1. 3.2 Metabolism For Life Skills

2. What is metabolism?  We eat food so that we will have energy.  Have you ever noticed that you get really tired when you’re hungry?  Have you noticed that you get very hungry when you’re having a growth spurt?  Metabolism is the process of how your body turns food into energy.  Your body needs the energy from food to keep doing all of its normal functions and to grow.

3. Food is Fuel  Our bodies use food as a fuel to give us the energy we need.  Cars use gas a fuel. Have you heard of “fuel efficiency”? Fuel efficiency is a lot like metabolism.  A fast metabolism is like a Hummer, it uses lots of fuel.  A slow metabolism is like a Golf.

4. Fast or Slow?  A person with a “fast” metabolism needs to eat a lot of food, because his/her body uses lots of energy very quickly.  A person with a “slow” metabolism needs a small amount of food, because his/her body uses up the energy from food more slowly.

5. Which is better?  It depends on your goal. Just like with most qualities people have, each has its advantage.  A fast metabolism means that you can eat tons of food without getting overweight. It also means that you probably get hungry all the time.  A slow metabolism means that you will gain weight easily if you overeat, but you can survive with much less food.  If I were stranded in the desert, I would much rather have a slow metabolism.  If I were trying to eat a lot and stay thin, I would hope for a fast one.

6. RMR Test  While you work on a reading and questions, I will be running the RMR test.  This is a machine that can tell how much energy you need (measured by calories) by finding out how much oxygen your body uses.  The result will show how many calories of energy your body uses every day.

7. Let’s find out more.  The packet in front of you is from an article on metabolism on www.kidshealth.org from the Teens’ section. www.kidshealth.orgTeens’ section  Read the questions on your worksheet first.  Then read the article and underline the answers when you find them.  Try to put the answers into your own words on the worksheet (don’t just copy).