How to Manipulate Your Metabolism for Weight/Fat Loss (Part 2)

Hi Guys. I hope you (Aussies) enjoyed your Australia day. For my international readers, January 26 is Australia Day (kind of a big deal) here in the Land-Down-Under.

Last time we learned a little about metabolism and the impact it has on our body. Now it’s time to take a look at how we might ‘tweak’ it a little. Keep in mind that the following information is merely food for thought. I’m not recommending that you turn your current regime on its head and embrace every suggestion, but rather that you consider the science and see what might be practical, reasonable and maintainable for you. One or two lasting changes are better than ten temporary ones.

Metabolic Turbo-Charging 101

1. Muscle up. Get some beef. And no (girls), I don’t mean in a “hey you look like a man” kinda way. No, I mean add a little lean tissue (muscle) to your frame and (1) you’ll look more athletic and shapely and (2) you’ll burn more fat at rest because muscle is metabolically active tissue. Let’s say we have identical twin sisters, they both weigh 60kgs (132lbs) but one of the sisters has a body-fat percentage of 20% (and more muscle), while the other has a body-fat percentage of 33% (and obviously less muscle). Even though they are genetically identical and even though they weigh the same, the one with more muscle will have a higher BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and will be able to consume more cals than her less muscular sister while staying leaner. And you thought dumbbells were only for beef-cakes. * The photo is of Loretta Watson – one of our readers and RYL graduates. You can take a peek at her new site here.  

2. Break up your cardio. We all know that cardio-vascular exercise will increase our metabolic rate for a period of time, but did you know that if we were to break our forty-five minute morning cardio session (for example) into three fifteen minute instalments of the same activity at the same intensity (say morning, afternoon and night), we would actually expend more energy over the day because we’re giving our metabolism three kicks instead of one?

3. Add some intensity to your workouts. Then there’s the issue of how hard we train. Some people (okay, many people) spend their lives exercising in second gear. Some, first. Of course intensity is relative to the individual (my hard might be your easy) and yes we need to make sure we have a good fitness base before we start to explore the outer reaches of our physical potential but… going through the motions (simulated exercise I call it – looks like a workout but isn’t) ain’t gonna give your metabolism the kick you’re looking for. A thirty minute jog (at say 10kph/6mph) will have a greater impact on your metabolism (post-exercise) than a thirty minute walk (at say 5kph/3mph). Not only will the jog have a greater impact on your metabolism in terms of energy expended per unit of time, but it will also do it for longer (post exercise). The more intense the activity, the longer we’ll see an elevation in our metabolic rate. Now, if we wanted to turn that thirty minute (10kph) jog into a thirty minute (13kph/8mph) run….

4. Stay well hydrated. Not only does dehydration slow our metabolism but drinking water actually has an energy cost. That is, it burns calories. Good news all round. It’s not a massive effect but drinking 500 mls (just under a pint) of water elevates our metabolism for around half an hour and expends an extra twenty five calories (or so). So, somebody like me who drinks around four litres of water every day of my life will expend an extra 1,400 cals weekly just because of my (healthy) water habit. That’s an extra 72,800 calories annually. Which equates to 20.8lbs (just under 10kgs) of fat. Water anyone?

5. Move to Antarctica. This suggestion is more fun than it is serious but it’s interesting to know than a cold body is a body that’s burning a bazillion calories. Going for a walk on a warm afternoon (say 25C/77F) will expend significantly less energy (burn considerably less calories) than the same body doing the same walk over the same distance and the same pace on a cold morning (say 5C/41F). Being a person who has ridden motorbikes (on the road) for nearly thirty years I can tell you with some certainty that a motorbike ride on a cold morning will expend a shitload (look it up) more energy than the same ride (drive) at the same pace in a warm car.

6. Avoid stress. When we’re stressed our body produces a hormone called cortisol – which is a hormone that suppresses thyroid functions (which equals a slower metabolism). Okay, think calm thoughts and go to your happy place.

7. Move hourly. If your life or part thereof  (work for example) is relatively sedentary, then why not give your metabolism an hourly kick in the guts. So to speak. People who get up from their desk and complete three to five minutes of moderate activity each hour (walking, yoga, stairs, squats, pole-vault) – just checking you’re still awake – will have a (relatively) elevated metabolism compared with the office-slugs around them who will be sliding quietly towards heart disease and obesity. Too harsh? Oh well, don’t care.

8. Diet Induced Thermogenesis (D.I.T.). Wow, there’s a big term to get our head around. The term thermogenesis means heat production. When we eat, digest and metabolise food for its various uses in our body, one of the by-products is heat production (which is why we often feel warmer after a big meal). In the production of heat there is an energy cost. Put simply, this means that some of the calories we ingest will be used in the conversion process (from food outside our body to useable nutrients inside it). Typically, somewhere around 5-15% of the calories we consume will be lost due to D.I.T. So, how can we use this information to our advantage? Good question.

In terms of the three macronutrients (fat, protein and carbohydrate), I can tell you that the digestion and synthesis of dietary protein to useable energy ‘costs’ the most. That is, it expends the most calories in its breakdown and uptake by the body. Next on the list is carbohydrate and last is fat. While there are conflicting figures on exactly how many calories are used in the conversion of the three macronutrients (via D.I.T.), we know that for every 100 calories of protein we consume, approximately ten to fifteen will be lost (yay) in the breakdown and uptake process. Some studies suggest that complex carbs have an even higher cost (although this is still being debated), but what is known is that very few calories are lost in the breakdown and conversion of dietary fat. That is, for every 100 calories of dietary fat, we will only ‘lose’ around 3 calories via D.I.T. Apart from the fact that carbs and protein have way less calories per gram than fat (4 versus 9), we now know that they also expend more calories being utilised by the body. Now, before you throw yourself into a high protein diet – don’t. The take home message is – less fat. No kidding.

9. Avoid Very Low Calorie Diets. Wanna destroy your metabolism? Under-eat. It’s very effective…. at wasting muscle and storing fat. People who go on severe diets typically create several outcomes: (1) rapid water loss (2) rapid muscle loss (3) metabolic down-turn (4) minor fat loss. And when they go off the diet (and they will) they will regain mostly water and fat (and very little muscle). A few years back I assessed a woman who lost and re-gained 15kgs (33lbs) in a relatively short period of time. Her pre-diet figures were 82kgs (180lbs) and 33% body-fat. Her post-diet figures were 82kgs (same weight) and 38% body-fat. That is, less muscle and more fat at the same weight.  Oops.

10. Pills, Powders and Potions. In the age of the “Quick Fix” we are confronted with an ever-expanding range of drugs and supplements that fall loosely under the banner of metabolic enhancers. Something of a wanky term, I must say. And something of a marketing ploy also. While I’ll say up front that I’m not a fan of any of them (no!), I’ll also put up my hand and tell you that I’m also not the ’expert’ in this area. What I don’t like about most of these metabolic enhancers is that apart from (allegedly) increasing metabolic rate, they also have the potential to place a level of stress on our nervous and cardio-vascular systems, with such potential side effects as tremors, anxiety, profuse sweating (via increased body temp), tachycardia (increased heart rate) and palpitations. Even coffee (or any caffeine-based drink for that matter) will elevate our metabolism for a period of time but keep in mind that caffeine is both a drug and a stimulant. While I have friends who have used and swear by some of these products, I’ve also spoken with people who have had quite negative experiences (anxiety, palpitations, tachycardia) with such products. Personally I would never use them but you’re big now, so I’ll let you decide for yourselves!

11. Eat more meals but no more calories. Every time we eat, our metabolism is elevated for anywhere between thirty minutes and several hours, depending on what – and how much – we put into our bodies. The longer we go without food the slower our metabolism becomes, so it stands to reason that more regular eating is a good idea if fat and weight-loss are our objectives. Let’s go back to our twin 60kg (132lb) girls for a minute. This time let’s say that everything is the same. That is, their genetics, height, weight, body composition (fat, muscle), lifestyle, exercise habits and calorie intake are identical. The only difference this time around is that Sally consumes all of her daily calories in three meals, while Sandy – who eats an identical diet (same food, same total calories) – divides her daily intake into six smaller meals.

Because Sandy eats more frequently (even though she consumes the same total number of calories and even though she is genetically identical to her sister), over time she will be significantly leaner than Sally simply because she has stimulated her metabolism on a more regular basis. So… what we eat is an issue (in terms of weight loss and metabolism) but so too is how we eat. Capiche?

Okay, there we have it. I hope that wasn’t too “sciencey” or technical for you. I did my best to make the information helpful and user-friendly (as I always do). Love to hear your feedback, thoughts and ideas…

Ciao x

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