Text updated 11.05.2021

How to speed up metabolism? In order to permanently increase its speed and intensify the process of eliminating excess weight, it is best to act in a comprehensive manner – combining special dietary tricks with supplementation of appropriate substances and physical activity of a specified intensity and frequency. The effects of such a metabolic treatment can be spectacular – from the level of a lazy, slow loss of one kilogram of body weight in a month or two we can reach a level where we lose a kilogram in a week!

The tendency to put on weight is closely linked with a slow metabolism. The body remains in “economic mode” and consumes less energy than it receives in food. Caloric surpluses are systematically created, and fats and carbohydrates from food are more quickly transformed into the hated fat tissue, becoming energy reserves.

Unfortunately, over time there is more and more of this spare material and it becomes harder and harder for us to run and burn it. Body weight increases and we have to deal with looking less and less attractive and feeling worse. What is metabolism and why is its rate so important for losing weight? How to speed up metabolism and start burning fat tissue dynamically? You will learn the answers in the following part of this article.

Metabolism (or metabolism) is generally associated with body weight and the process of gaining and losing weight. A person with a fast metabolism is slim and has no tendency to accumulate fat tissue, and vice versa. However, metabolism is a much broader concept. It is the totality of reactions taking place in cells and related energy transformations. On the way of metabolism, energy is obtained from food and used for the current needs of the body, or stored. Enzymes and hormones are responsible for regulating metabolic pathways and reactions.

In general, the entire metabolism is a continuous transformation of one substance into another with the participation of energy. Thanks to metabolic processes it is possible to grow and rebuild cells and maintain all vital body functions, from respiration, blood circulation and nervous system work, through normalization of body temperature, to digestion and excretion.

All metabolic processes involve either the breakdown of complex molecules into simpler ones or the synthesis of larger molecules from smaller ones. Therefore, there are two types of metabolism – catabolism and anabolism.

Catabolism is a type of metabolism in which larger molecules are broken down into smaller ones (e.g. proteins are broken down into amino acids, polysaccharides are broken down into monosaccharides). Energy is released during these reactions.

Anabolism is the type of metabolic changes during which more complex compounds are formed from simple molecules. These reactions take place using energy. Anabolic metabolism leads to the growth of tissues and organs (e.g. muscle proteins are synthesised from amino acids, which leads to the expansion of muscle tissue and an increase in muscle volume).

The rate of metabolism is one of the main factors we talk about in the context of increasing overweight and obesity. Indeed, it is of great importance, since it affects the rate at which calories are burned and the intensity of the phenomenon of reaching into fat reserves to obtain energy needed by the body to perform its functions.

In the case of fast metabolism, the body uses large amounts of energy, so it quickly burns calories supplied in food and does not store reserves. On the other hand, in the case of slow metabolism the organism behaves sparingly, incurs low energy expenditure, thus it does not burn all the calories supplied in food and stores reserves in the form of fat tissue.

If we want our body not only to stop accumulating fat reserves, but also to start using the previously stored fat, we need to increase the rate of metabolism so much that it uses more energy than it receives in meals. In other words, we need to create a caloric deficit.

The metabolic rate is largely genetically determined, but our lifestyle and a few other factors also play a big role. This means that both fast metabolism and slow metabolism are not given to us once and for all, and as we age, they can undergo numerous changes.

Ectomorph is a person who is very slim, with a very low body fat level, practically never struggling with being overweight. He has a very fast metabolism, digests quickly, dynamically burns everything that was provided in the food. Ectomorphs are usually people with a small bone structure, small muscles, narrow shoulders, flat chest. It is difficult for them to gain weight, but also difficult to build muscle mass.

Mesomorphs have fast and efficient metabolism, but also not as fast as ectomorphs. He has no tendency to put on weight, his body fat remains at a low level. He has considerable muscle volume, a broad chest and a relatively narrow waist. He can easily build up his muscles.

Endomorphs have a slow metabolism and a pronounced tendency to put on weight. A small calorie surplus is enough and is immediately stored in the form of body fat. Endomorphic people have a massive physique and a thick bone structure. With too high calorie, unbalanced diet they quickly gain weight. What’s worse, he has to work hard to lose weight and get back to his normal body weight.

Genetics is genetics, but it is worth emphasizing that neither body type nor inborn metabolic rate determine the appearance of our silhouette. With the help of physical activity, diet and supplements we can influence our metabolic rate and shape our body.

In order to permanently speed up the metabolism, it is worth starting by getting rid of highly processed food from the daily menu, including ready meals, fast food, sweets, instant food and low quality processed meat. Such products are full of harmful, synthetic substances, abound in unhealthy types of fats and sugars, poison our body, interfere with metabolic processes and disturb the glucose-insulin balance. Thus, they strongly contribute to weight gain.

It is worth concentrating on increasing physical activity and adjusting your diet to include as many products with thermogenic potential as possible (they favour fast metabolism, because the body needs more energy to digest them). These are simple methods to speed up metabolism. If we implement them, we will start to lose weight very quickly.

Lazy for some, busy for others – morning is the last time of the day that most of us think about exercising. However, if we’re having trouble with a slow metabolism, we could use a slight change in our workout schedule. Let’s get up a bit earlier or set our morning activities in such a way that we always set aside at least 10-15 minutes for physical activity. Just simple gymnastics, a short session on the treadmill, orbitrek or stepper, light jogging, a few exercises with dumbbells, jumping on a skipping rope.

Such a quick workout in the morning is a great way to stimulate the entire body to work, activating fat reserves and metabolism for the whole day, resulting in a more efficient shedding of excess weight.

Just like your morning workout, your morning meal also affects your metabolism throughout the day. The best breakfasts for a fast metabolism are those that consist of foods that your body uses the most calories to digest and assimilate. These are mainly lean protein foods, followed by complex carbohydrates .

So if you’re looking to get your metabolism moving first thing in the morning, try to include as many of these foods as possible in your breakfast: lean dairy products (cottage cheese, yoghurt, kefir), eggs, very lean meats, vegetables, fruit, natural cereals, bran and good quality wholemeal bread. It is also worth adding a small portion of products rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which also have a beneficial effect on metabolism. These can be found in fish, nuts, grains and linseed.

Speaking of breakfast, it’s also worth mentioning a reliable method for boosting the speed of metabolism, which is drinking water with lemon juice, honey and ginger first thing in the morning. It’s best if this concoction is consumed before a meal.

Examples of breakfast sets to stimulate metabolism

If our goal is to reduce body fat as quickly as possible, we should train regularly, preferably 4-5 times a week. Each variant of training – strength, aerobic, interval – has a positive effect on our metabolism and each speeds up weight loss. However, interval training is considered by many to be the most effective when it comes to burning fat.

Interval training consists in performing a given exercise with variable intensity (e.g. we exercise for half a minute with very high intensity, and a minute with light intensity, and so on a dozen times). During interval training, our organism is forced to make a huge effort and to release large amounts of energy. Therefore, it quickly burns calories from food, and in order to obtain additional fuel for muscles, it reaches into fat reserves.

Interestingly, even hours after the end of interval training, muscles have a high demand for energy, so metabolism remains at a higher level. This way, fat tissue is broken down at a much faster rate.

People who are new to training may have problems with entering a training plan consisting of demanding, intensive interval training. We should absolutely not force ourselves to do them. Always adjust the exercise programme to your current condition. Overtraining brings more harm than good.

We can slowly enter into interval trainings, starting from very short and not too strenuous sessions. Interval training and classic, moderate aerobic training intertwined with each other will also give us good results in losing weight.

What speeds up metabolism? How to increase your metabolism with a diet? For this purpose it is worth taking care of both the right way of eating and the right content of meals.

What slows down and disturbs the metabolism:

If you want to accelerate metabolism permanently, it is worth applying a light, healthy, varied diet with reduced calories. At the same time it is not worth cutting calories too much (it is best to provide the body with about 300 – 400 kcal less than our daily requirements). Eating only 1000 kcal or 1200 kcal a day is definitely not enough!

Eat regularly, every day at similar times, maintaining breaks between meals lasting about 3 hours. Do not skip meals. Try to compose a menu based on lean meat, fish, groats, wholemeal products, vegetables and fruit. Meals should also not lack healthy fats (nuts, grains, seeds, oil, vegetable oils).

Drink plenty of water (about 2 liters a day), introduce to the menu green tea infusions. When preparing meals, often use spices that accelerate metabolism (such as chili, turmeric, ginger).

Products which speed up metabolism

Supplementation with preparations containing concentrated extracts from plants that accelerate metabolism will be very useful for people who want to maximise fat burning.

What kind of pills to speed up metabolism should you choose? Or maybe it’s better to use drinking supplements? It is up to us which form of the preparation we choose, the most important is its composition and properties. The best are multi-ingredient supplements, which simultaneously accelerate metabolism, intensify metabolism of fat tissue into energy, suppress appetite and give energy, thus providing complex help for a slimming person.

Such ingredients as piperine, Garcinia cambogia, pepper cayenne (capsaicin), guarana, green coffee, green barley, CLA, synephrine, oil MCT, forskolin give very good slimming effects.

Top fat reducers containing the above ingredients in optimal combinations and dosages: