Hold the dumbbells above your chest, shoulder-width apart, creating a degree angle between your upper arm and forearm.

Palms should be facing forward. Exhale as you push the dumbbells up, fully extending your arms. Hold for one second. Inhale and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with control. This counts as one rep. Complete four sets of 12 reps.

Lean forward and bend both knees, remembering to keep a flat back. Extend your arms so they are straight. Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do.

Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don't arch your back. Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position to complete one rep. Start with a loaded barbell; 75 pounds is a great starting point.

Beginners should start with just the barbell and gradually add weight as they become familiar with the movement. Position your hands about shoulder-width apart on the barbell, and lightly grip the bar with an overhand grip. With your feet about hip-distance apart, lift the barbell off the rack.

Take one to two steps backwards. Shift your weight back into your heels. Brace your abs as you begin to lower into a squat, keeping your head and spine in a neutral position.

Your knees should be as close to 90 degrees as possible. With your core still braced, drive through your heels to stand back up. Be sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of your squat.

That's one rep. Stand upright, feet together, with pound dumbbells at your side. Take a controlled step forward with your left leg, lowering your hips toward the floor by bending both knees to degree angles.

Your back knee should point toward but not touch the ground, and your front knee should be directly over your ankle. Press your left heel into the ground, and push off with your right foot to bring your right leg forward, stepping with control into a lunge on the other side.

This completes one repetition. OWN: OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK. Burn calories faster with these strength-training exercises you can do both in and out of the gym. Aleisha Fetters. When it comes to your metabolism, there are some factors you just can't do much about namely genetics and age.

The good news: The amount of muscle mass on your frame is the greatest controllable factor in determining your metabolic rate, says Holly Perkins, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, the author of Lift to Get Lean and the founder of Women's Strength Nation.

And one of the most effective ways to build muscle mass, which helps to burn more calories, is strength training. To get the most out of your strength moves, use weights that you find truly challenging translation: your weights are too light if you can breeze through the reps and try exercises that train multiple muscles at once aka compound exercises.

Both tactics not only make the body work harder to recover, but also increase levels of muscle-building hormones, says Mark Barroso, a New Jersey-based certified personal trainer and Spartan SGX coach.

Bonus: Even after you leave the gym, strength training continues to boost metabolism through an afterburn effect called "excess post-exercise oxygen consumption" or, EPOC, for short. EPOC refers to all the calories you burn while recovering from your workout, and while it can occur following high-intensity interval training, the post-workout caloric boost is also enjoyed following heavy lifting.

A small study also shows that slowing down the eccentric, or "easy," part of each exercise for example, lowering into a squat lunge can increase EPOC for up to 72 hours post-workout.

Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps of each exercise, resting for 30 to 60 seconds between each set. Use a weight that is challenging enough that, when you stop, you feel like you couldn't do one more rep without compromising form.

Keeping your back flat, slowly push your butt back and, allowing a slight bend in your knees, lower the weight straight down until it's about halfway down your shin.

Time management — Lack of time is often a barrier to exercise. It can be daunting to find an hour per day to set aside for exercise. However, three 20 minute bouts are easier to fit in and just as effective as one long session.

Adding intensity, strength training, and breaking your workouts into multiple daily sessions boost your PAEE which can lead to greater weight loss success. Exercising regularly is a major benefactor, but there are other steps you can take to boost your metabolism.

Short answer: no. Add protein to your diet — Along with helping you build lean muscle, protein can help you feel full longer, resulting in lower calorie consumption. A study funded by the Austrian Science Fund suggests that a diet rich in lean proteins may also boost your TEF metabolic rate higher than consuming carbohydrates and fats.

Hydrate adequately — Drinking a sufficient amount of water may also help prevent you from overeating at mealtimes. We often mistake thirst for hunger which causes us to eat more.

Water can help increase your feeling of satiety without adding excess calories to your diet. Sleep well — Not getting enough high-quality sleep is linked to a host of health problems, including obesity. A consistent exercise routine is the first step to a higher-performing metabolism.

Sometimes, though, your body resists your attempts to get healthy. We harness the power of cutting-edge science and leading health professionals to help you lose weight and keep it off. Essays in Biochemistry. A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet Versus a Low-Fat Diet to Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Control of Energy Expenditure in Humans. How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need? Skeletal Muscle Metabolism is a Major Determinant of Resting Energy Expenditure.

Exercise for Weight Loss: Further Evaluating Energy Compensation with Exercise. A High-Protein Diet For Reducing Body Fat: Mechanisms and Possible Caveats.

The Obesity Society. Drinking Water is Associated with Weight Loss in Overweight Dieting Women Independent of Diet and Activity.

National Academy of Science. Impact of Insufficient Sleep on Total Daily Energy Expenditure, Food Intake, and Weight Gain. We use cookies or similar tools to analyze our website traffic.

We also share information about your use of our website with advertising and analytics partners.