Fire up your metabolism

Your metabolism is like the workroom of your body – depending on its efficiency, you will feel energised or drained, your body will operate efficiently or not and your weight will fluctuate or stay fairly stable.

Your metabolism can be sped up or slowed down, depending on how you treat yourself. If you have health goals to reach – check that you are taking good care of factors that affect your metabolism.

Your age

Naturally each year after you turn 30, your metabolism begins to slow by degrees, which is why it used to be easier to shift a couple of pesky kilos, or eat and drink with abandon.

Dairy

Unless you have been professionally diagnosed with an allergy or intolerance, dairy is a valuable part of a balanced diet. It is a rich source of proteins whey and casein, which help prevent prevent protein breakdown and maintain muscle mass. Maintaining lean muscle mass is vital for keeping your metabolism working well. Yoghurt, milk and cheese form an important part of a balanced diet.

Temperature

Brown fat is more likely to burn rather than store calories, but if you are constantly overheated, it doesn’t get the opportunity to work as hard. Brown fat is more active at lower temperatures to keep us warm. In the summer months, it can be hard to cool off, but as a rule of thumb, try and sleep in a cool environment (less than 22C). Use bedclothes to keep your body warm and let the air temperature be cooler.

Keep some carbs

It is true that many studies show that a low carbohydrate diet is more effective for weight loss than a low fat one.  But that doesn’t mean you should eliminate carbs completely, especially if you exercise regularly. If you don’t give your body the fuel it needs, it simply adjusts its energy output. As a result, your workouts may become less effective. A small amount (cupped palm size) of good quality carbohydrates (oats, brown rice, kumara) with each meal is still a good idea.

Slow down your workout

Resistance training is an excellent way to build muscle, which keeps your metabolism going. It is true that lean muscle requires more energy to function than fat, so if you maintain a good level of lean muscle (this does not mean body building!), you will burn more calories even at rest.

Perform your strength exercises more slowly to build muscle efficiently and ultimately burn more calories.

Snack smart

Instead of reaching for low-calorie snacks like rice cakes, nibble on nuts. Research suggests that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially in walnuts, may enhance the activity of certain genes that control fat burning.

Vary your workouts

A 40 minute walk is always good, but to stoke up your metabolism, incorporate shorter high intensity workouts as well. Your body quickly gets used to exercise, so by keeping your activity varied, you will keep your metabolism on its toes.

Remember to take yor minerals

Iodine is important for the healthy function of your thyroid gland, which controls your metabolism. Sea salt is delicious sprinkled on food, but use table salt in cooking sometimes, that has iodine added. Eggs, shrimp, seaweed and cod are aso rich sources of iodine.

Wake up your metabolism

Daylight is essential for your metabolic health, so step outside for a jog or walk first thing in the morning. East breakfast within an hour of waking too – if you put off breakfast, your body may go into starvation mode and actually store more fat.