The Big “M”: Metabolism boosting tips

Metabolism. You’ve heard this word before. You’d like to think you know what it means quite well. Heck, sometimes you incorporate it into casual conversation when talking about skinny and fat people and why they are how they are. But you don’t. You’re just another drone on the assembly line, sheepishly repeating a word you’ve been exposed to without a real understanding behind it.

Most of you assume that metabolism means the speed by which our body burns through calories, it being high signifies the ability to wolf down an all you can eat pizza buffet and walk away 0 grams heavier and the reverse for the slower version. You know what’s coming now…

Metabolism simply stands for the amount of calories your body requires for bodily functions. The majority of your calories (roughly 60-70%) are spent maintaining basic bodily functions such as breathing, pumping blood, stomach contractions, pooping, the works. The remaining % is dedicated to external physical activity which can be anything from working out, walking or even keeping your body upright!

That being said, the amount of calories you consume per day is needed to maintain these functions, when you consume more (depending on the quality of your calories) you may end up gaining weight (note that it can be either muscle or fat) and consume less than needed and your body will go into starvation mode, allocating less fat for energy and relying on carbs and catabolizing existing muscles to ensure your dumbass survives.

Now that we’ve cleared this up. How do you get your metabolism boosted, i.e., how do you improve your body’s ability to raise the ceiling in regards to the amount of calories it requires to maintain day to day operations?

1. Get that ass shaking fool!

It’s got to start with you shaking that fat ass of yours off of the goddamn seat/bed. Nothing will happen unless you instigate change yourself. Your metabolism won’t magically decide it will function at higher levels simply because you wish it. You want to boost your metabolism then goddammit boy get your ass moving. Be more active. Walk more. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Cycle to the grocery store instead of using the car. Go dancing with your partner on weekends. Do whatever the hell you want just do something!

2. Hustle! Hustle! Lift it! Hustle!

I’ve tackled it in previous blog posts before, but the concept of incorporating weight lifting as an integral part of your fitness routine cannot be stressed enough. The benefits and their link to boosted metabolism are endless. Weight lifting increases muscle building capacity which in turn burns more calories and therefore requires more calories in return. Add to it the fact that weight lifting trigger hormonal responses which put your body in a fat burning state that is directly tied with boosted metabolism.

3. HIIT it hard!

I’ve also tackled the concept of HIIT cardio training before and how it can directly affect your fat burning capabilities. HIIT operates by manner of intense exercise for a brief period of time followed by an equal or slightly longer period of moderate activity which is then repeated for a total of 20 minutes or so. Think sprinting for 30-60 seconds followed by brisk walk/light jog for 60 seconds then repeating those intervals for the whole 20 minutes. HIIT instigated hormonal responses which put your body in a fat burning state and has actually been proven to be burn more fat in comparison to LISS or Low impact cardio. Keep in mind that much like anything, too much of it isn’t good for you. HIIT can take its toll on the body so be sure to cycle off of it on a monthly cycle basis, replacing it or incorporating it side by side with LISS exercises throughout the week to keep your body on its toes.

4. You best not leave nothing in your plate girlfriend!

Stop. Fucking. Skipping. Meals. Do you know what’s the first thing I do when I wake up? I eat. Do I know what I do two hours later? I’m eating again. Guess what happens to me in another three hours? BAM! I’m eating. In another two hours? Gobble Gobble! Do not skip your meals. Spread your meals throughout the day so you’re not gorging on three main meals with gargantuan portions the entire day or god forbid you’re one of those people who eat one meal the entire day. I consume small/medium sized meals every 2 - 3 hours and have my last meal 3 hours before bedtime. This not only ensures that you are never gone long enough without food that you’d be willing to scoff your face with junk, but also ensures that your muscles are getting a steady stream of nutrients throughout the entire day. What does this have to do with metabolism? The steady stream of nutrients keeps your entire internal system active throughout the day - and yes your stomach churning out the food you’re ingesting actually burns calories!

5. I know you didn’t just walk out the house on an empty stomach!

One of my biggest pet peeves and something that still strikes me as the pinnacle of idiocy till this day is people who just straight up get out of bed, shower and get out of the house and go to work or school without having had breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of your day. Get that shit through your thick ass skull alright? Why is breakfast important? It primes your metabolism for the entire day, it kickstarts everything after the hours of slumber you were experiencing in bed. It gets the system powered up, fired up and ready to rock and roll. Eat that shit.

6. What’s on the side? Protein that’s what!

I never have a meal that doesn’t have a source of protein in it. That’s not to say I’m eating a grilled chicken breast with everything (though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to). Your breakfast should have eggs in it, your snacks should have legumes, yogurt or sources of dairy, evidently your lunch/dinner should have chicken, meat or fish, and so on. Just make sure that all your meals (ought to be somewhere between 4 - 6 meals per day) have a contributing source of protein. This is important as scientific studies prove that the ingestion of protein promotes boosted metabolism rates and regulates hormones which can directly influence your metabolism.

7. You best be eating them brainy foods girl!

If you didn’t know by now, I’ll tell you. There are many foods which are directly linked with improving the efficiency of how your brain operates. These foods are mainly the ones which are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. These can include salmon, tuna and other seafood in addition to nuts, coconut, olive and canola oils. Make sure to incorporate those into your diet on a regular basis as their effect on boosting one’s metabolism has been scientifically proven (and it doesn’t hurt if you gain some IQ points in the process!)

8. The hell you awake after midnight for?

Get your punk ass in bed. Sleeping early means that you are more in sync with your body’s natural hormone cycle. If you decide to pull an allnighter for no other reason than the fact the latest episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians would be live at 2 AM your time then you deserve the pot belly you’re currently owning. Staying up past a certain point wrecks internal havoc for your hormones as your body must fight the subconscious need to rest. Sleeping early means your hormones are better regulated and therefore are positively influencing your metabolism. Unless you really have to, try and be in bed by 10 or 11 PM max.

9. You best be spicing it up!

There was a point in history when certain spices were worth their weight in gold. For good reason. Take a look at most societies and cultures where spices are heavily used in their diet. Think India for instance, those dudes are gorging on rice left and right but don’t seem to look any bigger than your average science fair entrant. Why is that? Well, aside from predominant genetics influenced by a limited gene pool due to inbreeding, their spices. Spices such as cayenne peppers, paprika or chilli have chemical components in them which forces the body to raise its internal temperature (which is why you sweat when you eat Indian) which in turn boost your body’s overall metabolism. It doesn’t just stop there though, spices doesn’t translate to spicy things alone, cinnamon is another spice that has been linked to improved metabolism as well as the ability to regular blood sugar and prevent insulin spikes, so make sure to dunk a teaspoon in your coffee, cereal, yogurt or oatmeal. Make sure you’re spicing your meals and beverages up whenever possible.

10. Yo no usa drogas! Yo soy una droga!

It may surprise you, but a lot of the drugs we take for granted and consume without a second though can have a direct effect on your metabolism. There are many birth control pills, diabetes medications and other drugs that have been linked to slowing down the metabolism. Make sure you check with your doctor or pharmacist about side effects to ensure you’re not setting yourself back a notch. Its all about a little bit of research.

11. Drown in it!

Pop quiz: What is 70% of you? If your answer was anything other than water and/or bullshit, then you’re wrong. Water is arguably the most important component in your nutrition/lifestyle and aside from keeping you hydrated and feeling fresh (and running to the restroom on a bi-hourly basis) it ensures all internal functions are running in top form. Increased water intake (think 3 - 5 liters per day) guarantees boosted metabolism and heightened functions.

12. Complicate your carbs

Something else I’ve mentioned before on my blog is the need to incorporate more complex carbohydrates in your diet and getting rid of simple carbs altogether. Complex carbs are more in lieu with one’s fitness goals as their chemical composition doesn’t result in insulin spikes the same way simple carbs do, meaning that the chances of them being converted into fat and stored are lessened! Complex carbs can include anything made from whole wheat (bread, past, rice), sweet potatoes, legumes and many vegetables.

The above is by no means an exhaustive list of the things one can do or change in regards to their lifestyle so that their metabolism can be boosted. Boosting your metabolism means the ceiling of the calories you need to consume every day is raised to match your updated level of activity, which in turn allows you to eat (slightly) more!

It’s important to note that the biggest influence on our metabolism is our genetics. Some of us are born with the gift of high metabolism (Ectomorphs) and can generally go through life without a care in the world about what we eat. Some of us, including myself, aren’t so lucky as they store fat easily (Endomorphs) and are forced to fight a battle against their genetic code and influence it and eventually subdue it. But trust me when I say, it can be done. It ain’t easy, but it’s certainly within your grasp if you want it bad enough.

As with everything else, metabolism slows down with age as the human body withers and the need for that many calories diminishes. Staying active well into your later years will guarantee that your metabolism is still miles ahead of your more...sedentary fellow senile citizens.

Get crackin’!

Welcome to my bubble: Favorite Workouts

Another semi-personal article today. And boy is this one going to be lengthy.

If I were stuck in an island and had to pick specific exercises to perform and could only perform one or two exercises per bodypart, well, aside from kicking whatever genie threw me on that godforsaken islands in the balls, I’d pick me some compound ones (exercises that incorporate many muscle groups simultaneously) and a handful isolation ones (one muscle group only).

A foregone conclusion in this piece is that you have been shown how to do all of these exercises in perfect form. I’ve attached a few videos along the article to help guide you but they are never a replacement of being shown how to do them by a seasoned veteran in real life to ensure you are doing them in perfect form.

Note: Compound exercises are also notable for boosting overall metabolism and triggering increased hormonal secretion for Growth and Testosterone hormones which are crucial for promoting muscle gain and boosting fat burning.

This one will tackle my number one exercises for the major muscle groups. Once again, this is not a list of directives nor does it portray bias towards any exercise over another. This is just the list I’d pick of what works best for me and what largely contributes to improving my physique.

This post isn’t meant to tell you how to do them I’ve posted videos for that, but always have an experienced lifter show you how to execute them safely and properly. This is merely a list of my favorite workouts.

Chest

Bench Press: Ah, a classic. Just saying it brings historically brilliant chests to mind such as Arnold or Serge Nubret. This workout is arguably one of the best in the world for contributing to upper body and pectoral development. The workout can be performed by barbells or dumbbells and some machines are actually decent enough to give you your money’s worth for this workout but I personally prefer the iron pump.

As a compound exercise, it activates muscle fibers in your front deltoids (shoulders), triceps and pectorals.

Flys: Another instant classic in the world of pumped chests. This move works by increasing the density of muscle fibers laterally across your pectorals - making them wider and more flat and less muscular tits. So that’s good. We want that.

You can perform those either using dumbbells or on specialized flys machines. Between bench press and flys, there really isn’t much else your chest need to develop. Obviously changing the degree of incline from flat, incline to decline depending on which part of your pectorals you want to hit.

Back

Lat pulldowns: Easily the machine equivalent of the classic pull-ups - albeit in reverse. This move works nearly every major muscle in your back and can be made quite different and fresh by using different grips and widths which can help focus on specific areas of your back and help you achieve more overall volume.

Deadlifts: Ain’t nothing like a compound classic to work your back and legs and get that growth hormone booming all throughout your body. This move is entirely dependent on perfect execution due to the load placed on your lower back and hips which aren’t exactly structurally powerful areas of your body. It’s important to nail down the form on this workout in order to really reap its benefits and better yet have an experienced lifter show you how to do it right. Don’t go overboard with weights on this one, a little can go a long way!

Shrugs: Although most people would rather hit their trapezius muscles on shoulder day, I find that traps are more closely related and activated more commonly during back day. There is a wide variety of ways, forms and grips to perform shrugs so be sure to check out some varieties on YouTube for reference.

Shoulders

Barbell/Dumbbell/Machine Shoulder Press: Arguably the best way to get some serious mass and development on your frontal deltoids (the biggest and most prominent part of your shoulders) You can dish out this workout using a barbell, dumbbells or a machine, whatever works for you really. Machines are recommended for beginners since they help you nail down the right form with dumbbells being a favorite for helping to strengthen the stabilizer muscles used for balance.

Lateral Raises: My personal favorite on shoulder day! Nothing gives your shoulder that nice round globe shape quite like lateral raises and when it comes to me personally, I find that  drop sets work out best where I dish out 4 sets of 12 reps, dropping the weight by 20% every 4 reps.

Rear deltoid raises: It’s not really a “round” shoulder without putting some focus on the rear side of it now is it? These are best performed using specialized rear deltoid machines or dumbbells. Make sure to really squeeze at the top of your reps to gain maximum impact.

Arms

Bicep Curls: An oldie but a goldie. No brain work needed there. Some muscles need the basics and not much else. It’s what works best for me personally.

Triceps Rope push downs: Possibly my absolute favorite to isolate my triceps as it works all aspects of the muscles quite nicely and gets that lactic acid pumping faster than anything else.

Abdominals

Plank: I’ve already spoken extensively about planking in previous posts and I will repeat myself here. There is no workout I attribute my core development to over the past years more than planks. It is a static exercise which really engages your entire core region and increases overall core strength which in turn helps you out in a wide variety of other workouts which call upon a strong and reliable core.

Hanging Raises: Keep in mind this workout is usually reserved for individuals operating at more advanced levels. Many, even experienced folk, make the mistake of utilizing momentum to drive the movement in this exercise but that’s something you should strive to avoid. This workout engages your entire core area by virtue of your abs raising your legs and lowering them (in a controlled motion) rather than a spring action in which the legs are driving the movement.

Legs

Squats: No squats? No booty! No other workout hits your entire lower body and aids in the development of your quads, glutes and hamstrings altogether at once. It’s another compound classic which pushes your body to release testosterone and growth hormone and aids in overall development of muscles and fat loss.

Leg extensions: Arguably my favorite in terms of quads isolation over any other exercise. It really helps with quad developments and more advanced individuals can even do this exercise one-legged (with a significant drop in weights!)

Leg curls: Deadlifts may hit your hamstrings hard but if some isolation is what you’re looking for, look no further than the legs curls machine to really get those hammies burning up. Once again you can do this exercise one-legged but be careful to maintain perfect form and not to place any stress on your lower back or hips.

Walking lunges: A classic from the golden age of bodybuilding back when your weights were rocks and tree logs. This workout can work your quads, hamstrings, glutes as well as your hip flexors and stabilizer muscles but be prepared for a crazy burn.

Calf Raises: Calves are type II muscles which means that you need to go hard and you need to go heavy if you want to overcome the fact that you’re not genetically predispositioned to have big diamond shaped calves.

Body weight (General)

Push ups: If you want to add some core strength and shake your workout routine up a bit when it comes to your chest, look no further than push ups. There’s a ton of variation you can input into your push ups all the way from beginner on your knees style to one handed-one legged ones. Push ups hit your chest, triceps and shoulders all at once in addition to engaging your core for stability.

Pull ups: You want a V-shaped taper type deal on your upper torso? Then you best make pull ups your new best friend. Near infinite variation in terms of forms and grips which can help target specific areas of your back.

Dips: Hands down the best thing that ever happened to both my chest and triceps. Arguably the best contribution it offers is to your lower pectorals as it helps make them more shapely. A definite must have in your chest/triceps day.

So there you have it folks. These are my favorites. Obviously there are other ones I add to the mix but these should give you a pretty general idea about the most important ones to include in your weightlifting routine to get an overall tone going.

Ladies, Please Cut That Shit Out

This one’s for the ladies in the house. Or the ones in the office. Or the street. Or the track. Or the gym. All the ladies really.

This is a topic I’m particularly passionate about and today’s blog post is about making a plea to all women.

Ladies…

STOP

FUCKING

SAYING

WEIGHTS

WILL

MAKE

YOU

BULKY

Let’s get one thing real straight because I’m about to science the shit out of your brains right now. Both men and women produce testosterone (most people think it’s a male only hormone but is indeed produced by both genders). The main difference is, men produce nearly ten folds the amount women do; for obvious reasons. Testosterone is one of the main hormones responsible for muscle synthesis and promoting fat burn.

When you ask a woman why she doesn’t lift, her response is usually along the lines of “OMG EW you want me to look like those oiled up freaks?! They look like men they probably have balls!”

This what you think will happen to you if you lift. You silly, silly woman

Now that you’ve expressed your narrow minded and stereotype/ill-founded belief regarding the effects of weight lifting on women, allow me to do you the honors of correcting your misbeliefs.

Let’s clarify something, as the above picture indicates, weight lifting CAN indeed lead to that type of physique developing. But you ought to know that she put in more work, effort, dedication (and possibly some hormonal experimentation) than you could ever muster if you work, go to school or have kids. This is her entire life. She gets paid to look like that. Plain and simple.

Back to hormones. As mentioned, both genders produce testosterone, but since men produce it on a much larger scale, its effect on the male body are more notable because it makes muscle synthesis and fat loss a much easier process for men than it is for women. Women also ought to know that they’re constantly fighting an uphill battle against their biology when they’re striving for fat loss. Aside from the body viewing fat as a survival currency for energy, being a woman also puts your body on extra guard mode because fat is essential for maintaining your menstrual cycle and supporting you through pregnancy; which is why the female body is even less forgiving about releasing fat from storage.

It is exactly for that specific reason that women must take weightlifting more seriously. Cardiovascular training is good and dandy but it’s very easy for your body to hit a plateau doing nothing but cardio every day. Weightlifting can prompt your body - via triggering the appropriate hormonal response - to burn more fat and put on muscle mass (albeit in much smaller growth percentages than men training at the same level). Weightlifting is also quite recommended for women due to the fact that a regular weight lifting routine prompts your body to increase bone density - something many women suffer from and lack due to pregnancies which suck out calcium from your bones to support the growing miracle (Read: monster) brewing inside of you.

In fact, if you are pregnant, your doctor will likely recommend that you do take up a weightlifting routine - albeit with serious reservations on what you can and cannot do - because of the aforementioned reasons! You can also check out this amazing article by a great friend of mine who found her inner gym beast in her pregnancy (not that she wasn’t a fitness freak before)

Now it’s important to note that I’m not asking you to bench press 100 kgs or squat 300 lbs here, but I am saying that your 2 lbs dumbbell bullshit isn’t exactly the trigger for your body to change a damn thing about itself. The trick is choosing moderate weights that are challenging but not impossible and to progressively increase/decrease/fluctuate weights per body part/muscle group as you progress and as your fitness goals change.

I personally know no less than 200 women who have complained to me personally about their disgruntled attitude with having arm wings (flabby triceps). You can do all the cardio in the world to make your arm (and body) thinner, but it won’t do jack shit to pull back loose skin and help your arms get a toned and firm look; that’s all weights baby girl!

“Right so that’s all nice talk and no walk so far, I’ve never seen a girl who lifts weights AND looks good. They all look dudes to me!”

Oh yee of little faith.

The above picture shows Bella Falconi, my absolute favorite reference in the realm of female fitness. 95% will think she’s “too much” and that she’s “push it too far” and I’d be tempted to agree with you for one reason. This is what she does for a living. It’s her job to look the way she does, but what’s more important is that she looks feminine whether you’d like to admit it or not. She’s muscular, she’s toned and she’s strong; but she sure as shit doesn’t look like any dude I know; even the most fabulous ones.

The point being, while you definitely won’t get to where she is at unless that is specifically your goal and you have an insane amount of dedication and patience (it took her YEARS to look like that), what you can achieve via incorporating weightlifting as a regular part of your fitness lifestyle has no limits!

Most of the women I know complain the most about how they’re putting in 6 days at the gym, sometimes for upwards of two hours doing all kinds of cardio on the treadmill, stair master, EFX machine and stationary bike but reporting little to no changes despite their massive efforts and dedication; ironically leading to their frustration, quitting and resort to comfort food. It doesn’t have to be like that! Your progress plateaus because you’re not changing what you’re doing, the human body is the pinnacle of evolution, not because we’re the strongest, fastest or smartests, but because we’re the most adaptive. Your body can quickly adapt to fitness routines which stop being challenging once your body builds a tolerance to their effects; rendering them just above useless.

Weightlifting changes all of that. There are a billion varieties in terms of the weights you’re lifting, the number of repetitions per set, the numbers of sets per exercise, the rest time between sets, the width of your grip, the type of weight you’re using (dumbbell, barbell, pulley, machine, etc.)

Needless to say, consult an expert trainer as well as a nutritionist in order to come up with a safe to execute plan that tackles both exercise and nutrition in a wholesome manner. You need to eat to give your body the nutrients it needs both to pack on muscle AND to burn fat. Yes, you need to eat to lose. Hard to believe but it’s true.

Fire up your questions my way by commenting on this post or by tweeting at me on @Foxicakes