How to Support Your Metabolism

Managing weight is not only about taking in fewer calories. Effective weight management programmes also include strategies for supporting metabolism. Here are seven simple methods:

1. Keep Your Body Moving

All body movement requires energy. The more active you are, the higher your metabolic rate. Even very simple activities such as regularly standing up, walking around or doing housework make a big difference in the long run. This increase in metabolic rate is technically known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). In people with severe obesity, NEAT can make up a significant part of daily calorie expenditure because of their extra body weight. There are several ways to increase NEAT. If you spend a lot of time sitting, here are a few strategies:

• Stand up and walk around regularly
• Use the stairs whenever possible
• Do housework
• When using public transport, get off a few stops early and walk to your destination.
• Walk around while talking on the phone
• Take 5 minutes to walk around before going into your home
• At work, choose the toilet that is further away

A study of 10 people showed that spending an afternoon standing burned an extra 174 calories compared with sitting.

Even activities that seem unimportant, such as writing, can raise your metabolic rate by 8% compared with doing nothing. Regular exercise is strongly recommended for anyone who wants to manage their weight or improve their health. Even light activities such as walking around, doing housework or fidgeting can give you an advantage in the long run.

2. Do High-Intensity Exercise

One form of exercise is high-intensity training, also known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT involves fast, very intense activity such as sprints or quick press-ups. It is associated with a temporary rise in metabolic rate after the exercise has finished. However, these exercises are not suitable for everyone. Most importantly, they should always be done with a specialist, and you should check with your doctor first if you have any health condition.

3. Strength Training

Another way to support your metabolic rate is to strengthen your training. In addition to the direct effect of the exercise itself, strength exercises encourage muscle mass to grow. The amount of muscle you have is directly related to your metabolic rate.

One study showed that doing strength exercises for 11 minutes a day, three times a week, led to an average 7.4% increase in resting metabolic rate after 6 months and to an extra 125 calories burned a day.

Older age is generally linked with muscle loss and a fall in metabolic rate, but regular strength exercise can partly offset this negative effect. Similarly, a weight loss diet with reduced calories usually leads to loss of muscle mass and metabolic rate. Again, strength training can help prevent this fall. A study in overweight women showed that doing daily strength exercises on an 800-calorie diet prevented the fall in muscle mass and metabolic rate compared with those who did no exercise or only aerobic exercise. A diet that low should only be followed under medical supervision.

4. Meal Timing

All foods cause a temporary rise in metabolic rate known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). TEF is highest in the morning or within the first few hours after waking. For this reason, eating a larger share of your daily calories earlier in the day may maximise the effect.

5. Do Not Starve Yourself

Although eating less is an important way of managing weight, eating too little often backfires in the long term, because calorie restriction causes a fall in your metabolic rate. This effect is known as starvation mode or metabolic adaptation. It is your body's way of protecting itself from potential starvation. Research suggests that continuously eating fewer than 1,000 calories a day causes a significant fall in metabolic rate that continues even after the diet is stopped. Research in people with obesity suggests that the response to hunger can considerably reduce the number of calories burned. For example, one study shows that this slowing of metabolic rate saves up to 504 calories a day. Interestingly, intermittent fasting appears to minimise this effect.

6. Drink Water

Temporarily raising your metabolic rate does not have to be complicated. It can be as simple as going for a walk or drinking a glass of cold water. Many studies show that water leads to an increase in the number of calories burned, an effect known as water-induced thermogenesis. Increasing your water intake also appears to be useful for your waist. A few studies suggest that drinking 1-1.5 litres of water a day could contribute to weight loss over time.

7. Sleep

Not getting enough sleep is not only bad for your general health, it can also slow your metabolic rate and increase your risk of gaining weight. One study showed that when healthy adults slept only four hours a night for five days in a row, their metabolic rate fell by 2.6%. Another five-week study found that continuous sleep disruption with irregular sleep durations reduced resting metabolic rate by 8% on average. Accordingly, lack of sleep is linked with an increased risk of weight gain and obesity.

This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.