Burning Calories: Metabolism and Weight Loss

Posted: May 03 in What is Obesity by Staff

Patients who undergo weight loss surgery may often feel that a sluggish metabolism is at least partially to blame for their excess weight. Actually, your metabolic rate is not really the determining factor in whether you carry excess weight on your body. Instead, it boils down to how much food and drink you take in and your physical activity levels that determine your weight.

The amount of calories that you use in performing basic body functions such as breathing and blood circulation is called a Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR.) This term is generally shortened to “metabolism.” The size of your body, your gender, and your age can all influence your metabolism.

Your metabolism is something that the body adjusts for each person. This means that your body is geared for survival and needs regular food, not crazy starvation diets. Patients who go through bariatric surgery have quite an advantage, which is just as good as jump-starting the metabolism if not better.

With the reduced stomach capacity after bariatric surgery, patients are able to easily reduce the amount of food that they eat, even if they have to work with a sluggish metabolic rate. When bariatric patients start their weight loss quest, they will begin slowly with calorie reduction. The next step is generally the introduction of a regular exercise plan. When exercise and controlled calorie diets are combined, the weight will fall off, no matter what the metabolic rate of the patient is like!