will stick to the basics.  Your body uses different systems to provide the energy needed to exercise (eg glycolysis, the system in which your body burns glucose in the anaerobic beginning stages of your workout.)  Depending on intensity levels and duration of exercise, your body is either burning more carbohydrates, or more fat (and no, your body does not really pull energy from protein for workouts, so eat it after exercising!)  Carbohydrates are essential to exercise, because when we begin working out, our primary source of energy comes from carbohydrates, and then we begin to burn fat.  Because many of us want to burn as much fat as possible, we must keep in mind that the more intense our exercise, the body increases its metabolism of carbohydrates and decreases its fat metabolism.  Why?  Basically, when we are exercising intensely (running/heavy cardio), our body is utilizing more fast muscle fibers, which do not contain as many "fat burning" enzymes.  These fast fibers are better at metabolizing carbohydrates.  On the flip side, when we choose low-intensity, prolonged exercise, lipolysis (the process of breaking down fat) is triggered.  

So what does this all mean?  Once we establish our health goals, we can begin to plan our exercise regimen with much more accuracy!  Whether it be to strengthen our hearts and become as fit as possible (without putting much emphasis on weight-loss), we can design a list of foods to eat, as well as know that higher-intensity exercises will help us meet our goals.  If we decide we'd like to drop a few pounds and maintain that weight, we must assess and track our daily caloric intake, as well as focus on low-intensity, prolonged exercise (eg power walking at a brisk pace for an hour.)  

As far as fueling our bodies, please remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day!  It is vital that you eat within one hour of waking up, even if you are not hungry--you want to fire up your metabolism early in the day for optimal performance.  Here are a few things to keep in mind as you eat throughout the day:

1.)  EAT!!  Depriving your body of food when you are hungry will actually slow down your metabolism and set you up for gaining MORE unwanted weight!  Your body will go into survival mode and begin storing energy instead of naturally burning it because it does not know when it will be fed again.  I cannot stress this point enough.  Do not deprive yourself of food when you are feeling hungry!  Weight-loss coming from the starvation technique is TEMPORARY, and it leaves you unhappy!!  It is possible to eat and stay slim!

2.)  Try and eat multiple small meals throughout the day.  A good rule of thumb is about 5-6 small meals of about 300 calories or less.  Try to avoid pointless snacking in between, as these snacks are to blame for those extra 400 or so calories that we can't seem to shave off from our daily intake!

3.)  Begin tapering off your meals toward the end of the night.  Your body does not need so much energy when you are getting ready to sleep, and you should feel hungry for breakfast in the morning.  Avoid late night snacking at all costs...your body will store the energy in unwanted places while you sleep!  Instead, try drinking a cup of decaf green tea.  You will get an antioxidant boost, as well as fill your empty stomach enough to satisfy you before bedtime.  

Now that you have decided to turn your life around and adopt a health-conscious mindset, keep in mind the effects of the fuel you choose to put into your body, and the different ways to influence your metabolism to compliment your lifestyle.  Whether its taking a long walk with a friend, or running stairs to "Kanye's New Workout Plan", get out and do something active today and work your metabolism!