me·tab·o·lism

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism can be viewed as the process in which your body converts food into energy, and also the means by which is uses that energy to perform all the actions you want and need to do. These actions include the necessary functions of growth and healing, movement, breathing — everything you do requires energy, and your body converts food into that energy, and then uses the energy to function. Metabolism is then in the broadest sense, all the biochemical actions your performs in the course of living.

What is Slow Metabolism?

Even at rest, your body is working hard to keep you alive. Breathing and cardiac function obviously never cease, nor do your homeostatic pathways to regulate your body temperature, sensory pathways of your environment, digestion, and more. The rate at which your body consumes food energy is often a factor evaluated for dietary regulation, to determine how rapidly your body “burns” food and the resulting energy.

So for many, this metric reflects on their weight gain or reduced ability to lose weight even with normal dieting. The rate your resting person consumes energy is often called basal metabolism or appropriately, resting metabolism. This can actually be measured clinically, to assess what your baseline (hence the basal) energy needs are, which in turn can help determine what your caloric and activity needs must be in order to produce functional weight loss, or other medical assessments.

Metabolic Testing

At WeightLossNYC, Dr. Aron is able to provide an accurate clinical evaluation of your resting metabolic rate, and help you get on track with losing weight and overcoming obesity. You can win against the health risks of obesity and improve your health right now by getting serious about losing weight. Call our office to schedule a metabolic screening and get smart about your body health.

Author: Oksana Aron, MD

Thank you for your interest in your health and wellness.

Please visit WeightLossNYC® to learn more about metabolism and weight loss.

Further reading

• Diet and Weight Loss Motivation, Oksana Aron, MD
• New York Medical Weight Loss Center, WeightLossNYC®
• Heredity vs Metabolism, WebMD
• Metabolism, Definition
• Image source: Wikipedia

New Weight Loss Pills available by prescription

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two new weight loss medications in 2012, extending the available options for medically obese patients on reduced calorie diet programs.

Obesity is defined as having a body-mass index greater than 30.

Although both have been approved this year, they are different weight loss drugs and work differently to promote losing weight in obese patients.

Qnexa now Qsymia

Qsymia (formerly Qnexa) is a blend of well-established weight loss drug phentermine along with extended release topiramate, another medication approved for other uses. Phentermine acts an appetite suppressant by stimulating Leptin release in the body.

Qsymia is available now for prescription by weight loss doctors.

Many of these medications achieve results by suppressing appetite albeit via targeting different biological pathways.

For more information about medical weight loss, you are welcome to contact Dr Aron’s office at 718-491-5525 and schedule a consultation.

References & further Reading

Weight Loss Pills FAQ

• Oksana Aron MD, Weight Loss Medications
• Oksana Aron MD, Qsymia, Another Anti-Obesity Diet Drug Approved by FDA, July 2012
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration, FDA approves weight-management drug Qsymia, July 2012
• WebMD, Weight Loss Pill Qsymia Now for Sale, Sept 2012
• WebMD, New Weight Loss Drugs Compared, July 18, 2012
• Vivius, Indication and Usage
• Oksana Aron MD, Weight Loss Drug Qnexa Wins Support, February 2012