Metabolism consists of all the elemental functions that make our bodies work. Everything from burning calories to the formation of cells is part of our metabolism. These natural processes determine our health and wellness on every level. It would seem to make sense to approach our health in a way that begins with metabolism, and this is precisely what metabolic fitness is all about.
With a program like metabolic fitness, you are beginning with the most basic set of processes that determine your level of fitness. If you are primarily interested in something like weight loss, metabolic fitness would begin with the metabolic functions that determine things like how much fat you tend to store.
The ideas behind metabolic fitness are quite basic in many ways. However, the science behind metabolic fitness can be quite complex. Metabolism is not just one thing. Metabolism consists of a whole range of functions, processes, and biochemical reactions. Metabolic fitness takes this complexity into account and finds a pathway to health and wellness based on these processes.
What is metabolic fitness? How does metabolic fitness work? And what are some of the key features of metabolic fitness? This guide will give you the basic information on metabolic fitness.
What is Metabolic Fitness?
Metabolic fitness is the physiological condition in which all aspects of metabolism are operating at the highest efficiency. Things like cardiovascular health, blood sugar levels, and healthy body weight are all markers of metabolic fitness. These pathways operate on immediate and long-term pathways, and metabolic fitness is the condition in which these pathways toward maximum efficiency.
When we eat our bodies convert this food into energy and fuel through the complex set of biochemical reactions collectively called metabolism. At the heart of these processes is a chemical called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP makes it possible for your muscles to contract. It is derived from macronutrients, mostly carbohydrates, fats, and some proteins. The level of ATP in your body depends on your level of physical activity in the form of exercise or work.
The body employs energy pathways that convert macronutrients into ATP in three ways:
- Low-intensity activity causes ATP to be generated from long-term pathways.
- Moderate-intensity activity generates ATP from intermediate energy pathways.
- High-intensity activity generates ATP from immediate pathways.
Each pathway will determine the amount of oxygen and fuel available. Metabolic fitness utilizes these pathways to make use of specific ones toward better health and fitness.
How does Metabolic Fitness work?
Metabolic fitness comes down to your capacity to efficiently produce and use ATP. People with a high capacity for this process have high metabolic fitness. People with a low capacity have low metabolic fitness. Research has shown that people with high metabolic fitness use fat more frequently and efficiently that those with low metabolic fitness.
This means those who are metabolically fit can put in low effort toward maximum gain, while those with low metabolic fitness must put in more effort to get the same gains.
Insulin Resistance
The main consequence of low metabolic fitness is difficulties with insulin resistance. Insulin helps regulate the ways we metabolize glucose. When insulin resistance is not working properly you can develop type 2 diabetes or hypoglycemia. This is largely due to improper excess fat storage in the liver.
Improper excess fat storage in the liver leads to a cycle in which insulin resistance limits metabolic flexibility and this further aggravates insulin resistance. Eventually, the body will no longer be able to regulate glucose levels and insulin levels, and this hinders proper metabolic functions.
Further, our bodies will eventually try to compensate for the unbalanced insulin and glucose levels which leads to a condition called hyperinsulinemia. Hyperinsulinemia causes obesity and this further interrupts proper glucose and insulin levels.
Metabolic Syndrome
Another common problem with metabolic fitness is metabolic syndrome. This is the collection of disorders that raise the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular illnesses. Metabolic syndrome is really a set of problems that coincide to produce serious metabolic problems. These conditions can include:
A waist measurement of more than 35 inches for women and more than 40 inches for men. Elevated triglyceride levels of more than 150 mg/dL.
Reduced high-density cholesterol levels (over 40 mg/d: for men and 50 mg/dL for women.
Elevated fasting glucose levels of over 100 mg/dL.
High blood pressure (over systolic 130 mmHg or higher or 85 mmHg or higher for diastolic).
Why is Metabolic Fitness important?
When our metabolic systems become unbalanced, an entire set of medical problems can begin to take hold. These medical issues compound on themselves. As in the case of insulin levels in which insulin imbalances lead to other problems which further aggravate insulin resistance, metabolic fitness ensures a delicate balance on which our health depends.
Metabolic fitness works as a feedback loop. When we are active and eat right, metabolic fitness becomes regulated and balanced which makes it easier to remain active and to eat right When we get into habits of inactivity and eating the wrong things, metabolic fitness tends to become unbalanced which then makes it much harder to exercise and stick to a healthy diet.
Metabolic Training Routine
Metabolic training mostly boils down to some simple exercise programs. You can boost your metabolic fitness and avoid obesity, problematic insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome simply by staying active through some common exercise systems.
Like any other exercise program, start out slowly and work within your abilities. The worst thing you can do is to set yourself up for discouragement. It is also much safer to begin with low-impact exercises that do not overly strain muscles and your skeletal system.
Ways to work toward metabolic fitness include:
Walking:
The best and most basic form of metabolic fitness training is walking. It is also a sound strategy for losing weight. Walking improves cardiovascular fitness and metabolic fitness. Walking has also been shown to increase the levels of a hormone called adiponectin which helps regulate insulin and reduce inflammation.
Aerobic exercise
Aerobic workouts are designed to increase your heart rate and increase the consumption of oxygen by body tissues. Research has confirmed that aerobic exercise boosts metabolism and cardiovascular health. Examples of aerobic exercise include swimming, dancing, jogging, and cycling. Each of these aerobic workouts will increase your stamina which further helps you participate in aerobic exercise.
High-intensity workouts
Researchers have found that high-intensity workouts elevate your metabolism throughout your entire body. When you work your muscles with high-intensity workouts, you elevate your ability to oxidize fat and carbohydrates.
Other things to consider for metabolic fitness training:
Get plenty of sleep
Studies have shown that metabolic fitness and sleep are closely linked. Proper restful sleep helps maintain metabolic balance. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, can disrupt sleep cycles or circadian rhythms and this leads to metabolic imbalance. Sleep deprivation interrupts hormone production which helps regulate glucose and fat storage.
During sleep, our bodies release growth hormones and cortisol. It is also during sleep that the body produces the hormone leptin which reduces hunger during sleep. When we are sleep deprived, the body produces less leptin which makes us hungry at night. These things can further interrupt the circadian rhythm which leads to metabolic disturbances.
Pay attention to your diet
Metabolic fitness depends on a proper balance of an active lifestyle and a healthy diet. No single diet will work best for everyone when it comes to metabolic fitness, but these diets have worked well for most.
Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet relies on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and healthy fats. Things like processed foods, refined grains, and added sugar are to be avoided. The primary fat in the Mediterranean diet is olive oil. The Mediterranean diet is known to help reduce the risks of metabolic syndrome.
High protein diet
Foods that are high in protein tend to make you feel full for longer. This helps control appetite. High protein foods also create a thermogenic effect in the body, and this helps burn fat and increase metabolism.
Intermittent fasting
This is sometimes called intermittent energy restriction. Intermittent fasting is more of a method of eating rather than a diet. It involves periods of deliberate calorie restrictions. This diet is designed to help boost metabolism and potentially reset metabolic rates toward a healthier metabolic balance.
Metabolic Fitness Statistics
Metabolic fitness is mostly a function of a healthy diet and exercise. Just to give you some perspective on metabolic fitness, here are some statistics with regard to issues that are the result of metabolism.
Only 12 percent of adult Americans are considered metabolically healthy.
Overall, 23 percent of adults have metabolic syndrome.
Obesity is the most important driver of metabolic syndrome with 61.6 percent of obese people demonstrating signs of metabolic syndrome.
The incidence of metabolic syndrome drops to 8.6 percent in people with normal weight.
More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95 percent of them have type 2 diabetes.
Even moderate exercise can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by over 80 percent.
Metabolic Fitness FAQS
What is Metabolic Fitness?
Metabolic fitness is the physiological condition in which all aspects of metabolism are operating at the highest efficiency. Things like cardiovascular health, blood sugar levels, and healthy body weight are all markers of metabolic fitness. These pathways operate on immediate and long-term pathways, and metabolic fitness is the condition in which these pathways toward maximum efficiency.
Why is Metabolic Fitness important?
When our metabolic systems become unbalanced, an entire set of medical problems can begin to take hold. These medical issues compound on themselves. As in the case of insulin levels in which insulin imbalances lead to other problems which further aggravate insulin resistance, metabolic fitness ensures a delicate balance on which our health depends.
What is metabolic syndrome?
This is the collection of disorders that raise the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular illnesses. Metabolic syndrome is really a set of problems that coincide to produce serious metabolic problems.
How does insulin resistance impact metabolic fitness?
The main consequence of low metabolic fitness is difficulties with insulin resistance. Insulin helps regulate the ways we metabolize glucose. When insulin resistance is not working properly you can develop type 2 diabetes or hypoglycemia. This is largely due to improper excess fat storage in the liver.
What are some steps to take toward metabolic fitness?
Get plenty of exercises like walking, aerobic exercise, and high-intensity exercise. It is also recommended that you try certain diets such as the Mediterranean diet, high protein diets, and even intermittent fasting.
Wrapping things up
When we consider that over 40 percent of Americans are considered medically obese, the idea of metabolic fitness becomes critically important. Metabolic fitness is not strictly something for fitness enthusiasts. It is an issue that is at the center of health for everyone.
Proper insulin resistance and a balanced metabolism are the fundamental features of health. When metabolism becomes unbalanced the danger is not a simple issue of cause and effect. Metabolic problems, or metabolic syndrome, become a feedback loop in which the problems that stem from metabolic issues begin to exacerbate this same metabolic issue. When insulin resistance is disturbed, this can contribute to the health problems that cause problematic insulin resistance in the first place.
The good news is that metabolic fitness is not difficult to maintain. Maintaining an active lifestyle is one of the keys to metabolic fitness. Even moderate exercise like walking every day can make a major contribution toward metabolic fitness. A healthy balanced diet also plays a major role in metabolic fitness.
If you find that you need to take steps toward regaining metabolic fitness, you should simply increase your physical activity with regular exercise. In some cases, you may need to take on some high-intensity exercises to get your metabolism back on track. Something like the Mediterranean diet is also a great way to get yourself back on track toward metabolic fitness.
