Burn More Calories & Boost Your Metabolism 

What is your metabolism?

Your metabolism is the total amount of energy expended by your body in a given day. This number is represented by an acronym TDEE- Total Daily Energy Expenditure. 

There are 4 ways your body burns calories: 

  • BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): This is the amount of energy it takes for your brain and organs to function & repair. All the chemical and hormonal reactions that keep you alive. This number does not include any of the activity you perform in a day. With zero movement in your day, this accounts for 60% of your calorie burn. 

  • NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): Non-exercise movement in your day. The amount of energy to walk, talk, raise your hand, type, and write in your day. This accounts for 15% of your calories burned.

  • Physical activity: The time you spend in the gym or home lifting, conditioning, training. This is the most common one that everyone understands. It accounts for 15%.

  • TEF (Thermal Effect of Food): This is the digestive process. Turning protein into amino acids, carbohydrates into glucose, and fat into fatty acids that can all be used by your body. This is the final 10%.

It's very important to try to move more regularly throughout the day! We usually wake up, we sit in our cars, we sit at work, we get back in our cars. We may go to the gym for 30-60 minutes that day but then we go home and we sit on the couch again. It’s no wonder that our body’s metabolism is so low and not burning calories at an optimal level. It’s because you're static. Your body has no reason to burn calories if you are not moving. 

The first thing that everyone does when they want to lose weight is start exercising in order to increase their movement and calorie burn.

Think long term sustainable efforts. Moving throughout the day keeps you at a steady burn. Probably getting into those fat stores. You rev your metabolism once a day during your workout. But don’t forget to have a sustainable, maintained level of energy by keeping your all day movement going. 

Seven Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

  • Get your Steps in - 10K a day or begin by committing to a mile a day 

  • Eat protein at each meal 

  • Drink more water (100 oz of water a day - carry a water bottle with you) 

  • High intensity workouts 

  • Lift a little extra heavy 

  • Stand up more 

  • Get good sleep

Create habits that you can sustain and do over & over for a very long period of time. This is where you will be able to see the most results. Consistency is key. 

I want to challenge you this week to a step count competition!! 10K a day for the first week of May! Get walking, get moving and DM me some pics of your watch at the end of the day. Let's see those steps!!  

HealthAnne Craig