5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR METABOLISM

5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR METABOLISM

This is an article that I'd like to share with references from one of the nutrition gurus Dr John Berardi (PhD,CSCS).

Metabolism - you've heard the word a million times but do you really know what metabolism is? Is it something you can touch? Is it located in a certain part of your body? Can it be operated on by medical doctors? And most importantly, can you speed it up?
Well, although you can't touch or operate on the metabolism, the good news is that you can speed it up with the right exercise and nutrition strategy. This is good news because the average North American loses about 10% of their metabolic power each decade, starting at age 25. Yet by focusing on the improving just five of each of the 5 metabolic targets below, it's entirely possible to prevent this metabolic slow-down. And this means a high metabolism for life!

METABOLIC TARGET #1 - INCREASE MUSCLE MASS

A gain of 2 - 5 kgs of lean mass muscle will rev up your resting metabolism - the number of calories your body burns to maintain life - by roughly 100 calories - each and every day. Of course, you can build this lean mass through regular resistance exercise. Interestingly, not only will this added lean mass speed up your resting metabolism, keeping it moving all day and night, the metabolism will get independent boosts from both performing the exercise and recovering from it. Try strongman circuit training like using a sledgehammer against a tire with pull ups and sprints to really fire the muscle gains.

METABOLIC TARGET #2 TRAIN TO GET THE AFTERBURN

Through targeted and "energy system" training (otherwise known as interval exercise), you can increase the
number of calories you burn during your workouts (about 300 to 600 calories per day depending on your body size and workout duration). However, assuming you integrate these high intensity efforts frequently enough, you can also burn through another 100 to 200 calories per day - a post- exercise energy burst that eats up calories even when you're sitting. This is called "the afterburn" and it's one secret that those who build a fast metabolism have taken advantage of. Try performing exercises that challenge more muscles such as a rope climb (photo Below)

METABOLIC TARGET #3 EAT PLENTY OF GOOD FOOD

That's right, even food can increase your metabolism. Under eat and the metabolism will drop. Eat the right amount and it'll remain high while still allowing you to burn fat. Further, prioritizing metabolically costly proteins, metabolism-boosting fats, antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies, and the right carbs at the right times (nutrient timing), can boost your metabolic rate by another 100 to 200 calories per day.

METABOLIC TARGET #4 EXERCISE VARIETY

Whenever you perform a new activity, it's likely that you will have to adjust to technique before you get it right. In other words, we're inefficient when performing new activities. In life, we've been taught to abhor inefficiency but in more metabolic pursuits, inefficiency is a blessing. When regularly changing your exercise program you'll become a less efficient calorie burner. Much like a car in need of a tune up, your body will consume more fuel than it needs to operate, wasting away the excess as heat. Unlike with your car, however, when it comes to your metabolism, inefficiency is a good thing. It will coax your body into burning more calories - and more fat - for fuel.

METABOLIC TARGET #5 MOVE, MOVE, MOVE

Thanks to your desk job, family commitments, and TV, most of us move less at ages 30, 40, and beyond than we did during our teens and twenties. So the final secret to a lifetime of metabolic maximization is to move more- ‘Move it or lose it’. In addition to the resistance exercise, the interval exercise, and the exercise variation discussed above, which we also work at in our sessions, it's important to "top off" your metabolism with some low intensity physical activity. Yoga, walking the dog, bike rides with the spouse - they all count. By accumulating at least 5 hours of physical activity each week, you can increase your calorie burning by about 300 to 600 calories per day.

Take Home Message (THM)Make sure that you use a combination of smart eating, training and supplementation to keep that metabolism moving for life. And if you're older and your current lifestyle has negatively impacted your body, know that it's not too late. Turn things around now and you can reverse the damage that's been done. I've seen it happen time and time again.