The cool thing is that by working out and planning your diet wisely, you can increase your metabolic rate by as much as 25 percent. This will make losing fat and keeping it off completely doable because you are playing to your bodies strengths rather than setting yourself for a struggle with food and will power.
Use these metabolic boosters to develop habits that make optimal body composition achievable for you.
#1: Train With Weights
Lifting weights builds lean muscle, which jacks up your daily resting energy expenditure and is the primary mechanism fueling your metabolism. It also elevates post-workout energy expenditure significantly more than steady-state cardio due to the metabolic stress it causes. Favor multi-joint lifts with up to 4 sets per exercise in the classic exercises (squats, deadlifts, presses, and pulls) for a major metabolic boost.
#2: Do Sprint Interval Training
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with short rest periods can raise post-workout energy expenditure even more than traditional training. One study found that when trained men did a special HIIT protocol of 9 sets per exercise of leg press, chest press, and pull downs, they burned an extra 360 calories in the post-workout period compared to a traditional protocol.
#3: Include Protein At All Meals
A meal of pure protein causes the body to burn nearly 25 percent of the calories provided in the protein just to digest and “use” the amino acids. In addition, protein is filling, so you eat less, and eating it helps preserve muscle mass for a higher metabolic rate—win-win for fat loss!
#4: Eat Thermogenic Fats: Omega-3s, Nuts, Olive Oil, Avocados
Certain dietary fats raise metabolic rate just like protein does, but in a unique way. They enhance metabolic activity and raise body temperature, leading to increase in calories being burned. In one study, when overweight men increased their intake of omega-3 fats to about 3 grams a day they increased metabolic rate by 51 percent and burned an extra 920 calories in the 5 hours after eating. Foods high in monounsaturated fat have a similar effect.
#5: Drink Green Tea
Green tea contains extremely high levels of the catechin antioxidants that raise energy expenditure and can promote fat loss. One study found that taking a green tea extract that contained 90 mg of catechins as well as 50 mg of caffeine raised energy expenditure by about 4 percent over a 24-hour period.
#6: Cook With Ginger & Hot Peppers
Both ginger and hot peppers improve thermogenesis by raising body temperature and energy expenditure. They can reduce appetite, are antioxidant-rich, and pack a delicious, spicy punch when cooked with leafy greens, meat, eggs, or pureed with post-workout protein drinks.
#7: Choose Whole Foods Over Processed Foods
Eating meals cooked at home from whole foods, such as vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts, meat, and eggs has the power to raise the thermic effect by as much as 50 percent over highly processed foods like white bread. The main difference is that processed ingredients have less fiber, requiring less enzyme production so that the body burns fewer calories during digestion.
#8: Do A Single Maximal Effort Sprint Workout
Some days we’re just too tired or too busy to get in a killer hour-long workout. That’s okay because doing just one all-out sprint for 2 minutes has the power to improve energy expenditure and raise fat burning by 38 percent. To get the metabolic boost, try hitting the rower, treadmill or bike for a tough 2min effort, or go push a weighted sled for 2 minutes as hard as possible.
#9: Use Whey Protein
Whey protein has many therapeutic effects and best of all, it raises energy expenditure and improves insulin sensitivity for a healthier metabolism. Whey has the highest thermic effect of all protein powders and it has been shown to have a powerful hunger suppressing effect due to its superior amino acid profile. Whey also stimulates protein synthesis for greater preservation of lean mass more than soy, casein, or pea protein.
#10: Cook With Turmeric & Black Pepper
These spices are anti-inflammatory and raise metabolism by stimulating central nervous system and hormone activity. They also increase fat burning and support the death of fat cells, even when on a high-fat diet. Cook with turmeric and black pepper together because they have a synergistic effect.
These simple trips can be implemented easily and will have a big effect. As with everything consistency is key.
