Metabolism 

Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this complex biochemical process, calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function. You hear many people blame their weight on a poor metabolism, but there is a lot more to know about that. I have been blessed with a high metabolism and have been able to eat anything I want and not gain too much weight. Because of my genetics when I do gain weight it is distributed differently on my body and is very balanced not falling to any one area. Knowing your metabolic rate and how your body processes food is very important. You may have heard the term Anabolic used before and I want to give a deeper meaning to some metabolic terms.

Your metabolism involves a set of processes that all living things use to maintain their bodies. These processes include both anabolism and catabolism. Both are happening simultaneously in the body and you need to understand the impact each has on your body if you want to preserve lean muscle mass and lose fat. 

Your body is in one of two states throughout the day. You're either in an anabolic state or a catabolic state.

So what does this mean? If you're in an anabolic state, that is a good thing. It has nothing to do with steroids and everything to do with growing in a positive way.

Catabolism is your body basically wasting away. Three factors contribute to a catabolic state. Not working out. Not eating enough good food. Not getting sufficient rest. In a catabolic state you run the risk of your body cannibalizing muscle.

Being in an anabolic state is achieved through three major factors: training, diet and rest. You have to train hard, but smart.   Training should include both weight training and cardio programs.   Understand cardio should compliment your weight program not be the primary focus, especially if you want to preserve lean muscle mass.    The diet part of an anabolic state is making sure you get enough good carbs, fats and protein throughout the day. This is why I always tell people to eat clean and frequently.                                             

Anabolism involves the hormones:

• estrogen
• insulin
• growth hormone
• testosterone

Catabolism involves the hormones:

• adrenaline
• cortisol
• cytokines
• glucagon

Levels of "the stress hormone," cortisol, rise during tension-filled times. This can turn your overeating into a habit. Because increased levels of the hormone also help cause higher insulin levels, your blood sugar drops and you crave sugary, fatty foods. Alcohol also increases your cortisol levels which will lead to craving the wrong foods. Alcohol is converted into sugar in the bloodstream and taken up immediately into fat as insulin levels are very high. This is why many people gain weight around their mid-section when drinking because the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach and due to high insulin levels in a catabolic state immediately stored as fat.

Not getting enough sleep can also put stress on the body creating higher cortisol levels. You can see why reducing stress, reducing alcohol intake and getting plenty of rest are important to you. Keeping your body in the best anabolic balance allows you to obtain peak physical and metabolic performance .

Keeping your body in an anabolic state is ideal for muscle growth and for the reduction of fat. So avoiding the things or minimizing the effects of things that will take your body out of an anabolic state are important.

There’s a lot of debate, but we can make a few simple rules about how to stay anabolic as much as possible:

• Eat small-moderate meals every 3 hours or so
• Always eat within 2 hours of intense exercise
• Be sure to consume protein and healthy plant-foods with every meal
• Eat before you become hungry or at scheduled times
• Try to avoid stress ir find some stress relief.
• Get regular sleep
• Stay away from heavy amounts of alcohol and sugar. 
• Supplements: I use Cellucor C4 Ripped Pre Workout Powder, Thermogenic Fat Burner & Metabolism Booster for Men & Women.   You can purchase at www.amazon.com/shop/erianton_  it is in the supplement section.

There is plenty of research done on this topic and I challenge you to read more on the subject. This is a critical part of the exercise and nutrition game and many people just don't know enough about it and why I chose to talk about the subject in this blog. I will explain the use of balancing macro nutrients while you staying in an anabolic state in my next blog.