Workouts to boost your metabolism

Metabolism is a term that is thrown around all the time, but rarely understood. Chances are you know if it's fast, it's good, but not really much else. To put it plainly: your metabolism is the amount of energy (ie: food) your body burns to maintain vital functions. The speed at which this happens is something called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). If you've been blessed with good genetics you have a naturally fast BMR, but if not, you have to work a little to get there. The good news is exercise is the number one way to boost your BMR, and depending on the workout, some sessions have shown to keep it firing for four to six hours afterwards. This means your body burns food at amazing speed (allowing you to eat more), and also transforms stubborn fat into lean muscle. Even better, you'll be injected with a huge dose of energy and vitality.

Here are two 30-minute workouts to get your metabolism firing fast.

Burn fat in four minutes

A workout that gives you the benefits of a one-hour run in just four minutes? Bring it on!

When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. But I may have found an exception: a simple workout that gives you the same fitness benefits as a one-hour run, in four minutes. And no, this isn't a dodgy late-night infomercial. It's called Tabata protocol and it's a type of high-intensity interval training, named after Dr Izumi Tabata, who developed it in 1996.

The workout

Tabata intervals involve high-intensity bursts of exercises for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Continue these consecutively for four to 10 minutes.

Speed up your metabolism

A high metabolism is key to losing weight and keeping it off.

Ever wondered why the person next to you can eat chocolate all day and not put on weight, but you just have to look at a piece of mud cake and you'll put on a kilo? It's all down to metabolism. We've all heard the word a million times, but what does it mean? And how can we make sure ours is working for us, not against us?

Put simply, our metabolism runs our body the way an engine runs a car. The metabolism is the chemical and physiological processes the body uses to break down nutrients. It regulates the amount of kilojoules our bodies burn and kick-starts our energy levels. The higher your metabolism, the more cake you can eat.

We all burn energy at different rates. This explains why two people may eat the same food for one week, but one person gains weight and the other doesn't. "Someone with a slower metabolism will find it harder to lose weight and find foods like chocolate, bread, butter and junk food add to the waistline," says nutritionist Lola Berry. "Others seem to have a freakishly fast metabolism and seem to be able to get away with eating anything."

How to lose tummy fat in 1 hour a week

You can trim 3.5cm from your tummy in six weeks and it doesn’t require hours at the gym – you just need to pick up the pace. Exercise expert Dr Steve Boutcher explains how.

Interval sprinting

Interval sprinting is typically a short burst of exercise at near all-out intensity, followed by low-intensity exercise, which is repeated again and again. 

It can be applied to many types of exercise, including cycling, running, rowing, boxing and skipping. We use an eight-second sprint followed by 12 seconds of low-intensity exercise for a period of 20 minutes. 

In studies of both men and women doing one hour of interval sprinting a week, after six weeks participants had lost 3.5cm from their waist and maintained that loss after 12 weeks. Doing aerobic exercise, such as jogging or swimming, can also reduce the amount of belly fat but it takes at least five hours a week at a moderately hard intensity. 

10 ways to look 10 years younger

Shaving 10 years off your age doesn't require expensive potions or going under the knife. All it takes is a few little beauty tweaks and you're well on your way to looking younger.

1. Fix your posture

As the years creep up, our bodies creep down, and the way we hold ourselves is a strong indicator of youthfulness. Good posture not only makes you look younger, taller and slimmer, it’s also a powerful life skill – the biggest cause of disability in people aged 50 and over in Australia is lower back pain, and conditioning the muscles that hold us upright is a key preventative measure. 

Here’s a quick posture test: Stand tall, lift one knee thigh-high and balance on the other leg for as long as you can. This will straighten your back and activate the stabilising muscles from your feet, midriff and shoulders that are responsible for posture and balance. Aim to stand for at least 20 seconds on each side.

White tea vs green tea

Nutrition expert Lisa Guy weighs up the health benefits of white and green tea.

(Q) I have read white tea is better than green tea. And yet all reports recommend green tea. Can you please explain the difference?

(A) Both white and green teas come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. White tea leaves are harvested at a younger age than green tea leaves. White tea is considered rare and is usually more expensive than green, as it can only be hand picked during a few days of early spring and has to be handled with such care.

Green tea involves slightly more processing compared to white tea. White tea is steamed rapidly and then dried. While green tea is partially fermented. First it's steamed, fired and then rolled. Black tea on the other hand is fully fermented. Because white and green teas are treated gently and not overly processed, they retain most of their beneficial antioxidants. Green tea is considered rich in antioxidants. However since white tea is less processed, it retains a higher amount of antioxidants, compared to green.

A guide to herbal teas

Steer clear of caffeine with these herbal brews.

Drinking herbal tea not only cuts down on your caffeine intake, but these brews also have some proven health benefits. Here is our A to Z guide of some of the most popular herbals teas around and what they can do for you.

Bergamot

The citrus fruit is known as the main ingredient in Earl Grey tea but herbal tea expert Penelope Sachs says it has some other 'hidden talents'. "In the past this oil has been used to treat mild depression and digestion problems," she says. Look for it in herbal blends rather than as a stand-alone tea.