Lose weight sustainably: How to boost your metabolism the right way

Fuel metabolism: Here begins the change

Most people mainly consume carbohydrates from cereals, potatoes, rice and sugar (especially fructose) as an energy source for their daily metabolism because it is most convenient for them. The body uses this energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The body can obtain 36 ATP from one molecule of carbohydrate and 100 to 150 ATP from one molecule of fat ^[5]. From this perspective, fatty acids would be a much better source of energy. However, energy production from fat is more complex and consumes around six percent more oxygen, which is why the body prefers to produce energy from short-chain carbohydrates ^[6]. The more carbohydrates are eaten in the form of sugar, cereals, potatoes, rice, etc., the higher the insulin level in the blood rises and energy production from fat (beta-oxidation) is also inhibited.

However, if we were to use fat for our energy requirements, there would be major advantages:

1. Our excess body fat stores are burned, we inevitably reduce our body fat and lose weight.
2. Our carbohydrate stores in the liver and muscles are depleted after around 45 minutes due to their small size. The ability to burn fat enables us to perform at a consistently high level for longer, both in sport and in everyday life. This also means that we stay fuller for longer and still fit.
3. When fat is burned, the rate of cell division is reduced, triggering a recovery phase in the body. This is physiological anti-ageing. When carbohydrate intake increases insulin and growth factors in the blood, they have the exact opposite effect and cause us to age faster.

Many people's metabolism has chosen simpler but unhealthy metabolic pathways via carbohydrates over the years and decades. The switch to a different fuel, i.e. from carbohydrate metabolism to fat metabolism makesnot only makes us slim, but is also an anti-ageing agent^[7]. However, this transition takes between ten days and eight weeks^[8], depending on your physical condition. In order for the body to relearn to burn fat from food and its own body fat more efficiently and quickly, our organism must be forced to do so with a low-carbohydrate diet and exercise on an empty stomach in the first few days and weeks.

To speed up the process, you can increase your intake of coconut fat and coconut products, as well as butter and olives.strong>olive oil so that the body becomes accustomed to burning ketones from fat as an alternative energy source to carbohydrates.

Activation of brown fatty tissue

In simple terms, you can think of brown adipose tissue as a kind of oven in which fat is burned to produce heat. Its job is to provide us humans with heat when we are at rest. Almost everyone is a little hypothermic, i.e. too cold, and could do with a little more body temperature. A great side effect is that the production of body heat is very expensive in terms of energy. Just one degree costs an additional 250 to 350 kcal for 24 hours. This is mainly due to the “BAT (Brown Adipose Tissue) cocktail“ – consisting of the aminoäure L-tyrosine, green tea extract, caffeine and chilli – stimulated ^[9].

The most important tips to lose weight sustainably

Sensible lifestyle changes:

• Food frequency is the most important approach for most people. Two to three meals a day is optimal.
• Once a week, plan a „Fresday“. On this day, consume a particularly large amount of the (optimal) foods.
• Increase the amount of fiber: green vegetables, carrots, etc.
• Reduce carbohydrates and especially starch from potatoes and cereals.
• Save on heating costs! In fact, your own fat burning is boosted at cooler room temperatures (below 21 degrees).
• Take regular cold showers or cold drinks, but also treading water in cold water (bathtub, river or lake) burns additional calories.
• Exercise on an empty stomach (no food intake for at least five hours).
• Short, intensive exercise sessions before meals are an important measure to significantly reduce the inflammatory reaction after eating: Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats and climbing stairs. In addition, the body composition (the ratio of fat to muscle) changes.
• Regular walks consume a few extra calories, especially in the form of fat, if you do them regularly.

Interventions for a biological mouth and gut flora: floss daily. Consume lots of fermented cabbage (sauerkraut), root vegetables, snails, mussels and shrimps with a high content of beneficial bacteria.

Support through food

These foods support fat burning and healthy weight loss

• Hot foods such as paprika, chili, ginger, garlic, tabasco, cayenne pepper, wasabi and horseradish reduce body fat.
• Insulin-sensitizing substances such as mango, fish, cinnamon, bitter melon and fenugreek.
• Dark chocolate, cocoa, tropical fruits and green vegetables help to normalize energy levels.
• Activate brown adipose tissue with fish, meat, shellfish, chili, green tea, coffee, black pepper, turmeric, ginger, horseradish, wasabi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and mint.
• Dark cocoa significantly increases fat burning: swap your coffee for dark cocoa brewed with hot water or add a teaspoon of cocoa.
• Foods containing protein and omega-3 fatty acids (prostacyclin and omega-3) also increase thermogenesis. So consume plenty of fish, poultry, seafood and nuts.
• Use coconut oil and coconut milk in the kitchen. These products serve as energy boosters for our brain and prevent binge eating. They also have a regulating influence on our intestinal flora.
• If you don't buy sweets and other addictive substances in the first place, it's easier to resist them in moments of weakness.