Metabolism Matters

Can certain types of exercise boost your metabolism?

No matter what you’re doing, your metabolism plays a role. Digesting, breathing, maintaining body temperature, circulation, and repairing cells—all these functions require energy. That energy comes from calories. Metabolism is your body’s process of turning food into useful energy (calories). It’s involved in all bodily functions, even while you’re resting.

Ever gone on a diet, exercised regularly, but the pounds just wouldn’t drop? You’re not alone. Many have the same problem. Could a slow metabolism be the cause? It could be. Research confirms that some people have a slower metabolism than others. If you’re one of them, this could affect weight.

The speed of your metabolism is determined by many factors. These include your sex, age, body composition, weight, and genetics. Some health conditions also influence metabolism. If metabolism is causing your weighty problem, speeding it up could help you trim down. What’s the best way to do this? Exercise.

Here’s how working out helps your metabolism work faster.

It Builds Muscle

Muscle cells require more energy than fat cells, so they burn more calories at rest. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism. As you age or stop exercising, you tend to lose muscle mass. The result? A slower metabolism. It’s also true that men generally have a faster metabolism than women because they have less body fat and more muscle.

If you’re lacking muscle, toning up could speed up your metabolism. Strength-training exercises are the best way to go about this. This type of exercise requires your body to work against some form of resistance. This could be weights, your own body weight, weighted machines, or resistance bands.

Work with your trainer to develop a workout routine that includes strength training exercises at least two days a week. Focus on exercises that work all the large muscle groups. Avoid isolation exercises like bicep curls. Instead, spend the majority of your workout with compound exercises. These work multiple muscles at one time and allow you to grow stronger faster. Examples of compound exercises include squats, lunges, deadlifts, push-ups, and bench presses.

It Works Your Heart

A balanced workout routine includes a good dose of cardiovascular exercise. Cardio exercise gets your heart rate up and increases blood flow to your body. This benefits your heart. It also does wonders for your overall state of health and wellness and boosts your metabolism.

Great cardio exercises include running, walking, cycling, swimming, and dancing. The more intense your workout, the more calories you’ll burn and the better chance your metabolism will improve.

Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercise each week. When planning your cardio routine, include intervals. As you alternate between lower and higher intensity exercise, you’ll burn more calories in a shorter amount of time. This fast burn does something else you’ll like. It increases your metabolism.

Take Action & Be More Active

Complaining about a slow metabolism doesn’t change things. Neither does doing what you’ve always done.

If you have a desk job, you can’t afford to stay sitting still all day. Not if you want to speed up your metabolism. And a hard 30-minute workout isn’t enough to provide long-term increases.

To keep your metabolism humming, you’ll need to increase your activity throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk on your lunch break, do bodyweight exercises during your breaks, or pace the floor while you’re on the phone. Look for opportunities to move your body and take them. These small changes help your metabolism help you lose weight.