Fanning the flame
Here's welcome news: You may have inherited your mom's slow-mo
metabolism, but you’re not stuck with it. New research shows you can
trick your body into burning calories more efficiently, especially if
you hit the gym.
By strength-training just a couple of times a week, for example, you’ll reverse 50% of the seemingly inevitable metabolism slow-down that comes with age, says Gary Hunter, PhD, a professor of human studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. So take control of your metabolism by making these boosters part of your routine—and (finally) stop sweating every cookie.
By strength-training just a couple of times a week, for example, you’ll reverse 50% of the seemingly inevitable metabolism slow-down that comes with age, says Gary Hunter, PhD, a professor of human studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. So take control of your metabolism by making these boosters part of your routine—and (finally) stop sweating every cookie.
Kick it up a notch |
The next time you run, swim, or even walk, ramp up the intensity for
30-second intervals, returning to your normal speed afterward. Using
this strategy will help you consume more oxygen and make your cell
powerhouses, the mitochondria, work harder to burn energy, explains Mark
Hyman, MD, an integrative and functional medicine specialist in private
practice in Lenox, Massachusetts, and author of Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss.
"You increase the number of mitochondria and how efficiently they burn
throughout the day," he explains.This way, you can exercise for less
time than it takes to plod along at the same pace and still get great
results.
Here's how to do it: Exercise for 5 minutes at 3.5 mph. Increase
your speed to 4 mph for 60 seconds. Then go back down to 3.5 mph for 90
seconds. Repeat the entire sequence 5 times, twice a week. (To get a
more challenging workout, increase the incline or your pace.)
Get your omega-3's |
Why does eating lots of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon,
herring, and tuna) help amp up metabolism? Omega-3s balance blood sugar
and reduce inflammation, helping to regulate metabolism. They may also
reduce resistance to the hormone leptin, which researchers have linked
to how fast fat is burned. A study in Obesity Research found rats
that ingested large doses of fish oil while exercising lost weight.
Take omega-3 fatty acid supplements; Hyman recommends 1,000 to 2,000
milligrams per day. Hate the fishy after-burp? Try flaxseed oil,
walnuts, or eggs fortified with omega-3s. Or check out supplements (by
brands such as Nordic Naturals) that have no fishy taste.
Make some muscle
Not only does muscle weigh more than fat, but it uses more energy, too. The average woman in her 30s who strength-trains 30 to 40 minutes twice a week for four months will increase her resting metabolism by 100 calories a day. That means you're resetting your thermostat to keep running at that rate even on the days when you don't make it to the gym, Hunter explains.Turn to (green) tea |
Green tea has long been heralded for its antioxidant polyphenols. But new evidence shows the active ingredient, catechin, may crank up metabolism. Researchers conducted a series of studies in dieters and found that those who went green lost more weight than those who didn't, suggesting that catechins may improve fat oxidation and thermogenesis, your body's production of energy, or heat, from digestion. But how much do you have to drink? According to one study, if you drink five eight-ounce cups of green tea a day, you can increase your energy expenditure by 90 calories a day. Sounds like a lot of tea, but it's not hard to do if you also drink it iced.
Don't slash those calories |
Enjoy the afterburn
Exercise is a gift to yourself that keeps on giving. In a phenomenon
known as excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), your body can
take hours to recover from a robust workout (one intense enough that you
can't hold a conversation) and return to its previous resting metabolic
rate. The windfall: Your body is actually burning more calories than it
normally would—even after you've finished exercising. There’s a catch,
though. The better shape you're in, the less benefit you'll get, because
your fit body replenishes its energy stores efficiently. You can
improve your burn by increasing how often or how hard you work out
(think intervals), suggests Walt Thompson, PhD, professor of kinesiology
and health and nutrition at Georgia State University.
Trim the trans fat
You’ve heard they're bad for you. But trans fats also slow down your
body's ability to burn fat. "They have an altered shape and make your
biochemistry run funny," Hyman says, explaining that trans fat binds to
fat and liver cells and slows metabolism. Eating trans fat can also lead
to insulin resistance and inflammation, both of which cripple
metabolism and can cause weight gain.
Go organic
If you’re on the fence about whether to buy organic, this news may
sway you: Fruits, vegetables, and grains grown without pesticides keep
your fat-burning system running at full-tilt because they don’t expose
your thyroid to toxins, Hyman says. Nonorganic produce, on the other
hand, “blocks your metabolism mainly by interfering with your thyroid,
which is your body’s thermostat and determines how fast it runs,” he
explains.
Think protein |
Your body digests protein more slowly than fat or carbs, so you feel
full longer (this is especially true when you have it for breakfast).
Plus, it may also give your metabolism a bump. In a process called
thermogenesis, your body uses about 10% of its calorie intake for
digestion. So, because it takes longer to burn protein than carbs or
fat, your body expends more energy absorbing the nutrients in a
high-protein diet. Another bonus: One recent study from Purdue
University found that diets higher in protein may help preserve lean
body mass, which is the best fat-burner of all.
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