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How to supercharge your metabolism

Science

Many factors influence the way we feel. One thing that has a considerable impact is our metabolic rate. By understanding how it works, the different types of metabolism and what influences it, you can take control of it so that it starts working for you, rather than against you.

What is metabolism?

When talking about metabolism, most people are referring to your metabolic rate, which is the rate at which your body burns the calories you ingest. Our food and drinks are broken down and converted into energy through complex chemical processes. This energy is then used to either repair or grow cells.

Our metabolic rate, which we will also refer to as metabolism in this post, is vital to the proper functioning of our bodies. Our food must be transformed into energy to give our bodies what they need to work. And our metabolism impacts the rate at which this process occurs.

How metabolism works

There are two chemical processes involved in metabolism: anabolism and catabolism.

What is catabolism? – This process breaks our food and drink down into simple forms to release energy into our bodies.

What is anabolism? – Anabolism is the process of using that energy to perform bodily functions.

How many types of metabolism are there?

To make matters even more complicated, there are multiple types of metabolism, including:

  • Ectomorph Metabolism – This type of metabolism is common in people with smaller frames and bone structures. Ectomorph metabolism burns calories remarkably
  • Endomorph Metabolism – This tends to be a slower metabolism and is common with shorter, rounder body types.
  • Mesomorph Metabolism – Rectangular-shaped bodies tend to have this type of metabolism.

Why metabolism is important

Perhaps the question here should be why a fast metabolism is important. When our metabolic rate is slower, we may experience food cravings, mood swings, fatigue, and struggles to maintain our desired weight.

How to supercharge your metabolism

Before discussing how to supercharge your metabolism, we need to understand what impacts it. Our metabolism is affected by:

  • Age – Metabolism slows down as we get older due to the drop in muscle tissue, neurological and hormonal changes.
  • Body size – A body with more muscle mass and is typically larger than average will have a higher metabolic rate. Fat cells are the slowest burners of kilojoules.
  • Coffee – an espresso after a meal is a great way to boost digestion and metabolism
  • Deficiencies in diet – such as a lack of iodine, can lower metabolic rate.
  • Environmental temperature – Whether too hot or cold, if our body has to work harder to maintain body temperature, our metabolic rate will increase.
  • Genetic predisposition – Our genes may play a role in metabolism.
  • Gender – Typically, males will have a faster metabolic rate, likely due to a higher muscle mass.
  • Hormones – As usual, our hormones have a role to play, with imbalances influencing metabolism.
  • Illness – Like environmental factors, metabolism has to increase to build an immune response to infection or illness and build new tissues.
  • Muscle mass – As already stated, muscle rapidly burns kilojoules, so the more we have, the better our metabolism will perform.
  • Physical activity – Exercising regularly builds muscle mass and encourages calorie burn, even during rest periods.

 

The good news is that you can actively influence your metabolism to help it function the way you want it to. By eating the right foods and in the right amount, drinking cold water, doing the correct types of exercise, getting a good, uninterrupted night’s sleep and opting to stand over sitting as much as possible, you can increase your metabolic rate.

What foods supercharge metabolism?

Incorporating greek yoghurt with active cultures into your diet can give your metabolism a probiotic boost. Regularly eating protein like dairy, eggs and chicken is a great way to support muscle building and muscle retention. (If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you could try our delicious protein smoothie as a substitute.)

Additionally, you could increase the number of green vegetables you eat throughout the day, as these need more calories to digest than they put into your body.

What exercises increase metabolism?

In contrast to the short HIIT exercise sessions that have grown in popularity in recent years, you may have to work out for longer but with less intensity, if you want to increase your metabolism. The longer you can exercise for (within reason), the more calories you can burn and the faster your metabolism will work.

Additionally, incorporating resistance and strength training can assist in building muscle, which we know is good for metabolism, and reduce muscle loss, according to research. Thankfully, this doesn’t mean that you have to begin bodybuilding; activities such as yoga can help with this.

What supplements increase metabolism?

Several Rejuvenated supplements may support supercharging your metabolism. Here’s a list:

Protein smoothieWe know that protein can help with muscle building and retention, which impacts metabolic rate, and this smoothie has plenty of that. The recipe also includes numerous good fats to promote a healthy metabolism and has fibre to help you stay fuller for longer.

Regenerate NAD+The vitamin B2, namely the Riboflavin in these capsules, contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism, perfect if you feel that yours isn’t performing as well as usual. This supplement can also fight against fatigue, a side effect of lowered metabolic rate.

VeggiecolLike Regenerate NAD+, these capsules also contain vitamin B2. They also contain vitamin B3, which is vital for the metabolism of fats, lipids and carbohydrates.

H3O HydrationIf you’re eager for optimised cellular metabolism, look no further than our H3O Hydration.

Re-set: These vegan capsules are referred to as a ‘master switch’ for metabolism due to the gynostemma pentaphyllum, which is believed to promote AMPK. This supplement also has Choline, which may contribute to normal lipid metabolism.

There are several other benefits of taking the above supplements. If you have any questions regarding a specific supplement, please do feel free to contact our team for more help and advice.