{"id":8081,"date":"2018-11-02T09:22:42","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T09:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uk.inbody.com\/?p=8081"},"modified":"2021-05-12T08:09:53","modified_gmt":"2021-05-12T07:09:53","slug":"your-metabolism-and-your-body-composition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ro.inbody.com\/ro\/your-metabolism-and-your-body-composition\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Metabolism and Your Body Composition"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Y<\/span>ou probably don\u2019t think about your body composition when you\u2019re thinking about your metabolism. But you should.<\/span><\/p>\n

You probably think about it in terms of speed: \u201cMy metabolism is fast\u201d or \u201cmy metabolism is slowing down.\u201d  If that sounds like you, you\u2019re not alone: simply <\/span>googling the word \u201cmetabolism\u201d<\/span><\/a> yields 4 articles in the top 10 all based around boosting\/increasing your metabolism for weight loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

People are naturally afraid of their metabolism slowing and the weight gain they know comes with it. To some extent, those worries are well-founded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Metabolism is linked with weight gain and loss<\/strong> because of its a biological process involved with energy and calories.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Dispozitivul <\/span>Mayo Clinic<\/span><\/a> defines metabolism as:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this complex biochemical process, calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Notice how it doesn\u2019t mention anything about the speed you process your food. That would be digestion.<\/span><\/p>\n

In medical terminology, metabolism <\/span>is known as your Basal Metabolic Rate<\/span><\/a> (BMR), which is the minimum number of calories your body needs to perform basic bodily functions<\/strong>. BMR is usually expressed in terms of calories.  Your Basal Metabolic Rate also has another interesting quality: the more Lean Body Mass (which includes muscle, water, and minerals) you have, the <\/span>greater your BMR will be<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

When we talk about metabolism, we should always start the conversation with how many calories your body needs. But because your <\/span>BMR and Lean Body Mass are linked<\/span><\/a>, that means any conversation about metabolism becomes a conversation about your body composition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your Body Composition Is Linked To Your Metabolism<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Why is it that some people seem to be able to eat whatever they want and never experience any weight gain, while other people \u2013 even skinny people \u2013 feel like whenever they have one bite of dessert it instantly goes to their waistline?<\/span><\/p>\n

The reason is that metabolism can vary in size.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Take a look at these two body composition profiles, and see if you can spot the difference.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Beyond the obvious differences in weight, the Person A has a much smaller Basal Metabolic Rate than the second.  This means Person B needs more calories than Person A in order to provide their body with the necessary energy to function without losing weight.  Because the BMR is bigger, the metabolism is \u201cbigger.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Greater than height and gender, the most important factor playing into BMR is the amount Lean Body Mass each person has.  That\u2019s because, as research in the <\/span>American Journal of Clinical Nutrition<\/span><\/a> states, the more Lean Body Mass you have, the greater your Basal Metabolic Rate will be. That is why strength training for muscle gain, which in turn will increase your lean body mass, is recommended as a way to increase your metabolism. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is why people who are big or above average in weight can eat more than people who are smaller.  Their body literally requires them to eat more to maintain their weight, and specifically \u2013 their Lean Body Mass.<\/span><\/p>\n

OK, you say, but these two people are very different in body weight \u2013 of course, the second person will have a bigger metabolism.  Take a look at the two people below, who we\u2019ll call \u201cJane\u201d and \u201cSarah\u201d, two individuals who are similar body in age, height, weight, and gender.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Despite being similar in age, height, weight, and gender, these two people have very different body composition profiles.<\/strong>  As a result, they have different Basal Metabolic Rates. Although Jane has a body weight within the normal range (identified by being near the 100% mark), her body composition is defined by having more fat mass and less lean body mass and skeletal muscle than Sarah.<\/span><\/p>\n

The person below has a lower body fat percentage and more Lean Body Mass \u2013 which is why when looking at this person, you\u2019d describe them as \u201clean.\u201d  Again, because this person has more than 10 pounds more Lean Body Mass, her Basal Metabolic Rate comes out over a hundred calories greater than the person above.<\/span><\/p>\n

Metabolism and Weight Gain Over Time<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Image Source: Flickr<\/a><\/h6>\n

Let\u2019s take a deeper look at what you might call a \u201cslow\u201d metabolism. Far from being an issue of fastness or slowness, weight gain is almost always the result of a caloric imbalance that goes unchecked over a long period of time.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

But first, something needs to be clarified \u2013 your Basal Metabolic Rate is not the only factor that plays into your overall caloric needs, and it\u2019s not the total amount of calories you need in a day.  There are two other major influencers, which are:<\/span><\/p>\n