Metabolic Manipulation - By Alex Ferentinos

I would like to begin by stating an absolute fact – nobody has a slow or fast metabolism, it’s either operating efficiently, or it isn’t. Here I’ll share how to give your metabolism an MOT if you will and then teach you how to drive it like Lewis Hamilton.

I want to give you an understanding of how the body operates, many people throw around the term metabolism but very few people could tell you what it actually involves! Now, you need a certain number of nutrients a day just to function, this is what’s needed for the basal metabolic rate. Your basal metabolism uses up approximately sixty per cent of the calories you eat in order to supply energy for life support. So let’s say you didn’t move all day, this quantity of nutrients is still essential to support basic body functions. Physical activity will demand your body to use around a quarter of total calories to fuel your movements. The thermic effect of food will take up about ten percent of total calories and they are spent processing the food you eat; so let’s say you eat 3,000 calories a day, 300 calories a day are used to consume, digest and process the food.

Total calories ingested=
calories utilised by the basal metabolism + calories expended by movement + the thermic effect of digesting food

The absolute truth is that if you aren’t taking in excess calories, you won’t add fat, let alone build muscle. Many people believe dietary fat increases your bodyfat which is simply untrue, you would not be able to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K without it nor would your body be able to metabolize its own fat stores for energy. However fat does weigh in at 9 calories per gram, whereas carbs and protein have only 4, this is why a typical good diet has half the amount of fat compared to grams of protein, however really sugar is the enemy as this causes insulin spiking. The subsequent crash robs you of concentration, clarity of thought, leaves you irritable and craving more sugars. I’m going slightly off topic, but in essence I’m saying a high protein, Low GI diet rich in healthy fats is the way forward coupled with these tips to keep your metabolism running effectively.

As outlined above, if you eat 3,000 calories per day, this does not mean you need to burn all of them off. In order to burn fat, you have to reduce calories taken in and increase the calories expended. One won’t really work without doing the other. The unfit and overweight don't burn as many calories as somebody with a functional metabolism because they don’t stimulate it, not that they have a fictitious slow metabolism and other such excuses, excusing people with thyroid problems, who my heart goes out to as it must be truly soul destroying to not be able to take command of your physique.

Now for the main event, tips on getting the most out of your metabolism:

Remove Stresses

If you have an authoritarian boss, a partner that nags you or you hang around with negative people, evaluate how to remove all these from your life and do so; get a better job in a company with a great working environment, resolve issues with your lover or leave them, don’t associate with those that belittle others. Relaxation needs to balance all the physical exertion. If you’re run down, your metabolism does the same. Adopt a positive attitude and truly believe in yourself, you cannot get yourself in great working order physically if you’re being hassled or harbouring resentment and suffering from low-self esteem.

This was quoted by Nelson Mandela in his inaugural speech;
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant? Actually, who are you not to be?”
It sums up my views on empowering oneself with positivity perfectly.

Maintain Muscle Mass

The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate. Simple. This is why people on starvation diets lose all their muscle, stay fat, but have baggy skin, let’s not do that! Ensure that you your program focuses on whole body lifts and that you have a high protein intake. This ties in nicely to my next tip.

Increase the Thermic Effect of Food

Eating proteins can raise the resting metabolic rate two or even up to threefold in comparison to carbohydrates and fats. Complexed carbs burn more than simple though, and without the blood sugar rollercoaster. Therefore you can increase the thermic effect by building your meals around good quality protein, high-fibre complex carbs such as quinoa and wild rice with fibrous veg like green beans.

Increase Physical Activity

Aerobic exercise that increases the heart rate can raise metabolism while you're exercising and also boosts resting metabolism for several hours, as muscle requires a lot of energy to recover and repair. HIIT makes mitochondria, cell’s engines if you will, burn fat for fuel. A study in NZ found that HIIT increased testosterone levels, and a US study showed that Beta Alanine Supplementation with three sessions a week added 2lbs of muscle to college athletes simultaneously reducing skinfold measurements.
Resistance work will stimulate GH and Testosterone production, major players in anabolism, building muscle and burning fat. Go with compound lift like the double overhand deadlift and the front squat. You can also incorporate barbell complexes and bag work for conditioning.

Morning Cardio

Twenty minutes cycling before breakfast will ensure that your metabolism is raised all day.

Eat Breakfast

If you don't eat breakfast, you slow down your metabolism and the body subsequently thinks that it's starving, hanging onto fat and cannibalizing muscular tissues for the necessary amino acids. This is due to being asleep all night and then the subsequent hours until lunch can be more than half a day without food! Go with solid protein sources as your body cannot retain it so frequent feeds are essential. Whole eggs and white fish make a great combo, with complexed carbohydrates such as oats providing fibre and stable blood sugar levels.

Eat Frequently

Smaller, more frequent meals keeps your blood sugar stable and provides a steady source of energy with a steady flow of amino acids to maintain muscle.

Increase the Nutrient Content of Your Diet

Vitamin K aids the function of the Thyroid, consuming a lot of spinach and kale will assist this as well as not slashing your total calories, carbs or fat too aggressively as this will cause the body to think you’re starving and in turn shuts down fat burning as it believes that you’re going to need that to live on!

An efficient metabolism also requires the smooth running of many complex body processes that rely on sufficient antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C and the B vitamins. CLA found in organic dairy can be great to favourably improve body composition.

Do Not Slash Calories, Carbs or Fat

Dropping your calorie intake will switch your body into starvation mode, will slow down your metabolism and interfere with your thyroid hormone production.

Cut Out Sugar

Besides some fructose on waking and some glucose post workout, simple sugars have no place in your diet whatsoever and will interfere with your energy levels and cause you to store bodyfat as well as rotting your teeth.

Stay Hydrated

Every process in the body requires water. Need I say more?

Supplements
Co-enzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinol, which supplies energy to cells, levels diminish as you age
L- Carnitine
CLA
NADH (Nicotinamide Adenine Finucleotide) Assists cells as they convert food into energy
ECGC (Green Tea Extract)

B Vitamins
If you are suffering from low energy levels, you need to make sure that you are getting enough B vitamins. You could also be anaemic, check that with your doctor. Ensure that you're getting enough B vitamins by taking a B complex, plus a separate sublingual B-12 as that is how it’s best absorbed and that is your go to energy vitamin. Think of it as the key to your car. I don’t believe in relying on caffeine, although it causes a raise, it does this by forcing the nervous system to work harder and this eventually burns out the adrenal glands which causes fatigue, when the whole point was alertness and energy, completely counter-productive, though I do think it makes a great pre-match/sporting event boost utilised occasionally, not daily.

So there you have it, my top tips for getting the most out of your metabolism!

By Alex Ferentinos
International Rugby Union & Rugby Sevens Player, Certified Fitness Instructor, Nutritional Advisor, and Model.

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