Are you struggling with slow weight loss despite dieting or wondering why your energy levels feel perpetually low? A slow metabolism could be a reason. Metabolism is the process by which your body turns the food you eat into energy. Think of it like a big factory inside you, where the food you consume is broken down and transformed into fuel. This fuel helps your body do everything it needs to do—like breathing, walking, thinking, and even resting. Metabolism plays a big role in weight loss because it affects how your body burns calories.
But can exercise increase metabolism and accelerate fat burning? The answer is yes, and targeted cardio and strength workouts can be a game-changer.
Engaging in the right exercises increases your heart rate and builds lean muscle, which helps you burn calories even while at rest. Knowing the suitable low-impact options like walking and swimming to high-energy moves like HIIT and high knees, these workouts maximise calorie burn and can support your fat loss goals.
But how do exercises increase metabolism, give better stamina, and produce lasting results? This blog explores eight targeted exercises to increase metabolic rate for achieving fitness goals. So, let’s get started!
Table Of Contents
1. Can Exercise Increase Metabolism?
2. 8 Exercises To Increase Metabolism Rate
3. Does Increased Metabolism Burn Fat?
4. Expert’s Advice
5. The Final Say
6. FAQs
7. References
Can Exercise Increase Metabolism?
Absolutely! Exercise definitely increases calorie burning, especially activities that raise your heart rate. However, the type of exercise you choose matters most for maximising your metabolic boost. It's important to remember that metabolism isn't a single process but a combination of three key ways your body burns calories and fat. Let's explore these three factors these exercises work on for metabolism boost:
1. Thermic Effect Of Food (TEF)
Your body expends energy to break down the food you consume, absorb its nutrients, and eliminate waste products. This metabolic process, known as the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), accounts for 10% of your daily calorie expenditure. Factors like the type of healthier food swaps, its macronutrient composition (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats), and the metabolic rate can influence the specific energy cost of digestion.
2. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)
Your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the baseline energy expenditure required to sustain your body's vital functions at rest. This includes breathing, circulation, organ function, and maintaining body temperature. Nearly 75% of your daily calorie expenditure is used to fuel these activities, even when inactive. Age, sex, body composition, and genetics can influence your RMR.
3. Physical Activity Energy Expenditure (PAEE)
It represents the energy you expend during physical activity. This includes structured exercise routines like weightlifting, running, or swimming and daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and household chores. Your physical activity's intensity, duration, and frequency directly influence your PAEE, contributing to your overall calorie expenditure.
Note: When your calorie intake matches these expenditure factors, your weight stays stable. However, the good news is you can influence this equation! Consulting dietitians help create a personalised weight loss plan that determines your unique body and activity level for lasting results.
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Also Read: How to Calculate Calorie Intake for Weight Loss
8 Exercises To Increase Metabolism
These exercises increase your heart rate and make breathing harder, forcing your body to expend more energy (calories) to sustain the effort. The more significant the exercise intensity, the higher the metabolic boost. To kickstart your metabolic journey, consider these simple exercises to increase metabolism and burn more calories:
1. Backward Walking
Walking is an underrated yet highly effective way to elevate your metabolism. This low-impact exercise engages multiple muscle groups, improves cardiovascular health, and is easy to perform. Walking briskly for nearly 30 minutes daily increases your heart rate, burns calories, and strengthens your leg muscles, boosting your metabolism. Variations like power walking, incline walking, water walking or adding light weights can further enhance calorie burn and improve endurance. Regular walking aids weight loss and also enhances mental wellness by reducing stress and improving mood.
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Also Read: Revealing 8 Therapeutic Backwards Walking Benefits With Best Variations!
2. Different Swimming Styles
Swimming styles are dynamic cardio-boosting exercises that activate nearly every muscle group in the body, making them exceptional metabolism boosters. The resistance offered by water layers helps tone muscles while simultaneously burning many calories. Whether you choose freestyle, breaststroke, or butterfly, swimming increases your heart rate, improves lung capacity, and strengthens the arms, legs, and core. Variations like interval swimming, water aerobics, or alternating strokes keep the workout challenging and engaging.
3. Quick High Knees
High knees are fantastic targeted high-intensity workouts that rapidly elevate your heart rate, promoting calorie burn and metabolism enhancement. This exercise involves driving your knees toward your chest while jogging in place, activating the core, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Performing high knees for short intervals, such as 30 seconds on and 15 seconds off, can yield significant results. Variations like adding hand weights or performing lateral high knees increase the intensity, ensuring a challenging workout.
4. Combined Push-Ups
Push-ups are an efficient way to build upper body strength while significantly boosting your metabolism. This compound exercise engages the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, helping build lean muscle and raising your resting metabolic rate. For beginners, variations like knee or wall push-ups are ideal, while advanced individuals can try clap or one-arm push-ups for a greater challenge. Including push-ups enhances upper body endurance and ensures long-term calorie burn due to increased muscle mass.
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5. Low-Impact Cycling
Cycling is an enjoyable way to enhance your metabolism while strengthening your lower body. It targets the glutes, quads, and calves while improving cardiovascular health. A 30-minute cycling session at moderate intensity can significantly boost your calorie expenditure. Variations such as interval cycling, uphill rides, or spin classes can intensify your workout and improve stamina. Whether outdoors or on a proper stationary bike, cycling is a joint-friendly option that also uplifts your mood, the best choice for sustained metabolic improvement.
6. HIIT Short Bursts
High-intensity interval Training is one of the most effective methods to spike your metabolism in less time. Alternating between high-intensity activity and rest periods heightens your heart rate, allowing you to burn calories even after the workout. For instance, 20 seconds of sprinting followed by 40 seconds of walking can be repeated for 15–20 minutes. Variations like HIIT cycling, burpees, or jump squats ensure a proper full-body workout challenging your endurance. This efficient training method maximises their calorie burn in less time.
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7. Squats Variations
Squats are a compound exercise that boosts metabolism while strengthening the entire lower body. By targeting the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves, squats help build lean muscle, which increases your body’s calorie-burning potential. Performing variations of squat workouts like jump squats, sumo squats, or adding weights enhances their effectiveness. Also, compound movements like squat-to-press engage the upper body, ensuring a full-body workout. Regularly including squats boosts metabolism and improves posture and functional fitness.
8. Fitness Dance Forms
Dancing is a joyful and engaging way to burn calories and boost your metabolism without feeling like exercising. Whether it’s Zumba, hip-hop, or freestyle, dancing elevates your heart rate, improves coordination, and tones various muscle groups. The rhythmic movements work your core, legs, and arms, enhancing cardiovascular health. Variations like high-energy dance routines or incorporating resistance bands add intensity to the workout. Dancing aids in weight loss and lifts your spirits, making it a holistic approach to metabolic improvement.
Also Read: Do Dance Workout Exercises Really Work? Explore 5 Best Exercises!
Does Increased Metabolism Burn Fat?
Absolutely! Increased metabolism can help burn fat. When your metabolism is elevated, your body burns more calories, even at rest. This increased calorie expenditure allows fat burning, especially with a balanced diet and regular exercise. However, a fast metabolism alone isn't a guarantee for weight loss. Factors like dietary intake, exercise habits, and overall lifestyle also help. Note tips to maximise the fat-burning benefits of exercise:
- Running, swimming, or cycling elevate your heart rate and increase calorie burn. Aim for nearly 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week.
- Prioritise HIIT full-body exercises for weight loss, alternating short bursts of intense exercise with periods of rest. This workout significantly boosts your metabolism and can continue to burn calories for hours after your session.
- Focus on building muscle mass increases your basal metabolic rate (BMR), is when your body burns more calories at rest. Strength training exercises like weightlifting plus bodyweight exercises can help you achieve this.
- Don't overdo it. Overtraining causes fatigue and injury, which can hinder your metabolism.
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Expert’s Advice
I recommend regular exercise on a schedule for better metabolism. A well-rounded workout routine should include both cardiovascular exercise and strength training. Healthy eating habits, quality sleep, and proper hydration will help your body feel balanced and function optimally. However, sometimes, your body resists your attempts to heal. Combining these two exercises can create a powerful synergy that optimises your body's ability to burn calories plus fat, even when you're at rest.
Health Expert
Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Ultimately, these exercises increase metabolism, give a healthier weight, and reduce fat for an active lifestyle. Prioritise activities that elevate your heart rate engage your muscles, and be consistent, so aim for nearly 150 minutes of moderate-intensity weekly exercise. However, consult a fitness professional for personalised fitness tips and a combined approach to boost metabolism to support your wellness.
FAQs
1. Does exercise increase fat metabolism?
Yes, exercise significantly increases fat metabolism. When you engage in physical activity, your body utilises stored energy, including fat, as fuel. This process, known as lipolysis, is accelerated during and after exercise. Regular exercise burns more calories during and after your workout, offering increased fat metabolism and weight loss.
2. What is the best time to exercise to boost metabolism?
While the best suitable time for exercise can vary from person to person, morning workouts may be particularly beneficial for boosting metabolism. Morning exercise can jumpstart your daily metabolism, offering increased calorie burn. However, the most important factor is consistency, so choose a time that fits your lifestyle and stick to it.
3. How long does exercise increase metabolism?
The metabolic boost from exercise can last several hours, even up to 24 hours after your workout. This is known as the afterburn effect or excess post-workout oxygen consumption (EPOC). The intensity and duration of your workout and your fitness level can influence the length of the metabolic boost.
4. Does daily exercise increase metabolism?
Yes, daily exercise can significantly increase your metabolism. Regular physical activity helps build required muscle mass, which increases your basal metabolic rate (BMR). A higher BMR helps your body burn more calories at rest, even when not exercising. Also, consistent exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, making it easier for your body to use glucose for energy and reducing fat storage.
References
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/metabolism/art-20046508
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000893.htm#:~:text=Yes%2C%20but%20only%20by%20a,number%20of%20calories%20you%20burn.
- https://www.healthxchange.sg/fitness-exercise/weight-management/how-boost-metabolism-lose-weight
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000893.htm#:~:text=It%20is%20true%20that%20you,aftereffects%20of%20exercise%20stop%20there.
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