Can I increase my metabolism? 

By PW Nutritionist Steph Evans

With phones now tracking our steps for us, and Fitbit’s being the craze, you probably have a rough idea of how much you walk, or the amount of calories burned by walking each day. Apple watches set ‘move goals’ and calorie targets for you to hit and despite these goals not being scientific, often these apps and gadgets are a great motivator to boost how many calories you burn in day – in addition to our gym sessions! Whether or not you reach your 10,000 steps or go the gym, we have some simple easy lifestyle changes to make to help boost your daily calorie burn which don’t require you putting in much effort!

The truth is, your ‘slow’ metabolism might merely be confused with your low level of NEAT activity! WTF is NEAT you ask? NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis – basically the calories we burn from everything other than sleeping and exercising. For example, walking up the stairs, getting up from your desk to make a coffee, fidgeting at your desk when you are bored – these are easy ways to burn calories and half the time we do these things without realising it! 

NEAT is often overlooked. The amount of calories burnt varies drastically and is largely affected by your job role – for example, if you are a waitress or teacher, you are going to be racking up hundreds more calories than a sedentary desk worker. NEAT activity can also be the reason why your weight loss goals are falling flat. When cutting your calorie intake it is often believed your metabolism ‘slows down’. Although, this isn’t the complete truth! Instead, when restricting your calories your body will most likely lead you to unintentionally reduce your NEAT expenditure in order to save energy! You can combat this by upping your NEAT in a just a few easy ways!

1. Walk wherever you can.

Popping to the shops, going to the hairdressers, running your errands? Ask yourself if it really needs a car. This may seem obvious, but the number of people who still opt to get behind the wheel, lazily driving 5 minutes down the road is crazy! If you have the option to walk, do so! The amount of calories you’ll burn from walking everywhere will not only be better for your health but also the environment (and your wallet) when saving on petrol! It may mean leaving 10 minutes earlier or grabbing an umbrella but trust me – it will be worth it and you’ll soon be racking up the step count!

2. Get up from your desk – regularly!

Whether that be to go to the toilet, grab another coffee or to answer the phone – don’t just sit there! A great way to increase your daily calorie burn is to move from your desk at least every hour! If you are going to get water – great, you will likely need to get up to use the toilet in the next hour too! Answering a phone call? Get up and pace around the house – we all have mobile phones nowadays, so I doubt you are attached to a cord!

3. Keep standing!

Whether that be investing in a standing desk or giving away your seat on the train. If you can stand – don’t stay seated! Not only will your back thank you for this later, but you can increase the calories you burn per hour by around 40-70! Multiply that by 5 hours and that’s roughly an extra 300kcal burnt without any effort!

4. Take advantage of your work breaks

Most of us in a standard 9-5 day job will have at least a one hour lunch break throughout the week. Make the most of this time to get some fresh air into your lungs. A break from the desk will not only give your eyes some time to adjust away from a screen, but getting in some fresh air can also help you feel more energised and motivated for the second half of the workday.

Going on a brisk walk around your office grounds, or your hometown is ideal to get in some extra movement. Maybe take the advantage of this time get those pesky tasks done!  

5. Consider supplements

If weight loss is your main goal and you are still struggling to get there after taking on board these steps, you may want to consider taking some supplements. Our Fat Metaboliser capsules are a great companion for weight loss alongside a healthy balanced diet and also come in a Keto-Friendly version. These capsules contain choline - scientifically linked to fat metabolism - alongside caffeine and B vitamins to combat tiredness and fatigue.

You have probably heard of drinking Green Tea to speed up your metabolism, right? Green Tea Extract has been found to assist weight loss by upregulating bodily thermogenesis, so there is some truth in your beliefs. Thermogenesis is the process by which your body burns calories to digest food to produce heat – therefore, the better you are at this the more energy you are burning! One study, on 118 women, found that taking green tea supplements led to a weight loss of 2.5lb more in 12 weeks, compared to the control group. Our Platinum Green Tea Extract capsules are rich in catechins and caffeine – the active compounds responsible for this thermogenic effect, and therefore can help boost your non-exercise activity thermogenesis that little bit further!

 More of a coffee fan? We've got you covered! Our BRAND NEW Slender Coffee is blended with PW's own thermogenic blend and green tea to increase fat burning capability! With 120mg of caffeine per serving you'll be ready to take on the day AND have enough energy for a standing desk and a lunchtime walk! 

Ultimately, if you are looking to lose weight, the first thing to do is establish your ideal calorie deficit! Check out our article on how to create a calorie deficit personal to you, in order to achieve sustainable, lifelong weight loss!

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS