What is Metabolism?

The human body consumes food to live a healthy life. But the food that we eat might not be the best supplement that our body requires for proper functioning. That is, there are some constituents such as fat, carbohydrates that our body does not require in excess. If these constituents are consumed in excess, then we may suffer from obesity, hypertension, heart ailments, digestion problems, etc. And this is where the process of metabolism plays its important role to prevent such disorders.

In simple terms, metabolism is a set of processes or reactions that help our body use energy or burn calories. Metabolism is classified in two main types, which are Catabolism and Anabolism. Catabolism breaks down the food to derive energy from it, while Anabolism uses this energy in the creation and maintenance of the body cells. While metabolism works in the same way for everyone, the rate at which it breaks the calories may differ for every individual. And this is the reason why every individual is so unique in their body structure and other physical traits.

The rate at which the body burns the calories is known as metabolic rate. Metabolism plays a very important role in weight loss; some people have a slower metabolic rate while some have faster. People with faster metabolic rate remain slim and rarely put on weight, whereas people with a slow metabolic rate tend to put on weight and may even become obese. This is so because if the body is not able to burn the calories that we consume, then it is stored as fat and hence such people will feel lazy and lethargic.

Therefore it is very important to maintain a faster metabolic rate as it indicates that we burn more calories, ensuring that we stay away from diseases like obesity, heard attacks, etc. The best way to keep the metabolic rate faster is by performing regular exercise; it is not necessary to perform it in a rigorous way. Even a 30 minute walk for 5 days in a week is sufficient. Exercise coupled with a diet that is rich in minerals & vitamins, proteins and fiber is the secret to keep a fit and healthy body.