Weight Loss Basics -- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) (Print Ready)

Metabolism — Converting Food Into Energy As covered in the Tenth Article in this series, the body needs fuel and oxygen to operate, and the process by which the body changes the food you eat into energy and internal building material is called metabolism (from the Greek metabole “change”). This conversion is achieved by a complex biochemical process, where calories from carbohydrates, fats or proteins are chemically combined with oxygen to form cellular building blocks while also releasing the energy your body needs to function. Let’s take a closer look. Catabolism and Anabolism Our food consists of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, usually in the form of large, complex molecules. The body cannot build muscle, nor can it maintain organs, with the proteins it consumes, but must first break them down into amino acids, which are then combined to form proteins the body can use as building blocks. Exergonic Reactions An exergonic chemical reaction is one where large molecules (such as food) are broken down into smaller molecules with the release of energy. The word comes from the Greek, ex - out, ergon work, meaning energy (work) is released; energy, of course, is most commonly measured by the work it can perform. This process is also known as Catabolism (Greek, cata - down, ballein to throw). Endergonic Reactions An endergonic reaction is one where new proteins are built from amino acids, and is a process that requires energy.

The word, again, is from the Greek, en - in, ergon work, meaning it takes in—uses—energy.

Pages: [1] 2 3 4