Metabolism: it isn’t what you (probably) think it is. Strictly speaking, your metabolism is the sum of every chemical reaction in every one of your cells – the total energy you burn each day.
Suffice to say, it’s quite complex.
But, when thinking about weight loss, your metabolism can be broken down into several key components. The most significant of these, which guzzles up around 60% of your daily calories, is basal metabolism.
“Basal metabolic rate is the number of calories your body’s using on a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour basis when at rest, simply to keep going,” says Dr Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey. As he explains, basal metabolism is the energy expenditure of basic bodily functions – from pumping materials between cells to maintaining your circulation and vital organs. Your brain and liver alone account for half of your energy costs at rest.
Collins – who’s worked with people from all sectors of society, from sedentary types to elite athletes – knows the importance of metabolic health for quality of life, whether that’s ascending stairs or racing faster at the business end of a marathon. He also has a revelation for you: any weight-loss programme isn’t all about accelerating your essential processes.
“Some people think they’re obese because they have a slow metabolism,” he says. “But, unless you have an underactive thyroid, generally that’s not the case.
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