3 TOP TIPS FOR BOOSTING YOUR METABOLISM
We all want to look and feel our best, and there are numerous techniques to stay healthy, manage weight and feel great every day. But have you tried diets, exercise regimes, or even weight loss pills that didn’t work? There could be a reason why: your metabolism.
WHAT IS METABOLISM?
Metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy. During this complex process, calories in food are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body systems need to function efficiently, from breathing, thinking and moving to growing or repairing cells. Your thyroid gland plays a central role in regulating your metabolism by producing thyroid stimulating hormones (TSH).
When the metabolism slows down (due to ageing or hormonal imbalance such as hypothyroidism or menopause) you burn less calories at rest and during physical activity, which can lead to unwanted weight gain.
60%-75% of your daily calories are burned simply by keeping your body operating. Your body is always working, even when you are resting. Your vital organs; the heart, brain, lungs, liver, and kidneys, make up about 80% of the total calories used every day.
If you are experiencing unexplained weight gain, fatigue and foggy brain, your metabolism could be the key underlying factor. My role as a Functional Medicine Practitioner is to address the root cause of issues, rather than simply the symptoms. So rather than trying to achieve a goal by focusing on the result you want — i.e lose lots of weight — it’s essential to first focus on the root metabolic issues which could be getting in the way of healthy weight loss or maintenance of weight.
Here are some to simple tips you can incorporate into your daily routine to help you master your metabolism and increase your metabolic rate to burn calories more efficiently.
1. GET HIGH QUALITY SLEEP
Aim for 8 hours per night and try to spend as much of that time as you can in REM sleep. During this state, the brain rejuvenates, your metabolism resets and your metabolic hormones rebalance.
Chronic stress, low quality or quantity of sleep disrupt your metabolic hormones and are root causes that could be underlying your inability to lose weight and have the energised body and mind that you want.
Overall, women tend to be more affected by metabolic issues than men due to fluctuations in hormone levels throughout their monthly cycles, as well as the depletion of hormones later in life during perimenopause and menopause which can lead to slower metabolism and weight gain.
Magnesium, an essential mineral that many people are deficient in, plays a crucial role in the metabolic process — without it, the chemical reactions that produce energy from the food we eat can’t happen. Magnesium is essential for our metabolism and energy production but many people’s diets are deficient in magnesium. It is very important, especially for women, to ensure correct levels of magnesium through nutrition and supplementation. Since not all magnesium supplements are equally effective and there are many types, with different functions and body absorption capacities, it is important to seek advice from a Nutritional Therapy practitioner when choosing which and how much to take.
2. ADD STRENGTH TRAINING TO YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE
Aerobic exercises like swimming and running are an effective way to burn calories and do work for many people trying to increase their metabolic weight and lose weight. However, these high intensity workouts can be strenuous on your body and add more stress to already burned out cells if for example you are dealing with stress-related hormone issues or are a woman going through perimenopause or menopause.
It is important to have a workout routine that balances aerobic (cardio) exercises with strength training. If your exercise routine is very cardio-heavy because you are trying to burn fat and lose weight, consider spending some of that workout time on muscle-building strength training exercises because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue. Strength training has been proven to increase your metabolic rate for 2 hours after only 20 minutes. By doing a strength routine, you’ll build more muscle — and the more muscle you have, the better your metabolism will function and the more fat you will burn.
Especially for women aged 40+, maintaining muscle health is the key to sustained energy, a healthy metabolism and so much more. This is because the health of your muscles is directly related to your insulin sensitivity, which triggers whether your body uses sugar for fuel or stores it as fat.
3. CREATE A METABOLISM-BOOSTING MORNING ROUTINE
Starting working WITH your body’s natural rhythms and set yourself up for all-day success by doing a couple easy things first thing when you wake up to help your metabolism stay strong. There are lots of different ways to activate healthy energy production, but here are a few ideas you can pick and choose from depending on what works best with your busy schedule:
- Start your day with a pint of water to help your liver, gut and belly de-bloat and function better. In a 2 litre glass jar or bottle, add purified water, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon, add in 10-15 mint leaves and a whole sliced cucumber which you can drink throughout the day. If you are feeling spicy, you can even add a dash of cayenne pepper or ginger root (cayenne contains capsaicin which research shows may help you activate your metabolism and burn up to 50 extra calories per day).
- Add cinnamon to your morning coffee instead of sugar. Cinnamon is amazing for stabilising blood glucose and it is also heart protective.
- Make sure to have protein in every meal, especially breakfast. Even if you do intermittent fasting so your breakfast isn’t until later in the morning, infusing this first meal with lots of high-quality protein is key to maintaining healthy metabolism and maintaining muscle. Aim for a minimum of 20-25 gram of protein at each meal to support your muscles and aid in stabilising glucose and insulin levels. If you struggle to get enough protein (I definitely used to), adding high-quality protein powder to your oats, yoghurt or morning shake is a great way to upgrade your energy. This will also help you feel full for longer and keep you from craving unhealthy snacks later in the day.
- Use Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). ACV has many metabolism-boosting and gut-helping benefits that make it a great addition to your morning routine to set the tone for the day.
- Take metabolism-boosting supplements. Your body needs certain nutrients to take the food you eat and convert it to energy. Especially as we get to age 40, 50, and beyond, our bodies need an extra boost to keep doing this efficiently! Issues like oestrogen-dominance and insulin resistance are rampant in this age category, and these underlying hormone issues can make it hard to get the nutrients you need through food alone. I recommend an insulin-stabilising supplement that includes Chromium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and methylated B Vitamins because these are essential nutrients you probably aren’t getting enough of in your diet.
IS YOUR METABOLISM UP TO SPEED?
If you are struggling to maintain or lose weight, there could be more serious underlying health factors at play such as hypothyroidism, which if left untreated can lead to chronic health issues such as heart problems, nerve injury and infertility.
The best way to find out if your metabolism is functioning properly is by taking a Functional Test that looks at your body’s biomarkers to detect imbalances and signs of potential illness. There are several different types of test that cover Thyroid and Metabolic function.
Find out more or book a test by following the links below. Your health. Your choice.
