The body’s metabolic function is a great piece of natural engineering that can empower anyone to lose weight and improve their levels of health, fitness and general well-being.

The metabolic system is made up of a complicated mix of hormones and enzymes that work together to not only help convert ingested foods and beverages into calories, but also help control how efficiently our bodies use or burn those calories. So in terms of our overall health, our metabolic systems can be a key factor in determining our weight profile. A slow metabolic rate can make it more difficult to lose weight, while a higher active metabolic rate can be a very helpful aid in helping you shed unwanted pounds.

“Why is this?” you may be wondering, and the initial answer is that not only can a higher metabolic rate burn calories faster, but it also does so when you’re at rest or even asleep. Yes, the dream ticket; lose weight while you sleep

Your metabolism is affected by many different things, including your age, your gender, your genetic makeup, and your ratio of body fat to muscle. Our metabolic rate begins to decline once we hit 40 and then continues to decline about five percent every ten years. As a general rule, men tend to have a higher metabolic rate than women, and this is mainly due to the fact that, on average, men have a higher muscle-to-fat ratio than women.

Some people have a naturally high metabolic rate, while others are slower. But don’t despair. If you’re one of the unlucky people with a lower rate, it’s possible to speed it up. How? – Through regular aerobic or cardiovascular exercises.

Cardiovascular exercise (popularly known by its abbreviation of “cardio”) and aerobic exercise are pretty much the same thing for anyone confused by the use of the two terms. Cardio is essentially exercising the heart, lungs, and circulatory system through exercises like running, jogging, walking, biking, and swimming. Many of you will recognize these exercises as aerobics, but strictly speaking they are cardiovascular, but cardio can also include weight training and resistance exercises, which is why many have adopted the term aerobic to help differentiate between the two types. of exercise

Obesity is very much a global problem in the developed world today, and sadly, the US tops the league table. So with that fact in mind, and all the adverse publicity it generates, it’s no surprise that weight loss is a high priority in many people’s minds. As we have already established, regular cardiovascular exercise is the path to a faster metabolism, which in turn leads to greater weight loss if accompanied by a balanced, healthy and calorie-controlled diet.

The funny thing is that as more of us introduce a cardio regimen into our lifestyle, we find that cardio is becoming a medium unto itself. Even when we’ve reached our goal weight (if that’s what prompted us to start in the first place), we continue with our cardio.

It becomes a bit like a drug; oh well; one that increases our health, our resistance and our general well-being. It even contributes to a healthier brain due to the way cardio helps increase blood circulation.

Sometimes the idea of ​​starting a cardio regimen can be a bit unappealing to those who have developed the “couch addict” mentality. It may seem a bit daunting at first, but you’ll soon find that your body adapts incredibly quickly if you establish a regular pattern of exercise.

It also doesn’t have to be too rigorous. Obviously, the harder you exercise, the higher your metabolic rate and the more weight you can lose, but even relatively light exercise, as long as it gets your heart and lung rates up, will benefit you greatly.

The most popular form of cardiovascular exercise: jogging, walking, cycling and swimming will increase your lung capacity to meet your body’s oxygen demand. For those of you who have joint problems, you’ll find that swimming is a great exercise because the water helps support your weight and prevents the jarring impact that running, jogging, and walking can have on your hip, knee, and ankle. seals.

For those who want to maximize their cardio to increase their metabolic rates, it is worth including some resistance exercises or weight training. As well as helping to increase your MR (metabolic rate) anyway, it also helps build muscle tissue, and as we mentioned earlier in this text, the more muscle you have, the faster your MR will be, so you’ll get a double. benefit.

Muscle is heavier than fat, but as long as you continue with your other aerobic exercises (jogging, cycling, swimming) and eat a healthy, balanced diet, muscle weight gain will be offset by fat loss. In fact, you will likely continue to lose weight because muscle tissue takes a long time to build, and you will continue to lose fat in the meantime.

Cardio has a way of making you want to be fitter and healthier. It develops what is called a metabolic drive, and once it starts, it almost takes on a life and demands of its own. However, it is in no way onerous. It is a pleasure that you will naturally want to prolong.

You’ll eat and drink healthier, and you’ll automatically want to eliminate a lot of the junk foods and toxins that might have crept into your life.

The more you do your cardio, the longer you stick to your regimen – not only does it become easier to do, but you’ll find that it becomes an enjoyable part of the day (or night) that you look forward to and enjoy.

You will benefit from and appreciate how great you feel, how fit you get and how great you look too.

It can really make you look and feel younger.