The big secret to losing weight, is to boost your metabolism and burn calories. The bottom line is this: your metabolism breaks down what you eat into energy. The better your body can do this, the easier it will be to burn calories, and the more calories you burn. Meaning… the more weight you lose. Exercise does just that.
Of course when put like that, it’s a piece of cake (pun intended!) But, as many of us know all too well, the reality is not that simple. Yes, increasing your metabolism results in weight loss, and for some this is easier than for others. However every individual has a different base metabolic rate. A metabolic rate, is the amount of calories you naturally burn regardless if you workout, or sit on the sofa watching Netflix all day.
Nevertheless, there is still a lot you can do to change your metabolism and take control of your weight and get fit in no time.
Combining cardio exercises with strength training, you reap a double benefit:
- You instantly burn calories as you go, and
- You build up muscle and tone.
The end result is burning up stored fat even when you’re not exercising. 60 minutes of exercise that goes a long way! If you want to burn those calories faster, then make sure to work these exercises into your routine and you’ll see results in no time!
1. Lunges
Lunges will really kick your cardio in gear, good things come to those who work hard, push through for a continued amount of time and you’ll be sweating away those calories.
There are endless different variations of lunges you can do, but you can find the top 15 killer lunges here.
If you really want to give your metabolism a serious boost, give the running lunge a shot!
What it looks like:
Begin by getting yourself into the classic lunge position – your left leg should be forward at a 90-degrees angle, your right leg should also be bent at 90-degrees (a few centimetres above the ground).
Push yourself up into a standing position, lifting your right leg up and raising the knee high towards your chest.
Don’t forget to switch sides and hold in those stomach muscles.
2. Mountain Climber
When done properly, the mountain climber gives you a full-body workout and can really give your metabolism the boost it needs.
What it looks like:
Get into a classic plank position, hands shoulder width apart and holding yourself up on your toes. Run your right knee into your chest and back to the plank position and switch knees. Build up the pace.
Note: Make sure to keep your core strong and hold those stomach muscles in – don’t forget to breathe.
3. Fire Feet
This cardio exercise will have you sweating and ramping up your heartbeat in no time. Pumping oxygen rich blood to your muscles providing them with all the nutrients they need to build on your muscles.
What it looks like:
Place your feet shoulder width apart, standing in the athletes position, slightly bending your knees and holding your hip low. Push through each foot as if you are running on the spot as fast as possible, one foot at a time, pushing through the balls of your feet.
Note: stay low throughout this exercise and make sure to breathe deeply whilst holding your core in.
4. Bear-Crawl Shoulder Taps
The bear crawl shoulder tap is an adaptation of the bear crawl with the added challenge of touching opposite shoulders, whilst holding a static bear crawl hold.
This exercise is true cardio work-out, using your entire body, it is guaranteed to make you feel the burn!
What it looks like:
Place your hands and knees on the floor (shoulder and hips width apart). Curl in your toes and hold your knees up just above the ground into a static bear crawl position. Holding in your core and taking deep breaths, touch your right shoulder with your left hand, placing it back down on the mat, switching sides and speeding it up.
Note: Don’t forget to breathe and make sure that your knees always stay off the ground!
5. Jumping Knee Up-Downs
If you haven’t worked up a sweat just yet (which you should have after all of these!) this exercise will definitely do it. Targeting your lower muscles in full power, the jumping knee-up down will push your metabolism up a gear.
What it looks like:
Start on your knees, holding a steady core, slowly lift yourself up into a squat one knee at a time, using only your legs to get up into a squat position. From here jump up straight and back into a squat. Reverse the action by bringing yourself from a squat, back down to your knees.
In Summary…
Your metabolism may be predetermined, however exercise is a fantastic external factor that you can control and influence your metabolism, starting today.
It is important to remember that you’re training your body to maximize its efficiency. These 5 exercises will give your metabolism the boost it needs, But more than that, it can help you become healthier on the inside and push you towards your weight loss goals. Taking control and maximizing your metabolism is an entire package. Alongside working out, you need to take a good look at your nutrition and understand how to eat for your metabolism. Here you can find the best foods to boost your metabolism.
