Understanding Metabolism: Key Factors That Affect Weight Loss
Metabolism is the process by which your body converts food and drink into energy. Even at rest, your body requires energy to keep essential functions running, such as breathing, blood circulation, digestion, and brain activity.
Dr. Jason Fung, a kidney specialist and expert in weight loss and obesity, explains that complex hormonal systems govern our hunger. Hormones like leptin and ghrelin play crucial roles in signaling when we feel hungry and when we feel satisfied.
Your body chemistry significantly influences your metabolism. Multiple factors determine how your metabolism functions, which is why weight loss varies from person to person.
Factors Affecting Your Metabolism
- Age: As we age, our metabolism naturally slows down. After age 30, the resting metabolic rate typically decreases by 1-2% each year. This decline contributes to weight gain over time.
- Muscle Mass: A decrease in muscle mass as we age leads to increased body fat. Since muscle burns energy more efficiently than fat, having more muscle generally raises metabolic rates. However, someone may still have a low metabolism if high muscle mass arose from carrying extra fat.
- Gender: Gender significantly impacts metabolism. Men usually have a lower body fat percentage and higher muscle mass than women of the same age, allowing them to lose weight more quickly. Men produce about 90% more testosterone than women, which helps increase muscle mass and reduce fat mass.
- Hormonal Imbalance: Sex hormones decline with age, affecting metabolism. In women, decreased estrogen levels can impact muscle-to-fat ratios, while both men and women experience reduced testosterone levels. Maintaining muscle mass is crucial for balancing metabolism.
- Nutrition: Poor nutrition, crash diets, and skipping meals can harm your metabolism. Failing to consume a balanced diet rich in proteins, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats can lead to micronutrient deficiencies that negatively affect metabolic rates.
Next week, we will explore five additional factors that influence metabolism.
Conclusion
If you’re not losing weight as quickly as you’d like, recognize that numerous factors are at play. While you may not be satisfied with these realities, understanding them is crucial for making meaningful changes. Accepting these factors can help you move past frustration and make progress on your weight loss journey.