Your genes might dictate your metabolism, but there
are ways to give it a little nudge in the right direction.5 ways
to burn more
● Game Changers Metabolism
Movemore■Makesimplechanges- likewalkingup the
escalatorinstead of just
standingtherestaring
intospace,orbusting
outsomecrunches while
youwatchthenews. It
allmakesa difference.
Movingeveryday in some
capacityis proven to
improvemetabolic rate.
Beingconscious of this
willgoa longway towards
creatinglong-term
change;peopleoften
overestimatehow much
energytheyburn during
a one-hourworkout
versusbeingactive
throughouttheday.
Do HIIT■ High-intensity interval
training (HIIT) is more than
just a fly-by-night fitness
fad – there’s a reason for
its popularity. This type of
training is super-efficient
and keeps burning calories
even after a workout, AKA
the “afterburn effect”.
With more oxygen flowing
through your muscles,
you’ l l al s o b e able to
recover faster so you can
get back to the gym and
HIIT it hard again sooner.
HIIT can be done with
body-weight moves,
cycling, running or
weights, as long as you
do it at a high intensity.Be a morning person■ Everyone has their
own unique biological
rhythms which dictate
energy levels throughout
the day, so training in the
morning might not suit
everyone. But for some,
a morning workout can
set the focus for the entire
day, helping you to make
better food and activity
choices, which keep your
metabolism in check.
Testosterone levels are
also at their highest in the
morning, meaning more
muscle growth from AM
workouts, plus a morning
workout leads to higher T
levels later in the day, too.Get more sleep■ Several studies have
suggested that sleep
deprivation can really
slow down your metabolic
function. If you’re not
getting enough sleep,
your body will become less
efficient at burning calories.
You’ll also experience
decreased levels of leptin
(appetite-controlling
hormone) and increased
levels of ghrelin (hunger
hormone). Plus, several
studies have found that
being sleep-deprived
can lead to people eating
larger meal portions and
more high-carb snacks.2 3 4 546 MEN’S FITNESS OCTOBER 2019
Countless
studies tell
us that a fast
metabolism results in
fat loss. What you might
not know is that your
metabolism is made up of
three parts – the energy
required to maintain bodily
function (resting metabolic
rate); the energy required to
digest food (thermic effect
of feeding); and the energy
required to assist with
exercise (thermic effect of
activity). While genetics
plays a role in metabolism,
there are many ways
you can boost it through
physical activity. Michael
Cunico, Head of Fitness at
Fitness First, shares five
ways to improve the speed
of your metabolism.
C
Buildingleanmusclemassisone
ofthemosteffectivewaystosend
yourmetabolismintooverdrive.Muscle
ismadeupofmetabolicallyactivetissue;
thismeansit requiresenergytobebuilt,
usedandevenmaintained.Musclemass
burnsa greaternumberofcaloriesthan
fat,sospendingtimeontheweights
floorwillnotonlyhelpboostyour
metabolism,it canalsohelpto
prepareyourbodyfor
futurefatloss.- Hit the weights