The term 'metabolism' refers to the way your body processes carbohydrates, proteins and fats to release the energy it needs for various processes. About 25 percent of the kilojoules you eat goes to the physical activity you expend above your BMR. Your metabolic rate is the speed at which this energy release occurs.BMR is the amount of energy you need to support basic body functions, even if you lie watching TV all day.Ever wonder Arachidonic Acid Suppliers why some guys eat almost anything yet never put on weight, while you check food labels for low-fat stuff, deprive yourself of burger rolls and beer, but just can't budge that spare tire? Perhaps you eat more than you think you do.Is it true to say that some people have a naturally high metabolism rate? Not really. This is your PAEE, and it varies according to how much you move in the course of the day. The simple fact is that people who eat less are thinner than those who eat more.About 10 percent of the kilojoules you eat is used to fuel the process of digesting, absorbing and storing. It accounts for 60 to 65 percent of the kilojoules (kJ) you eat daily. This is how your metabolism works: all the food you eat is converted into energy. In other words, obese guys actually burn more kilojoules in a day than leaner guys with the same activity pattern. Or maybe all you need is to walk, tap your toes, swing a racket, chase a ball, clean out your garage or lift some weights to build muscle and boost your metabolism. This is the TEF. In fact, their studies show that lean and obese men burn exactly the same number of kilojoules per kilogram of body weight. So it would be high on the day you run a marathon, but quite low the next day, when you veg out and recover.Your metabolic rate is the sum total of three types of metabolism: your basal metabolic rate (BMR), your physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and the thermic effect of food (TEF). Over nearly 20 years of research, the Medical Research Council Nutrition Unit at Cambridge, in the UK, never found anyone who had a 'slow' metabolic rate. . So if you eat 12 000kJ a day, you burn 1 200kJ simply chewing and digesting. The TEF accounts for 10 percent of your metabolism rate, but don't go thinking you can eat more to lose weight