Metabolism and Energy - what you need to know!

With our awesome strength trainer, Denise

What is metabolism, and how can we improve it?

Ever wonder where to begin when it comes to nutrition, exercise, and fat loss? With so many options, opinions, and products, it is easy to feel confused and overwhelmed. For those looking to improve their body composition, it’s crucial to understand how the body works and the factors that affect our metabolism so we can spend our resources wisely and create lasting change.

Our bodies want to maintain homeostasis (energy in = energy out). The challenge in our modern lives is that we have an abundance of processed, hyper-palatable foods and less opportunity or need for adequate daily movement. When we stop moving, our bodies cease working well. We need daily exercise for our energy regulation systems to function properly. Many other factors affect our body composition, such as stressors that influence our appetite, hunger, fullness cues, and artificial light, which can affect our sleep.

What is Energy Balance?

No matter what we eat or what we do, at the end of the day, we are all subject to the law of thermodynamics. As energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it has to go somewhere; therefore, the energy we consume through food and drink will either be used or stored as adipose (fat) tissue. Fat is most often created from excess dietary fat or carbohydrate, however, no matter the combination of macronutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrate) being consumed, if we are eating more than we are expending, we will store that excess energy.

Metabolism

Metabolism is the sum of reactions that take place to build up or break down the body. These reactions happen within our cells. As far as nutrition is concerned, cells are getting nutrients from food and using those nutrients to keep us alive. Cellular tasks include growing, maturing, and dying, exchanging gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide, absorbing and digesting nutrients, circulating blood and other fluids, getting rid of waste, and reproducing.

We need the right nutrients in the right amounts in order for our cells to function properly. Healthy cells mean healthy metabolism.

How our bodies use energy

There are 5 ways in which our bodies use energy.

1. Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

The BMR is the minimal level of energy required to maintain the vital functions of the body, such as breathing and the heart beating. It does not include bodily functions such as digestion, nor any movement. BMR accounts for 70% of our daily energy expenditure. Simply staying alive takes a lot of energy!

2. Resting metabolic rate (RMR)

This is very similar to (and slightly higher than) BMR as it includes small amounts of movement and digestion.

3. Thermic effect of food (TEF)

The act of eating and digesting food takes energy and increases our metabolism. The type of food we eat affects our metabolism. Proteins have the highest thermic response and therefore cost the body more energy to process. Fats have the lowest thermic effect.

4. Exercise Activity (EA)

Simply, the energy used to perform purposeful exercise. This can include all types of exercise, and the amount of energy expenditure varies, depending on how much you do! For more sedentary people, EA can make up 10-15% (or less) of their daily energy demand. For highly active people it can be 30% or more. Also, higher intensity exercise, such as lifting heavy weights, not only creates a higher energy demand during the activity, but after as well. Due to the increase in excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) to make up for the energy deficit created during the intense exercise, daily energy expenditure is increased.

5. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)

NEAT can vary widely from person to person. It is any movement that is not specifically exercise. It is everything from fidgeting to housework to carrying groceries to simply moving around home or work. For people who have physically active jobs, NEAT can be a big part of their daily energy expenditure. Another note on NEAT as it relates to trying to gain or lose weight: our bodies tend to have a preferred weight. Over the long term our bodies will try to maintain that homeostasis. This is why crash diets do not work in the long run. When people eat a lot less and lose weight quickly, they quickly gain it all back.

When overfed, some people’s bodies will get warmer and they will unconsciously move around more. When underfed, some people’s NEAT will decrease and they will move much less, trying to conserve energy. Some people may burn hundreds of calories each day via NEAT while others burn hardly any. Someone who seems to always be naturally lean may run at a warmer temperature, and may be constantly moving, standing versus sitting, etc.

While there are many aspects of NEAT one can’t consciously control, it is possible to increase it by choosing to move more when navigating the day. Park farther away, take the stairs, walk or bike instead of driving or taking transit.

What can we do? The key takeaway:

With so many elements that contribute to our body composition being out of our control, it’s important to put our energy into the factors over which we have influence. Yes, there are certain aspects of our metabolism which are genetically predetermined. However, we all have the power to make significant change via our nutrition and exercise. Ultimately, building muscle mass is the long term solution. Think of it as investing money in a high interest savings account. Over time, the muscle you build will accumulate interest by increasing your metabolism. Muscle is metabolically active tissue which means it burns calories even when at rest. So the more muscle we have, the higher our metabolism. While all forms of exercise are necessary, strength training, with proper progression, should be at the heart of what you do if you want to create and maintain lasting results in your body composition.

Want to begin or improve your strength training? Come visit Denise at Frame. And stay turned for updates on her upcoming Nutrition Program for simple, applicable knowledge and guidance for simple, sustainable change. 

Denise Mader