Metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy. Your metabolism determines the rate at which you burn calories and how quickly you gain weight or lose it.

Your metabolism slows down as you age, at a rate of about 2% every 10 years, beginning at age 30. If you eat the same amount of food as you did when you were younger, you will gain fat. Although your metabolic rate is partly determined by genetics, there are things you can do to change it. One of the best ways is exercise, including aerobic workouts to burn calories immediately, and anaerobic exercise to build the muscles that will boost your metabolism. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even when you are at rest. The greater your muscle mass, the higher your resting metabolic rate. That means your body burns more calories just by having more muscle. Adding 5 pounds of muscle to your body boosts your metabolism by 35-100 calories a day.

More on this topic

Understanding Wellness (VIDEO)
What Is Wellness?
Quit Smoking
Smoking & Your Arteries
Eat Healthy
Foods to Avoid
Foods to Enjoy
Fiber Helps Lower Cholesterol
Good Fats: Omegas 3 & 6
The Daily Nutrition You Need
Portion Control
Daily Exercise
Aerobic Exercise
Speed Up Your Metabolism
Benefits of Exercise
Lose Weight
Measuring Fat

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The 9 Visual Rules of Wellness, Wellness and Prevention Part I, Wellness and Prevention Part II, Reverse Aging