| Between body
weight and metabolism, a widespread misnomer runs amok. Contrary
to popular belief, being overweight is unnecessarily correlated
to a sluggish metabolism. The condition known as hypothyroidism
or an under-active thyroid gland is not always associated with
being overweight. Quite the opposite,
excess weight is infrequently related to having a low metabolism.
Consequently, the vast majority of individuals who are over
weight are not afflicted with the condition of an under-active
thyroid gland. Nevertheless, a physician may conduct a comprehensive
evaluation to assess a medical condition could be affecting
anyone’s weight gain.
Generally, weight gain transpires when there
is an imbalance of energy or expended fuel versus the consumption
of excessive calories. Losing weight necessitates raising the
number of calories burnt via physical activity, the creation
of an energy deficit by consuming fewer calories or ideally
both.
A Review on the Body’s Caloric Requirements
Four elements affect calorie requirements:
gender, age, body size and composition.
- Gender. In general, men have more lean muscle
and less body fat than their female counterparts do. As a result,
it is the primary reason men have a higher basal metabolic rate
and are able to expend more calories than women.
- Body size and composition. In order of the
body to function at peak performance, a grand body mass needs
more calories to operate than a slighter body mass does. Moreover,
muscle utilizes calories faster than fat does. Consequently,
more muscle is associated with an elevated basal metabolic rate.
- Age. With age, comes
a reduction of lean muscle and fat percentages increase. The
metabolism becomes sluggish as the body ages, naturally. In
aging individuals coupled with their slowing metabolism, the
body’s caloric requirements are reduced.
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