Article 22: Understanding and Utilizing Metabolic Power-Seven Major Benefits of Metabolism

Understanding and utilizing metabolic power

Do you often wonder why some people can eat whatever they want and not gain weight, and whether you are destined to be fat? The secret lies in your metabolism, which exists in your body and is responsible for constantly burning calories.

The characteristics of growth, development, reproduction, heredity, and variation exhibited by humans and other organisms are all based on metabolism. Once metabolism stops, life will end.

The human body is a very clever energy bank. The more you absorb, the more it stores and converts into fat; the less you absorb, the less it burns, lowering your basal metabolic rate and potentially reducing its expenditure on organ maintenance and immunity. This "business strategy" of not wanting to lose money makes weight loss even more difficult. To successfully lose weight, we need a healthy metabolism.

A good metabolism not only affects your figure, but it also has many other benefits.

Flexible limbs

Modern people spend most of their time sitting in front of computers, maintaining the same posture from morning till night, and many of them do so incorrectly. This prolonged poor posture leads to muscle contraction and lactic acid buildup. Lactic acid in the body causes localized muscle soreness, increasing overall discomfort. To accelerate lactic acid excretion, metabolism is crucial, allowing lactic acid to be eliminated from the body more quickly along with energy metabolism. However, in people with poor metabolism, lactic acid continues to accumulate, leading to frequent muscle aches and weakness over time.

Promotes digestion and absorption

People with good metabolisms often have good digestive functions. The food and nutrients they ingest are quickly digested and absorbed, and their good metabolism also allows them to quickly eliminate waste and toxins from their bodies.

You can eat whatever you want and not gain weight

People with a high metabolism tend to be more active. When the calories consumed and the calories burned are roughly equal, fat won't accumulate. If you have a low metabolism and aren't very active, even if you don't consume many calories, long-term accumulation can lead to obesity.

If a person is unhealthy and has a slow metabolism, toxins and waste will accumulate in the body. Because a slow metabolism and poor blood circulation can slow down organ function, it is easy to store fat, leading to obesity. If a person has a vigorous metabolic system, the body can easily excrete excess toxins through the intestines, sweat, and urine, easily developing a lean physique that makes it easier to lose weight.

Smooth blood circulation

Blood not only transports nutrients and carries oxygen, but it also acts as a "transporter" of toxins and waste. Improving metabolism increases the efficiency of blood circulation. With better blood circulation, body temperature rises, and hands and feet become warmer. Furthermore, a higher metabolism makes nutrients easier to absorb, accelerates blood renewal, and makes blood vessels more flexible.

Pleasure and enjoyment

An efficient metabolism ensures the smooth functioning of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system comprises the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems; it is the balance between these two systems that allows us to find equilibrium between stress and relaxation. When metabolism slows down, blood cannot adequately nourish the autonomic nervous system, leading to feelings of anxiety, irritability, and restlessness. Furthermore, weakened autonomic nervous system function can also cause headaches and edema.

Boost the body's immunity

White blood cells in the blood play an important role in the human immune system. Good metabolism leads to good blood circulation, which in turn allows for the production of more white blood cells to prevent and eliminate foreign bacteria and viruses, thus improving the body's immunity.

Fight fatigue

A strong metabolism allows the body to transport nutrients, oxygen, and energy quickly, accelerating self-renewal and making our minds clearer and more agile.

Since metabolism is so important, how can we improve it? Is there a certain pattern to its operation? Experts have studied the time patterns of metabolism and offered the following suggestions:

6 AM to 9 AM: This is the time when the body's metabolism is most active, making it a prime time for the small intestine to absorb nutrients. Therefore, eating anything during this time won't lead to weight gain. A good meal at this time can accelerate metabolism and activate the body's fat-burning mechanism earlier. It is recommended to include foods rich in fiber, high-quality protein, and carbohydrates in breakfast, such as soy milk, eggs, sorghum buns, apples, or milk, sandwiches, and bananas.

From 9 AM to 12 PM: During this period, the body's metabolism remains highly active, especially the heart, which begins to work at full capacity. The more vigorously the heart works, the better the blood flow, and the more active the leg cells become. It is recommended to do some leg-slimming massages or exercises, such as tapping along the inner thigh, tapping more on painful areas, for 5 minutes on each side.

From 12 PM to 3 PM: During this time, the body's metabolism enters a slow and resting period. Blood pressure and hormone secretion decrease, energy declines, and the body gradually feels fatigued. Some glycogen is dissolved in the blood, making reactions sluggish. This is not a suitable time for strenuous exercise, and dieting is strongly discouraged. It is recommended to do some gentle movements combined with deep breathing to slim the waist and abdomen: Stand on the ground, forcefully tighten your abdominal muscles while exhaling through your mouth, count to 7, then inhale, count to 7, and exhale again. Repeat this cycle for 10 minutes.

3 PM to 5 PM: Metabolism returns to normal, and the body gradually recovers its functional capacity under the control of its biological clock. Scientists consider this the optimal time for exercise and weight loss because the body's adaptability and nerve sensitivity are at their best. Activities such as jogging, cycling, skipping rope, or simple and convenient exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, and dancing are recommended.

From 5 PM to 7 PM: This is the peak time for the body's metabolism before it slows down. During this period, pain sensation is reduced, and nerve activity decreases. It is recommended that dinner be light, with less or no starchy foods and more fruits and vegetables. If meat is included, white meat is the best choice.

Between 7 PM and 11 PM: During this time, the body's metabolism slows down. If you eat dinner during this period, only about 30% of the calories will be absorbed by the body; the rest will be stored as fat. This is also the lymphatic system's detoxification time. Massaging the jawline and around the ears for a few minutes can effectively help drain toxins from the face through the lymphatic system and reduce facial puffiness.

From 11 PM to 6 AM the next morning: During this time, the body's metabolism reaches its lowest point, both in terms of basal metabolic rate and activity metabolism. However, this period is the body's golden repair time and the optimal period for leptin secretion. When a person is in deep sleep, the body secretes leptin, a hormone that helps eliminate body fat and suppresses cravings for high-calorie foods. Therefore, during this time, you simply need to get a good night's sleep.

As can be seen from the table above, the human body's overall metabolic rate is highest in the morning and then decreases over time, which is related to the sun's movement pattern.

Only by understanding metabolic power can we enable it to function at high speed and achieve our desire to become more beautiful.