In the long term, though, HIIT improves some markers of metabolic health. In a meta-analysis of 65 studies from , performing HIIT sessions for 12 or more weeks improved waist circumference and systolic blood pressure.

The authors concluded that overweight or obese individuals could benefit from performing three sessions of HIIT each week for 12 weeks.

In shorter studies from the review lasting less than 12 weeks , fasting blood glucose levels were also reduced. The reason for these improvements were not fully known, the authors said, but they theorize that the blood glucose benefits could be a result of increased activation of AMP-activated kinase AMPK , which increases the movement of GLUT-4 transporters.

They also suggest that the blood pressure benefits could be due to increases of endothelial nitric oxide. When this chemical is in greater supply, blood vessels are better at widening, which reduces blood pressure. Metabolic health expert Dom D'Agostino, PhD, shares four ways real-time glucose data can help make you a better athlete.

Exercise also changes how your body looks—it can add muscle and strip off body fat. The good news: All kinds of exercise positively impact how much visceral fat you store around your middle. In one study of obese young women , those who did moderate-intensity cardio or HIIT training both lost visceral fat at similar rates.

Other studies have found improvements in visceral fat and total body fat percentage from strength training interventions. And in a study comparing the effects of aerobic exercise, strength exercise, or both while losing weight, all three strategies reduced visceral fat, though a combination of aerobic and strength exercise was the most effective.

In addition to the myokine release, more muscle mass means more cells with more mitochondria —which can use more glucose and store it as glycogen.

And you can build muscle not just through strength training, but cardio exercise, too: In a research review from Exercise and Sports Science Reviews , scientists concluded that for sedentary and older individuals, cardio exercise could build similar lower body muscle as resistance training when performed times per week at sufficient intensities for 30 minutes or more.

More muscle tissue also means more glucose transporters—the GLUT4 transporters move to the surface of cells when you exercise and GLUT1 transporters , which are responsible for bringing glucose into cells when at rest. Muscle mass can also increase insulin sensitivity in the presence of fat.

In one study, participants with the highest amount of muscle mass underneath visceral fat deposits had 45 percent better insulin sensitivity than the participants with the lowest muscle mass.

Want to step it up a level? Try adding weight to your walk. Simply add some weight to a backpack—Laye suggests starting with around 5 percent of your body weight—and wear it as you walk. In a review of 16 studies published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine , scientists found that strength training is associated with a 10 to 17 percent decrease in the risk of early death on its own.

When combined with aerobic exercise, the two types of exercise work together to reduce mortality risk by 40 percent. The scientists found that for every 10 minutes of additional time spent doing these exercises, the protective benefit was increased, with the risk reduction topping out at minutes.

You could perform that much in two sessions per week, but sessions of around 30 minutes is more manageable. Improve your balance, Laye suggests, by incorporating single-leg exercises into your workout instead of all double-legged moves.

For instance, he says, instead of performing two-legged squats, try lunges. According to a study from Preventive Medicine Reports , more than 40 percent of U.

adults sit for 8 or more hours per day. This can lead to a loss of joint mobility: According to a study , people who sit for more than 7 hours per day can lose 6 degrees of motion in their hips compared to people who sit for less than 4 hours per day. Reduced range of motion in the hips can not just make you feel stiff, but it can impair how you walk and lead to lower back pain.

When it comes to mobility, you use it or lose it. Aim to add some flexibility- or mobility-building sessions—like stretching or yoga classes—each week. Levels, the health tech company behind this blog, helps people get access to the top continuous glucose monitors CGM —which can help you learn how to fuel better for your exercise—along with an app that offers personalized guidance and helps you build healthy habits.

Click here to learn more about Levels. Get updates, new articles, exclusive discounts, and more Email Required Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Exercising before eating can burn fat and improve metabolic flexibility but also affect your fitness performance. Emily DiNuzzo. HIIT-style exercise—short bursts of intense work followed by rest—has unique benefits, including for your metabolic health. Ashley Mateo. Dominic D'Agostino, PhD.

Recovery plays an important role in helping you realize the metabolic benefits of exercise. The glycemic index provides insight into how particular foods affect glucose but has limitations. Stephanie Eckelkamp.

Ami Kapadia. Metabolic Basics. The Explainer. Being aware of these causes of inaccurate data can help you identify—and avoid—surprising and misleading feedback.

Joy Manning, RD. Inside Levels. Levels Co-Founder's new book—Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health—releases May 14; available for pre-order today. The Levels Team. Metabolic flexibility means that your body can switch easily between burning glucose and fat, which means you have better energy and endurance.

Jennifer Chesak. Written By Greg Presto. Reviewed By Matthew Laye, PhD. Article highlights Exercise improves all five markers of metabolic health: triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, waist circumference, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose.

Any type of exercise will improve metabolic health, but exercising in certain ways like fasted cardio, zone 2 training, and strength training provide unique benefits.

Exercise changes body composition by reducing visceral fat and increasing muscle mass, both of which improve insulin sensitivity. Regular moderate exercise like brisk walking and bodyweight strength training times per week provides significant metabolic benefits.

Adding mobility exercises helps counteract the negative impacts of prolonged sitting on joint health and function. How Exercise Impacts Metabolic Health Markers Your metabolic health is defined by the levels of five markers : fasting triglycerides, fasting high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol, waist circumference, blood pressure, and fasting blood sugar.

Exercise helps improve all five markers of metabolic health: Triglycerides: What they are: The most common type of fat in your body.

When you eat excess calories, your body stores them as triglycerides. In some populations, the risk is worse when high triglycerides are paired with low HDL cholesterol. In women over 65, for example, one study found that this pair of risk factors more than tripled the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Elevated triglycerides are also tied to insulin resistance , the condition underlying Type 2 diabetes. Impact of exercise: Studies have found that people who are more active have lower triglyceride levels. Resistance training has been shown to lower these levels, and higher-intensity cardio activities were found in a study to provide more benefits than moderate-intensity cardio.

This helps keep LDL from building up along the artery walls, leading to clots that can cause heart attack. Impact of exercise: Exercise improves the amount of HDL in the blood both in the short- and long-term, and recent evidence suggests that exercise may make HDL more efficient.

Waist Circumference: What it is: A measurement of the waist, taken just above the hip bones. A circumference greater than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Impact of exercise: Losing weight reduces weight circumference, but exercise specifically helps.

Blood Pressure: What it is: The force of your blood pressing against the walls of your arteries as it flows through them.

Blood pressure consists of two numbers: The systolic pressure top number is a measurement of the force exerted on your arterial walls when your heart beats. People with hypertension are at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and death.

Impact of exercise: Regular exercise lowers both blood pressure numbers: A review of 27 studies found that regular medium- to high-intensity aerobic exercise reduced systolic pressure by an average of 11 mmHg and diastolic pressure by an average of 5 mmHg.

Fasting Blood Sugar: What it is: A measure of how much glucose is circulating in the blood at rest. Impact of exercise: Exercise has been associated with better glucose control.

See the next section for more. They may explore underlying causes and offer you a tailored plan. Managing any condition that slows down your metabolism, like hypothyroidism , can help make other efforts more productive. Jumpstarting your metabolism may also require you to change a few habits like a nutrient-dense diet with limited processed foods, regular physical activity , and optimum sleep hygiene that allows your body to rest and recharge.

You may also avoid doing things that slow down your metabolism like restricting too many calories or not doing any strength resistance training. Every body is different. Signs of a slow metabolism may vary individually but may include fatigue, digestive upset, not losing any weight despite your efforts, and easily gaining weight.

Only a healthcare professional may accurately assess your metabolism and the underlying causes of these symptoms. Restrictive diets may sometimes lead to a slow metabolism, among other health effects. Although for weight loss and fat burning you do want to consume fewer calories than you burn, your body still needs to get enough fuel and nutrients to perform body functions.

Instead of eating less, you may want to focus on nutritious foods and move more. Foods that boost your metabolism typically include protein such as meat, dairy, or legumes. Read more about the 12 best foods to boost your metabolism. Learn about these and other foods you can eat before bed.

To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit. This means you need to eat fewer calories than you burn, or better, burn more calories than you eat.

You may want to focus on healthy eating habits while you consume enough calories to support your body functions. Consider reducing processed foods, sugar and alcohol intake, and saturated fats. Resistance training and eating an adequate amount of protein can help preserve lean body mass. Muscle growth helps you burn more calories at rest.

Making small lifestyle changes and incorporating these tips into your routine can help increase your metabolism. Having a higher metabolism can help you lose weight and keep it off, if that is your goal, while also giving you more energy. Try this today: In addition to trying the tips outlined above, you can also add more metabolism-boosting foods to your diet.

Check out this article for a list of some nutritious foods that can support your metabolism. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. VIEW ALL HISTORY. From carrots to potatoes to onions, root vegetables have long been enjoyed as a delicious part of a healthy diet — and for good reason.

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Nutrition Evidence Based 8 Ways That May Speed Up Your Metabolism. Medically reviewed by Marie Lorraine Johnson MS, RD, CPT — By Helen West, RD — Updated on January 11, Eat protein Do HIIT Try lifting Stand up Drink tea Eat spicy foods Sleep more Drink coffee FAQ Bottom line There are several easy and effective ways to support your metabolism, many of which involve making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Eat plenty of protein at every meal. Do a high-intensity workout. Lift heavy things. Stand up more. Drink green tea or oolong tea. Eat spicy foods. Drink coffee. Frequently asked questions.

The bottom line. Just one thing Try this today: In addition to trying the tips outlined above, you can also add more metabolism-boosting foods to your diet. Was this helpful? How we reviewed this article: History. Jan 11, Written By Helen West. Medically Reviewed By Marie Lorraine Johnson MS, RD, CPT.

Jul 28, Written By Helen West. Share this article. Read this next.

How much sleep do you need to avoid this? Some people swear by a few hours, but experts recommend hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. Secret 2: Wake up earlier Does your morning ritual consist only of showering, brushing your teeth and getting dressed?

Eating — especially a balanced breakfast every day — stimulates your metabolism. Check out these 10 healthy breakfast ideas. Secondly, you should exercise. It boosts your metabolism. Even a minute walk or jog will make a difference.

Here are 5 morning exercises to start your day. Secret 3: Get active Sounds impossible, but you can - and should - work out every day. Cardiovascular exercise running, swimming, aerobics, walking stimulates your metabolism, helps you burn calories and can even temporarily suppress your appetite post-workout.

Weight training is important too, because it tones your muscles and boosts lean tissue mass, which burns more calories per pound than fat. The more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn daily.

Breaking up a minute workout into two minute or three minute sessions is not only convenient, but also it may help you burn more fat, according to recent research. Hate exercise? Here are 12 workout tips.

Secret 4: Eat all day Forget about three large square meals a day. Graze on healthy snacks or nosh on smaller meals instead.

So, ironically, too much energy in the form of glucose leads us to have more trouble using energy effectively. Given how many deleterious effects excess glucose can have, it is not surprising that the majority of common chronic diseases are rooted in poor glucose control, including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, dementia, infertility, and more.

This is a relatively modern phenomenon: we used to die of infectious disease and starvation. Now we die of metabolic related disease. Why might that be? For starters, we on average eat nearly 10x more sugar per day than we did years ago.

The factory would fall apart. The machines would break. The workers would resist to protect themselves. This is what is happening to our bodies. Additionally, too much dietary fat can impair glucose processing; in fact, excess saturated fat impairs the function of the insulin receptor, leading to more circulating glucose.

What does metabolic dysfunction and poor metabolic fitness look like? It can be both overt and subtle. But more subtly, lack of metabolic fitness can look like the full spectrum of daily pain points of modern living that keep us from reaching our full potential and goals: fatigue, brain fog, depression, anxiety, lack of exercise endurance, infertility, balding, erectile dysfunction, acne, chronic pain, increased appetite, and more.

When our metabolic fitness is poor, the effects can be vast and diverse, subtle and overt. Poor metabolic fitness looks more erratic, spiky, and elevated. When our cells become insulin resistant, they have more difficulty taking up glucose, so we may see:.

The first step to improving metabolic fitness is tracking it, and glucose monitoring is the best and most easily accessible tool for this job. Given that there are diverse and contradictory health and dietary messages coming at us from all angles, it can be helpful to have an objective data stream that tells us continuously whether we are staying on track in keeping glucose stable.

By tracking glucose, we can identify how food and lifestyle choices are directly impacting our health, with a closed feedback loop that fosters rapid learning and ability to modulate. People can have very different glucose responses to the exact same food, so knowing how you are personally affected by a particular meal is key.

There are many strategies for improving metabolic fitness, ranging from eating less refined foods, to pairing carbohydrates with protein, to exercise, to engaging in a mindfulness practice.

With CGM biofeedback, you can identify in real time what specifically works for you. Metabolic fitness is measured with a continuous glucose monitor paired with the Levels software and proprietary algorithms.

The Levels software takes glucose data and generates composite metrics that take into account multiple features of the raw numbers, merging them into a relevant, understandable, and actionable number that can be used to guide choices. A real Levels customer improved metabolic fitness from 56 to 78 over the course of a 4 week program.

Additionally, his percent time in target represented by red or green blocks improve significantly over the 4 weeks. The higher the number, the better your day went metabolically.

Behaviors like walking after meals, eating fiber, and regular exercise will likely contribute to better scores. The average Levels user has a metabolic fitness score between 70 and Glucose variability is mostly affected by dietary choices.

Earlier in the Levels program, blood glucose tends to be more variable as users experiment with how they respond to their favorite foods. As users progress through the program, and learn what foods and lifestyle activities promote more stable glucose, spikes tend to be fewer and lower, and the metabolic fitness score will improve.

Median glucose is affected by basal glucose, which will be the glucose levels that you hang out at when you are in between meals or asleep, timepoints not generally picked up by standard tools to measure glucose, like single time point fingerstick measurements.

Why are we seeing such high rates of poor metabolic fitness and its downstream consequences? The rate of metabolism is different for every individual. Some individuals have an excellent metabolic rate, while others have a slower metabolism.

Individuals with slower metabolism can boost their metabolism by following these essential tips:. Regular exercise can boost metabolism while reducing metabolic complications like obesity and type-2 diabetes. According to research , skeletal muscle is an extraordinarily elastic tissue and metabolic fitness changes quickly when the level of physical activity gets altered.

In addition, the capacity for glucose metabolism improves in trained muscles. You can always start with mild exercise and build up if you are a beginner. The intensity of the workout is less important than consistency.

Vigorous activities are also not recommended to beginners as they might lead to micro-tears and cause muscle spasms. The best exercise to start with is walking. Walking is one of the most basic yet effective strategies to lose weight.

It improves cardiovascular and metabolic fitness. It has also been influential in preventing and treating metabolic syndrome. In addition, research has proven that walking helps boost levels of a hormone known as adiponectin which helps improve insulin sensitivity and lower inflammation.

Aerobic workouts are the ones that increase the heart rate and the consumption of oxygen by tissues. They are known natural drugs against metabolic disorders. According to studies, aerobic workouts boost metabolism and are suitable for cardiovascular health.

Aerobic exercises include swimming, dancing, jogging, cycling and jumping. You can choose the workout of your choice and improve your stamina and metabolism.

According to research , high-intensity workouts are a powerful way to increase the capacity and metabolism of the whole body. In addition, the muscles trained by high-intensity workouts have an increased ability to oxidise fat and carbohydrates.

However, as mentioned previously, starting with low-intensity exercise is better and progressing to high-intensity workouts. Research shows that sleep and metabolic health are very closely connected. Getting adequate sleep helps maintain metabolic homeostasis, while sleep deprivation and alteration of circadian rhythms cause metabolic derangement.

Sleep deprivation also affects hormones involved in metabolisms like growth hormones and cortisol. These hormones regulate glucose, and any changes in them can lead to a decrease in metabolism and cause the storage of fat.

Growth hormones and cortisol get released during sleep. Leptin, a hormone primarily affecting appetite, is generally suppressed during sleep and prevents hunger at night.

However, sleep deprivation leads to increased leptin levels which cause hunger surges, and it causes dysregulation in circadian rhythm leading to metabolic disturbances.

Hence, it is essential to sleep appropriately to maintain your metabolism. Since people like things to be straightforward, there is a desire to identify the one diet that will make everything better. Unfortunately, things are rarely that easy.

However, there are a few specific dietary interventions that have worked for a larger number of people:. The Mediterranean diet typically encourages fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and heart-healthy fats consumption.

Packaged foods, added sugar, and refined grains are restricted. The primary source of fats is olive oil in a Mediterranean diet. According to research , adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the change of unhealthy lifestyle significantly impact factors affected by metabolic syndrome.

Therefore, the Mediterranean diet can be the first step in treating this disease. According to research , a high protein diet helps increase satiety and thereby helps in weight loss.

Studies also show that protein creates a higher thermogenic effect, the heat produced due to energy expenditure. As a result, it leads to an overall increase in metabolism compared to carbohydrates or fats.

Intermittent fasting is also called Intermittent Energy Restriction. It is a pattern which involves the restriction of calories during a particular period. Intermittent fasting boosts the metabolism by correcting the circadian rhythm and changing gut microbiota composition.

It mobilises the fat stores, which subsequently leads to loss of weight. It reduces insulin levels, which are mainly responsible for converting glucose into glycogen and fat.