Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Metabolism : Explained In English!!

Who here knows what metabolism is and how could you explain it to just about anyone? Jeez, that's tough. The easiest way I know how to explain what your metabolism is, is as follows.

We all know that gasoline is the fuel that makes an engine go. When you drive fast, you use more gas, when you drive slow, you use less gas. If you just let the engine idle in the driveway, it will do so for a very long time, provided that you have enough gas. It will burn gas for a certain amount of time before the engine stalls. This is where the analogy stops.

Your body is the same way. If you sit there, you need less fuel (food), if you start running, your metabolism (engine) needs more fuel (food). That's as simple as it gets. So, if your metabolism is slow (someone who gains weight easily) you needs to reduce your food intake to compensate or increase your metabolism through exercise and activity. We all know the skinny guy who eats like a horse and never gains weight, that is someone who has a very fast metabolism. The body is able to burn off the food without needing to store it as fat.

When we get fatter, we are eating to much or eating too much at the same time. If you were to eat three big macs for lunch you would have a much higher chance of some of that turning into body fat as if you were to cut them in half and eat them at six different times of the day. Why? Your body can only use a certain amount of food at a time, if you eat too much, it will most likely store it as body fat. So, how do you know if you are eating too much? That's what you will learn in our Phoenix Bodystyling assessment, in the privacy of your home, at your table, for FREE. Starting August 1, 2008. E-mail to book your appointment now! If you are unable to or live too far away, read on.

Basically, we all need 1200 calories a day to survive. The more you do, the more you need to eat, in 5-8 smaller meals spread over the day. Most of us would do well with 5 meals at about 300-400 calories per meal. These meals need to be balanced between carbohydrates, protein and fat. In my next post, I will begin to explain these.

Until next time!

A.J. McAlendin

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