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INCREASING metabolic rates has been of interest to many, especially among weightconscious individuals. Understanding metabolism is crucial in guiding us to obtain an optimal metabolic rate. Metabolism is the conversion of energy intake i.e., food consumption into products including energy and waste products. Increasing the rate of conversion is believed to burn off body fat. But is this true?
MSU Medical Centre (MSUMC) health screening and wellness specialist Dr Faridah Mohd Zin explains, “Our body consumes energy in four pathways: basal metabolism, food thermogenesis, non-exercise activities thermogenesis (NEAT) and exercise activities thermogenesis (EAT). More than half of the body’s metabolism is used as basal metabolism, which supports the function of vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, brain and others (about 60%).
The thermic effect of food has the lowest contribution which involves the energy needed to change the food we eat into substances that are “edible” by our cells i.e., glucose (about 10%). Increasing the metabolic rate would mean increasing the energy-burning rate of the body which theoretically could be increased by optimising the NEAT, EAT, thermic effect of food and body metabolism.
NEAT is simply the energy consumed when performing daily activity. Optimising daily activities such as cooking while standing or pacing around the room while on the phone has been shown to increase metabolic rates. Since these activities will naturally be done every day, enhancing the energy burned through this pathway could be regarded as an opportunity that should not be missed. Moreover, NEAT is found to be associated with improvement in overall health and helps in body fat reduction.
EAT is the body’s energy consumption through structured exercise which primarily includes cardiovascular, strengthening, flexibility and balance. Furthermore, each type should have specific criteria in terms of frequency, intensity, time and types (FITT approach) to achieve different exercise objectives. For example, in maintaining fitness, a total of 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week is recommended while a longer duration is needed for body weight reduction.
Food thermogenesis contributes the least to body energy consumption. High lean protein and whole food use more energy in the metabolism compared to other types of food and processed food. Although eating the former would induce higher thermogenesis hence a higher metabolic rate, the contribution made in the increment of daily body metabolism is the lowest.
The major factors contributing to the basal metabolic rate include sex, height, age, ethnicity, body composition and genetic factors. While the body compositions are mainly composed of the vital organs, bones, body fat and muscle mass, the latter two are the only factors that can be intentionally changed.
Total body fat is composed of essential and storage fat. Storage fat is mainly deposited under the skin as subcutaneous fat, or around the body organs as visceral fat. The latter has been strongly linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases including heart attack and stroke. Energy consumption of more than required would be stored in the body as fat. Hence, a negative balance between energy intake and consumption is essential to force our body to use up the storage fat as a source of energy, leading to weight reduction. Since storage fat originates from food intake, altering an individual’s diet is crucial for achieving the desired body fat level.
Increasing muscle mass would increase the ability of the body to use up energy. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends regular resistance training exercises as the key to building and keeping muscle. Men and women should participate in muscle-strengthening activities that work the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders and arms) at least two times each week. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities include lifting weights, using resistance bands, doing push-ups and some types of yoga. Even everyday activities such as gardening, playing with your kids and carrying groceries can strengthen muscles.
Although resistance training is an important part of a complete exercise regimen, consuming the appropriate amount and type of protein to maintain and build muscle is just as important. On top of that, a healthy balanced diet is crucial to ensure adequate macroand micro-nutrients needed for a healthy body.
Body metabolism happens continuously, allowing ongoing opportunities to maximise its effect. Body fat is a way for our body to store unused energy. Hence, optimising the body’s metabolism while consuming less than the daily energy requirement will force the body to burn stored fat for energy. Consistently maintaining this negative energy balance will gradually reduce unwanted fat.
