How Fitness Affects Metabolism
Everyone knows that being physically active affects the human body in more ways than we can imagine — from improving our cardiovascular health and preventing various heart diseases to perfecting our posture and relieving anxiety, but did you know that fitness actually affects our metabolism, too? No matter what your answer is, you should definitely keep on reading because we have some useful tips and important facts you should know about. Just check them out and learn in what ways fitness affects our metabolism!
It allows for metabolic flexibility
One question needs to be asked before we even start — do you know what metabolic flexibility is? If the answer is no, you should know that metabolic flexibility is basically the ability to switch from one fuel source to the next one. It’s a completely healthy state which happens due to discontinuities in both supply and demand for energy, when humans need a clear capacity to use carbohydrate and lipid fuel and switch between them. Protein, fat, and stored carbohydrates (also known as glycogen) are our options for fuel supply. Even though the people who seem naturally fit seem to burn energy from different sources easier than other people, the real truth is that they’re more metabolically flexible due to the fact that they exercise more often. This isn’t a matter of calorie counting, but of using all available metabolic pathways on a daily basis, which is typical of people who exercise regularly and not those who don’t exercise at all. Here comes the interesting part: our mitochondria (aka powerhouses of the cell) are able to adjust their preferred fuel source, which means that they can adapt over a particular period of time and start burning the fuel we feed them. It’s quite impressive, isn’t it? So, if you want to gain more metabolic flexibility, you should do the following two things: you need start to move more throughout the day and expand your physical activity limits in the first place, and to adjust the type of fuel you feed your body with. As simple as that!
It revs the metabolic engine
It’s a well-known fact that a faster and more powerful metabolism is crucial when it comes to a weight-loss process, but do you actually know what’s the best way to make that happen? Well, we have to say that regular exercise is surely the safest path towards speeding up your metabolism, as it will force it to increase the rate at which we use energy, as well as the demand for the building blocks used for repair. Needless to say, once your body begins using all types of fuel more effectively, it will be much easier for you to lose weight and build more muscle, which is exactly why you should start exercising if you already haven’t or upgrade your current workout routine even more. Of course, your rate of fuel burn will significantly go up in the short term, but you’ll be able to adapt to those short sessions of workouts and build muscle in the long run, which basically means that you’ll have more space to store energy. Building a strong metabolic engine is a complex process, and it usually requires seemingly excessive protein intake accompanied by increased calorie intake and a lot of intense workouts that include weightlifting. However, a large number of people still decide to cut down on their protein intake when they want to tone up and add more power to their metabolic engine, which is wrong on a few levels simply because their body needs fuel and energy to work out properly and effectively build more muscle. You should know that each of these factors needs to be personalized in order to meet every individual’s needs, so be sure to consult with your personal trainer if you’re looking forward to the best possible results.
It enhances your resilience and longevity
Being physically active on a daily basis with a goal of being metabolically flexible and developing a powerful metabolic engine (building a lean muscle mass) are some of the best ways to enhance your resilience and longevity in the long run. This means that you’ll be able to adapt to any physical or environmental situation with ease, as being metabolically flexible is highly likely to make you more resilient when it comes to any stressful situation — both internal and external. This literally means that having more muscle mass will help you be a lot stronger when facing stressful situations, without having to worry that you’ll become too weak to overcome such obstacles. Staying fit and being physically active is crucial for gaining metabolic flexibility and building a stronger metabolic engine, which will undoubtedly help you become much healthier in the first place. Of course, losing weight, getting leaner, and building more muscle mass are another awesome fitness benefits, so be sure to get active as soon as possible and experience these first-hand!
As you can see, fitness really plays a huge role when it comes to speeding up your metabolism, improving your metabolic flexibility, and promoting your resilience and longevity. This is exactly why you should consider becoming a member of your local gym right away — if that’s your cup of tea, of course. On the other hand, you can always start from simpler, less intense exercises like jogging or cycling, which are also a great way to get your body moving, and gradually upgrade your routine over time. Just do it and you’ll see an instant improvement!
