By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

April 30, 2014

• Burn more than twice the calories
• Keep your metabolic fire burning 24 hours a day
• More ways to jump start the fat-burning process

When it comes to your weight, your metabolism can be your worst enemy. But, when you know how to kick it into overdrive, it can also be your best friend.

In a recent issue of Advanced Natural Wellness I shared some great food choices that can really jump start the fat-burning potential that’s hiding in your own body. Today I’m going to take it up a notch.

You may not realize it, but your metabolic engine is being driven by muscle mass. Muscle burns more than twice the calories that fat does. So, the more muscle your body has (and thus, the less fat) the faster you’ll be able to drop those extra pounds.

Unfortunately, you start losing muscle mass by the time you hit your 30s. This really slows down your metabolism. And, it doesn’t help at all when we experience a record-breaking winter like the one we just had. Being stuck indoors makes it hard to get much-needed exercise.

Well, winter is over, and you want to look great for the summer. So, I’ll let you in on another secret.

There are two more sure-fire ways to kick your body’s natural fat-burning ability into overdrive.
It’s no big secret that exercise is the best way to build muscle. But there is a secret when it comes to keeping your natural metabolic fire burning 24 hours a day.

I always recommend getting plenty of exercise punctuated with short bursts of intensity to keep your heart, lungs and body strong. (More on this in a future issue.)

But, when it comes to maintaining muscle mass and ramping up your fat-burning ability, strength training is the key. It works especially well if you zero in on your largest muscle groups first – your legs and buttocks.

It doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t even need weights. You can use your own body weight for resistance. Here are a few beginner exercises to get you started in the right direction:

Chair stand: Position yourself on the front edge of a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Place your arms across your chest, with your hands touching the opposite shoulders. Keep your back straight while leaning forward from the waist. Then exhale, tighten up your abdominal muscles and slowly stand up.

Inhale, release your abdominals and return to your sitting position. Then repeat for a total of 10 reps. (If you’re out of shape, you might need to use your hands to help you get up or rest between stands. Don’t worry. You’ll build strength over time.)

Kick back: Get down on your hands and knees with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Exhale and tighten your abs while lifting your right leg back and upward. Keep the knee slightly bent. When your foot is higher than your head, squeeze your right buttock (the glute), then inhale, release your abdomen and return to starting position.

Repeat with your left leg, then alternate for a total of 20 reps.

Squats: In a standing position, place your feet hip-distance apart. Exhale and tighten your abdominals, then slowly lower your body straight down … like you would if you were going to sit down. Go as low as you can. Hold the position a moment, and then slowly return to standing, with your knees slightly bent at the top of the position. Repeat 10 times.

It’s okay if you struggle through these to start with. It takes time to build strength. And if you’re already great at them, it will be easy for you to move on to lunges, jump squats and more.

To ramp up the results of your exercises, there are also a few supplements that can help jump start your metabolic engine…

7-Keto-DHEA. This natural metabolite is produced in your adrenal glands and enhances your resting metabolic rate. It works naturally with your body to enhance the activity of three key fat-burning (thermogenic) enzymes. When combined with a healthy diet and exercise, it can accelerate fat loss by up to 200%.

And don’t worry. It’s safe. In fact, 7-Keto does not have any known side effects. For best results, I recommend taking 50 mg. of 7-Keto twice a day, or 100 mg. once a day in the morning.

Aceytl-L-Carnitine increases the rate at which fat is burned in your body. It basically breaks down fat from stored fat reserves, so it can be burned for energy.

The most effective dose is 1,000 mg. daily. For best absorption, carnitine should be taken on an empty stomach – half an hour before a meal, right before a workout, or a couple of hours after eating.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) helps decrease body fat and increase lean muscle mass. This effect is most pronounced in people who exercise regularly. I suggest taking 3,400 mg. of CLA, divided into two to three doses daily to help give body fat the boot.

When you combine these exercises and supplements with the right fat-burning foods, you’ll get a big boost toward reaching your pre-summer weight-loss goals.

Sources:
Kalman DS. “A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Study of 3-Acetyl-7-Oxo-Dehydroepiandrosterone in Healthy Overweight Adults.” Current Therapeutic Research. 2000; 61:435-442.

Pekala J. et al. “L-carnitine–metabolic functions and meaning in humans life.” Curr Drug Metab. 2011 Sep;12(7):667-78.

Thom E, et al. “Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat in healthy exercising humans.” J Int Med Res. 2001 Sep-Oct;29(5):392-6.