Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a faster metabolism? I mean, really, is there anyone out there who doesn’t want this? (I’m sure there are but, in my community, I’m guessing you’re with me on wanting to burn more fat!)
About Your Metabolism
Good news! You can boost your metabolism and it has NOTHING to do with calories in versus calories out! Nor does it have anything to do with how strenuous your workouts are.
Your metabolism is made up of a few parts.
First, your Basal Metabolism. This is how much energy your body burns just to keep you alive each day, while sitting quietly on a couch or lying in bed. This accounts for between 60% and 75% of your daily energy expenditure – the more muscle mass you have, the more you’ll burn.
(TIP: You can figure out your BMR pretty easily; simply take your current weight in pounds and add a zero to the end. For example, if you weight 140 pounds, your BMR is 1400 calories. The more lean muscle you have, the higher this will be.)
Second, digestion. Yes, the act of eating uses up about 10% of your daily energy. And, when you eat protein, this takes more energy to digest down into usable amino acids. Carbs are the least energy-intensive macronutrient to digest.
Third, physical activity. That’s activity above and beyond your basal metabolic rate. So, anytime you exercise, walk to work, garden, clean the house, etc., that’s physical activity. This accounts for between 15% and 30% of your total daily energy expenditure.
Energy Burned While Not Working Out
Focused exercise is typically an additional type of energy expenditure and can’t really help boost metabolism that much.
What does count, though, is activity that burns energy while not specifically working out. This is called non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and can make a HUGE difference in your overall metabolic rate.
All this “extra” activity can add up to a LOT of excess energy being used up!
This is why it’s so important to move more often. Not just sit at a desk or on the couch all day.
What’s Happening in Your Body
You have an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase that helps your body turn stored fat into energy.
When you’re not very active, you have less of it in your body – but staying active during the day will help keep your levels up.
So basically: If you want to keep your metabolism up, move more!
If you sit all day for work, this is incredibly important! It’s also especially important if you’ve found yourself slipping into a “doing less” rut because of stress, fatigue, or other issues.
Try taking the stairs more, parking further away, going for a walk before or after work, taking a walking meeting, or standing more often.
All these little bits of activity will add up and pay off.
Hormonal Balance for a Faster Metabolism
While movement will definitely help boost your metabolism and energy burn, there’s actually another thing that will totally rev up your body.
It’s balanced hormones!
When one of your hormones is out of whack, it causes the rest to get all wonky too. And, if your liver is overworked and not functioning like it should, this can further exacerbate hormonal issues.
Since your thyroid is your main regulator of energy and metabolism, it’s seriously affected by poor liver health and hormonal imbalances. So, if you really want that faster metabolism, you should focus on eating the right foods for your hormones.
Balanced hormones are the KEY to faster fat loss, more energy and better control over your body!
