Increase Your Metabolism: 11 Hot Tips To Get Your Furnace Burning
Get Your Metabolism Firing Pic: Robpatrick
Eat enough
It’s extremely common for people on diets to eat too little. You will lose weight to start, but your body is smarter than you. Way smarter. It will start thinking, “this crazy kid is simply not eating enough to survive, I’m going to drop his/her metabolism, so he/she doesn’t burn as much during the day and can survive off this ridiculously small amount he/she is eating”. Bottom line, starvation won’t work as a diet, your body will make sure you don’t burn too much and die. Cut down your calories a little, and exercise more. Also check out this post on cheat eating and how it can help you trick your metabolism.
Eat more frequently
Try to eat 5-6 small meals a day. Don’t let yourself get too hungry in between meals. By getting food into your body regularly, you keep your metabolism firing, and leave your body in a much better state to burn some energy for you. The best way to do this is to plan your meals a week or so in advance, until you are able to get into the habit of eating 5-6 times a day.
Eat Breakfast
This is a simple one, but is still not being done in a lot of cases. By getting something in early in the day, i.e. when you wake up, you are kick starting your body. Getting your metabolism going ASAP makes sense. You will burn more fuel if your metabolism is up and running early. Your body is most tolerant to glucose in the morning, so you can get a fair bit of carbs into you. In fact, get almost anything into you (OK not anything…), just eat something in the morning. You have been in starvation mode all night, and need some fuel in right away to get your body firing. Not only will this get your metabolism going, you will find that later in the day you aren’t as hungry and won’t make terrible food choices, or pig out as much.
There are better breakfast choices…
Eat more Protein
This has lots more benefits than just metabolism. Protein is a muscle builder, you need it to grow. Lean protein is even better for that, more good stuff for fewer calories. Your body takes a bit more work to burn this stuff too, which is called the thermogenic effect. So, if you don’t get enough protein in, start eating.
Eat more Fiber
Same principle as above. Fiber is harder for your body to process, and you will get a small increase in metabolism through this effect. It’s also wonderful for your digestive system and keeps you regular.
Weight Train
Weight training is the ultimate exercise for firing up your metabolism. The more intense your exercise and the more muscles you get involved, the better metabolism increase you will get. Weight training is intense, you are pushing heavy weights around, and you will get a good post workout increase in metabolism and burn for much longer. Get on it.
Build Muscles
The more muscle mass you have the higher your metabolism will be. Simple.
Work Your Legs
Leg Weights are important for overall muscle balance, and do need to be done for many reasons other than speeding up your metabolism. However, it’s just another added benefit. Legs are often neglected; it’s the biceps that are overworked. Your legs have a big muscle mass, if you work this mass, you will burn more energy, and thus, increase your metabolism post workout. If you don’t care about how muscly your legs are, at least chuck a few leg exercises in there to get your body working harder during your weights session.
Do more Higher Intensity Cardio
Getting on the treadmill for 30 mins at a slow pace is OK. But there are better options. Doing some intense work will burn more calories, and leave you with a better post work out metabolism boost than a long slow cardio session. A 10 minute bike interval session would be much more beneficial than a slow 30 minutes session. It’s the post workout boost that is the key, as with weight training, the more intense you work, the longer and stronger your increase will be and the more you will burn whilst you aren’t even active. Check out this article from t-nation on which type exercise is best for energy burning and speeding up your metabolism.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol is bad for your metabolism. It acts against it and will slow it down. Avoid drinking it too regularly.
Increase Incidental Physical Activity
This is an important one. Being active will automatically give you a short term boost to your metabolism. Adding some extra things into the day that you hardly realize can add up. For example, make your bed in the morning, park your car a little further away than normal, take the stairs occasionally, get up from your desk frequently if possible. Just by simply being more active during the day, which is called incidental activity, you will get an increase in your metabolism.
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[…] help shake the weight off and keep the fat burning, we’d love to hear them in the comments. Increase Your Metabolism: 11 Hot Tips to Get Your Furnace Burning […]
Always standup while you are on the phone. Pacing when on the phone is even better.
Those are some great tips. Are there certain types of food in the morning that we should be aiming for or just cereal and juice will do?
As far as I know at least the 5 meals per day rule is incorrect.
You should eat 3 times a day and nothing in between. That means no snacks either, no lemonade, but tea, coffee (without sugar) or water .
Your blood sugar level rises with each meal which effects the Insulin level in your body too. And Insulin is the hormone that controls the storage of fat in your cells…
great tips, great site!
@Balu - The goal is to keep a fairly level insulin level and widely spaced meals like you’re talking about will cause more severe spikes leading to more fat storage.
There are lots of articles like this one around http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/16/1/4
[…] by psoeth on February 2, 2008 This is a pretty good post on how to increase your metabolism on Lauren’s Fitness Blog. Getting that going is quite important to losing […]
Balu,
I think that you are wrong about the meals. By eating 5-6 times a day you increase the energy your body needs to digest that food. Thereby burning more calories throughout the entire day.
Granted the meals are not 5-6 big meals, but the food is spread out throughout the entire day.
Sorry Balu, but eating often throughout the day is much better than only 3 times. Your example at the end with the blood sugar rising is exactly the reason to eat more times throughout the day. When you only eat three meals you end up making your blood sugar level rise right after you eat and fall in between meals, much more drastically than if you eat often throughout the day. When you have a large spike in your blood sugar levels (eating 3 large meals) is when too much insulin can be produced to over compensate. So by eating often throughout the day, you are regulating your blood sugar level (leveling it out) which will keep you insulin at a good level all day.
ya just look at all that crap that people eat every day, fastfood really sucks … eat fresh fruits and vegetables!! wanna do something with your diet? then increase its quality!
if you want to lose weight then exercise,
however people are thinking too much instead of doing something … and it can be so easy to stay in a good shape … i do situps and pushups every day … not long maybe about 5-10 minutes all together
it’s also a good exercise for your will … sure it will be hard at the beginning, but you will be powerful very soon
cheers
@ Jake
Good Point, Incidental Physical Activity
@ Chris
Thanks for the compliment. Cereal and Juice are OK, but there are much better things you can eat. A big breakfast is a good start. Whatever you eat in the morning, you have a lot more chance to burn off during the day, and you should take advantage of that fact. Your body has been starving all night, get out of that mode and give it some energy. You are much more glucose tolerant in the morning, but the best thing to eat is still something that has a low Glycemic Index, and plenty of protein. This will ensure you feel full for longer. A bowl of porridge with some berries and yogurt or protein powder is what you will find most of the body builders eat. Although not everyone needs such a strict diet, that is a perfect example of a well balanced breakfast. Some low GI carbs, protein and other great health protecting stuff you need from the berries! Cereal and Juice are OK, I’d prefer people eat than over nothing, but there are better choices.
@ Balu
Check the answers that follow yours!
@ Mark
Appreciate the kind words
@ Tom/ Peter/ Danny/ asdf
Nice points guys, basically answered that one for me! When you eat regularly throughout the day you are regulating your blood sugar. This means you wont get such big insulin spikes, and you wont feel fatigued/ tired during the day, and will store your energy more efficiently.
Surely here you mean “increase your calories a little”? The argument of the paragraph is that starving yourself doesn’t work, to suggest a further cut in calories doesn’t make sense to me…
Hi Mat,
No I meant what I said. But it is meant to read….if you want to lose weight, rather than starve yourself, just cut down your calories a little and exercise more. I haven’t written it the best way there.
Cheers
[…] to eat to balance your mood. Rolling with it when you’re in a funk. Up your metabolism from LaurensFitness.com. Lifehacker’s list of healthy foods that aren’t. Exercise keeps […]
[…] The higher your metabolism, the more calories you’ll burn. I came across this great post by laurensfitness.com which points out a number of things I try to follow. Here’s an excerpt of the […]
[…] Increase Your Metabolism: 11 Hot Tips To Get Your Furnace Burning (tags: fitness health exercise tips metabolism food diet) […]
Is it best to eat breakfast before or after a morning cardio session? Will probably start with 10 to 15 minute intense sessions each morning on the treadmill.
as strange as it sounds, this is a great tip: every time you’re driving, and you come to a stop sign or red light, do some butt clenches. Just try to clench your butt cheeks as tight as you can, hold it for about half a second, and then release. Do this as many times as you can while you’re stopped. You’ll burn some extra calories, and you build some muscle too.
another variation: while driving somewhere, pick a sign/pole/parked car/etc off in the distance. Clench your cheeks as tightly as you can until you reach the object, then release. lather, rinse, repeat…
I’m not at all surprised to see no references cited in this article. No studies or pointers to major medical journals. The reason I’m not surprised is that references are usually attached to facts and this article doesn’t contain any of those.
These are all just new wives-tales that fitness nuts tell each other over and over again until they believe it. Let’s see some real research-backed advice we can act on, please. And not fads that one doctor is behind or a whole industry of new-age eastern spirituality muscle magazine bulldroppings.
Great tips, another tip is to reduce TV and computer time which does not promote good activity
great tips, thanks
Honestly, I get too busy to work out every day at the gym, but a month ago I started doing squats when I was waiting for dinner to cook or the microwave to ding, lunges down the hall instead of walking at home, got some two pound weights and a free used indoor bike and do bicep curls while biking and watching tv, and I make sure to stretch.
Even though I haven’t changed my diet as much as I should and I still need to do more cardio, I have definitely gained a lot of muscle tone, even if I haven’t really lost weight. I’m pretty average and only have about 10 pounds to being fit, but this has been a great way to build muscle when I’m strapped for time. And I can finally do 50 squats in a row!
Add that kind of workout to intensive cardio at least 3 times a week and reasonable meals and it’s a sure combo for losing weight.
[…] efficiently. So how do you stoke your internal fires? Blogger and personal trainer Lauren has 11 tips for boosting your metablism - 5 them stress the importance of eating […]
@ITistic
This is a tough one. Without knowing you or your goals it is hard for me to say, but here are the scenarios. I am an athlete, my goals are performance based. Anyone who has performance based goals i.e increase time, get better speed etc etc will definitely want to eat before a workout. The fact is, if you eat something, you will find that you have a lot more energy to work from, and as a consequence you will perform a much more efficient workout. In fact, if you were partaking in a longer session, I would think that by eating, and having energy to have a better workout, you would actually burn more fat/calories in the long term.
On the opposite side of the fence, many bodybuilders don’t eat before they do a light cardio session in the morning. The theory is if you are fasted all night, you have no glucose left in your body to take energy from, and therefore will burn more fat. This is a very fine tuned process for them, and we are talking about going from 12% body fat to 8% here. My advice to you would be evaluate your goals, and play around with a few ideas. If you have eaten, you will have a much better workout in my opinion. But body builders aren’t after a good workout, they are after maximum fat loss.
@ Chief Crash
Well, any incidental exercise is good!
@ Sean
Fair point on the references, I didn’t think it was necessary to quote everything I wrote on my blog though. These facts aren’t groundbreaking, which is why I have gotten some bad feedback on other sites. I am not saying anything new, these all do actually increase your metabolism.
@ Macak
Good Job! It sounds like you are well on your way to changing your lifestyle and habits. Not too many people will do exercise at those times when they cant get to the gym.
[…] This article has some great tips on boosting your metabolism. A lot of the things here are pretty much a no brainer but it is nice to be reminded sometimes. I like the idea that working out more intensely is better than working out over a long period of time not so intensely. I don’t mind working out but hostly sometimes I get bored doing the same exact thing for 30 minutes, so I’d rather work out at a faster pace. Another thing it mentions is the importance of eating breakfast, I really have to work on this. [read the entire article here] […]
Lauren, just what is porridge??? Are you talking oatmeal or cream of wheat. Is the instant kind better? or worse than the long cooking variety. I eat a boal of oatmeal, with nuts and cranberries in the morning. I bike 10 - 15 miles (about 1/2 uphill) every other day, trying to best my time, each time. I also try to eat protein as much as possible, and stay away from my nemisis the cookie. I eat the sugarfree jello chocolate puddings at night. I went from 217 March 23, 2007 down to 168, Jan 08. At first, I only walked as I had a bad knee. As I got fitter, I got a trail bike. I try to find a bike route that pushes my cardio and heart rate up, Hills are great. I’m now maintaining my girth, although my weight has increased (muscle mass). What are the best kinds of protein to eat?
@ Freyes
Porridge is oatmeal. Both kinds are fine, but the longer cooking one has a lower GI, which means it will release it’s energy slower and you will feel full for a little longer. Your breakfast and your lifestyle sounds great. Congratulations on the chance, its hard to do.
The best kind of protein…well natural sources in your diet are great. However some natural proteins are better than others, when you are talking about gaining mass and muscle. It all depends on the amino acids they contain, the correct ratio and amount means that they are much more easily absorbed and are more efficient in aiding muscle synthesis. The best kinds of natural sources in this regard are animal sources. Such as, Chicken, Turkey, Eggs, Lean Red Meats, Low Fat Dairy.
You can also find protein in many plant sources, such as nuts and legumes. These aren’t as complete in their amino acid profile. From a health perspective, these are great and definitely do need to be included into your diet. From a muscle building perspective, your post workout meal is more efficient with animal proteins as they have a better amino acid content and will be used by the muscle better.
If you are talking about a supplement, the best kind is whey protein. Simply because it is absorbed the easiest and the fastest. With supplements, you want to try to take them straight after a workout.
I hope that helps, feel free to contact me if you need any more information.
Wonderful Tips. Thanks.
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@Sean, check out http://cbass.com/SEARCHOF.HTM for some ideas on why this is. BTW Bulldroppings is a funny word/phrase. Thanks for the chuckle
Good post Lauren.
@Balu,
3 times a day is so 18th century thinking, as far as you know says it all . To educate yourself check out the Metabolism Advantage by Dr John Berardi http://books.google.com/books?id=dUHIJ4gO_awC&dq=metabolism+advantage&pg=PP1&ots=YUkE_Bx0Nz&sig=DkiPs-4TyB3iJz9s2TE1RG6HOS8&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.com/search?q=metabolism+advantage&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=com.ubuntu:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail
exercising in the vertical position also boost your metabolism, I stumbled upon this equipment in the internet called stretch and press portable gym. This allows you to bench press forced body weight in the vertical position anywhere, home, work, school which I use it a couple times a day and lost 13 pounds in less then 6 weeks.
www.stretchandpress.com
This is a great article. Just by following these simple tips for a short time, anyone can shed a few pounds, feel more energetic, and be overall happier.
I also made a post a few days about with some tips to increase your metabolism.
If you are interested, check it out:
http://www.personadev.com/2008/01/31/5-simple-tips-to-increase-your-metabolism/
I have No website.
My comment is ..most of these comments decided to fill the stomach as frequent as possible..and may god bless all them.We all being natural products we all have to obey rules or laws of nature.Violation of anything,even a small mistake of eating non stop..saying bloodsugar and all,will have to be answered properly to mother law of nature.
Nature has made this human body and this has two main functions..one is assimilation and the other is elimination.
All health problems (except congenital diseases and injuries like by way accident),you name any with any technical word..all due to we all give priority to assimilation only.and elimination process is imperfect.In Tamil language ,said The Great Valluvar ” Eat only after all earlier foods excreted ,fully,and that after too after getting clear appetite..only then next food to be sent in side the stomach.”this is the main law.Also there is no bloodsugar drop if not eaten time to time non stop and etc..we sleep for 8 to 12 hours straight and feel finely energised and drained after 12 hours gap,appetite is different but weak feeling is different.This(excretion is not a simple thing like dumping and it has its own qualities to consider as right and full excretion) involves In Greater part MIND also.Purity of thoughts and all.So all our health problems are linked to pure food habits, and purity of mind.
Also as per law of nature anyfood after sunset is poison,they will continue to get lot of diseases,doctors keep on inventing names for that disease and also medicine..all due violation of law of nature.Many laws on food and living can be observed even from any animal,a co product of nature.So all you may please also start paying some attention to search what are all the laws of nature and how we are all living and where all started ,instead of arguing finely and ending with more diseases,its better finding way to live truly healthily.I have nothing against anyof you.Just thought to inform you the truth of life.Thanks to all of you for this opportunity to bring out this.which i had collected and experienced with in me and living so.
With kind regards and wishes to you all. S.Magesh Chennai
Wow, it’s very interesting to read all of the comments of those who are doubting the fact that by eating 5-6 smaller meals a day that you actually do lose weight. I understand the point about the article not containing references, however this is how bodybuilders eat….it’s even on the side of one of my containers of protein powder.
I follow the 6-week body makeover (a lifestyle, not a diet) and it was created by a body builder, Michael Thurmond. I eat 5-6 meals each day of whole foods (not processed, dead food but live, whole foods), drink at least 100oz. of clean water, and do cardio & strength training. Like Lauren wrote, those smaller, spaced out meals (I eat every 2.5 - 3 hours) get your metabolism roaring and keep your insulin levels even.
Yep, this is the way to lose weight healthily, besides the fact that you end up with tons of energy and feel awesome….at least that’s my experience.
I would like to address the issue of meal frequency.
The argument that having a high meal frequency increases your metabolism is that every time you eat your body must ‘fire up its engine’, which burns extra calories, and therefore you should eat often.
In all probability this is not how the body works. Indeed any organism that would ‘waste’ energy this way would not survive in the long run - that’s argument by evolution.
Two articles that verify this are
Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. 1997 Apr;77 Suppl 1:S57-70.
“We conclude that any effects of meal pattern on the regulation of body weight are likely to be mediated through effects on the food intake side of the energy balance equation.”
and
Impact of the daily meal pattern on energy balance; Scandinavian Journal of Nutrition, Volume 48, Number 3, October 2004 , pp. 114-118(5)
“In addition, no difference in total daily energy expenditure has been documented as a function of daily meal number.”
That a high meal frequency can assist in weight loss is a different matter. It is probably good for controlling appetite.
what a well written post.
seriously.
it is kind of a pain in the arse to do all the above…but SO WORTH IT and youve made it all look so doable with how you laid it out.
M.
[…] Read Lauren’s take on this subject. I’m not at all surprised that she says the same thing because she is a personal trainer and so is Michael Thurmond (as well as being a body builder), the man who created the 6-Week Body Makeover. […]
I would argue that putting so many eating things on the list would serve the wrong purpose.
In this country, eating too much is by far the most important issue to address.
Fair enough, but big problems when people diet are
1. They don’t eat frequently enough so they binge
2. They simply don’t eat enough and lose fat and muscle…then when they go back off their diet, put on just fat, have the same weight and then a higher fat percentage
3. Don’t eat enough protein when dieting to preserve muscle mass.
You want to diet, you gotta do it the right way, yes you need to not eat as much, but you have to eat enough.
definately important to eat 5-6 times a day. That way you wont eat one huge meal beacuse you wont be that hungry. when you get hungry, eat just a little. slow it down, because most people overeat because they eat too fast.