When speaking of metabolism, most people think it is the process of obtaining energy for the body’s use, though this is a misunderstanding. This column will rectify this misunderstanding so that we can see how the metobolism system functions.
Scientifically, our body uses two types of energy. The first is “Anabolic”, or the use of energy to build up protein, muscles, bones to fix and increase sinews in the body. The result is bulking up the body and the build up of muscles. The second is “Catabolic”, which is understood by most people as using up energy to lose weight. The more energy expended, the more the body sheds the flesh, making the physique slimmer.
Our bodies use these two systems to function. It is working like a pendulum of a clock which sways from left to right back and forth. When the body orders the anabolic system to function, it is the time of building up tendons and body mass, the body weight will not decrease. But when the body’s catabolic system functions, the body will not build up anything but only burn away, with effects including body heat, sweating, fast heart rate, and so on.
Since the two systems work like a pendulum, the body cannot order both systems to function simultaneously. Therefore, we cannot both burn and build up muscles at the same time. It is impossible to occur at the same time.
The determining factor which orders whether the anabolic or catabolic system functions is hormones, which sends a signal about when the body should burn or build. Therefore, we often see that two people eating similar amounts of food but one’s weight increases while the other’s decreases. This is because the person whose Catabolic system functions a lot, no matter how much they eat the body does not retain and as a result they remain slim.
Hence, an important determining factor is hormone, not just nutrition.
If we are to ask which condition is best for our health, it is in fact a pendulum which always swings back and forth. As such, when talking about exercise regimes or the nutrition of those who exercise, it is in cycles of 1, 2 or 3 months, scheduling when to burn or build, with no mention of burning or building for the whole year. If only burning or building is done, the body will not be truly strong.
For instance, if one were to reduce weight for 3 months, one would also need rest period for fixing damaged cells, as when the catabolic system functions it does not simply burn off fat, but rather everything including some parts of the muscle, while some joints may also be damaged. Resting will enable the body to use nutrition to repair those essential parts. When repeated as a cycle, the body will feel rejuvenated, which is not the case for those who focus only on burning or building. Solely building up muscles risks suffering from tumors or cancers due to working out the muscles all the time. As we can see athletes who die suddenly although they seem strong and healthy, or in some cases they may be too skinny from constant burning which could also lead to illnesses.
Therefore the correct approach is to have balance, what is called the “Ideal Body Weight”, which is the formula to calculate one’s weight in proportion to one’s height. This formula is used for people in general, but as for athletes or former national team athletes, this formula cannot be used, but rather another formula which more suits their activities. Let’s now talk about the nutrition of those who exercise.
Compiled by: Winna Rakkarn
Photo credit: Unsplash
