5 Fat Burning Exercises That Will Kickstart Your Metabolism

In the most basic terms, your metabolism affects how quickly your body transforms food into energy and spends your consumed calories. Although a faster metabolism burns calories more quickly, metabolic rates vary from person to person.

As a person ages, their metabolic rate naturally declines. That means they have a harder time digesting food and may face digestive issues like gas, bloating, and feeling more lethargic. If you wish to avoid all that, the simplest way out is to improve your metabolism.

How can you do that? Through exercise, of course. Any kind of exercise is a surefire way to get your metabolism going. You can opt for running, swimming, cycling or simple and effective cardio workouts to get better metabolism.

Fat Burning Exercises to boost Metabolism

Check out the following five exercises to boost metabolism that can intensify your fat-burning efforts:

1) Bear Crawl Shoulder Tap

An exercise that's meant to boost metabolism needs to use a lot of your muscles at the same time. It should also have a cardio element to it that can make your heart beat faster to help burn fat. The bear crawl shoulder taps exercise fulfills both purposes well.

Instructions:

Begin in a table-top position, with your wrists, elbows, and shoulders directly on top of each other and knees on the ground.
Lift your knees off the ground by leaning on the balls of your feet, with your knees directly beneath your hips.
Your shins should be parallel to the floor and no more than two inches above it.
Touch one hand to your opposite shoulder once you've established a firm foundation.
Try to keep your core tight so that your hips don't sway from side to side.
Engage your muscles, and maintain control of the movement.

2) Mountain Climber

This exercise is an extremely popular one for getting rid of belly fat. It's a high intensity exercise that works out all the major muscles (core, hands, legs). The quick movements quickly increase the heart rate, making it an excellent exercise to boost metabolism.

Instructions:

Begin in the high plank position. Place your hands on the floor, right beneath your shoulders.
Maintain a parallel posture with your hips and feet back and together.
Run your knees to your chest quickly, alternating legs with each rep.
Maintain proper posture by keeping your shoulders over your wrists and not allowing the hips to rise.

3) Jump Squat

Jump squats help raise metabolism by utilizing massive amounts of energy. They also target most of the important muscles in the lower body, like the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core. They are an excellent exercise for losing weight.

Instructions:

Begin in an elongated standing position, with your feet shoulder distance apart, chest elevated, and shoulders rolled back while looking forward and hands by your sides.
Squat down by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. Bring both palms together as you assume the squatting stance.
To create momentum, drive your body upwards while swinging your hands. This is the jumping part of the exercise.
Return to a sitting position by gently landing back. Repeat.

4) Walking Lunge

This exercise is an upgraded version of normal lunges and is a fat-burner. It can work out the muscles harder, and get the heart racing quicker. It's an excellent exercise to rev up metabolism.

Instructions:

Begin by standing in an upright position with your legs slightly apart, back upright, and core engaged.
Take a broad step forward with your right leg, and lunge towards the floor, with your back knee hovering just above the ground and front knee bent at 90 degrees.
Return to a standing position, bringing your back leg to the front, and repeat the process.
Repeat on the other side.

5) Dumbbell Crusher

This one gets you sweating and burning fat in no time at all. It's an excellent strength workout that can improve muscle mass and endurance, improving metabolism.

Instructions:

Begin in a tall standing position with your feet somewhat wider than hip distance.
Hold a pair of dumbbells in both hands, and place them by your sides.
Begin by squatting your body by hunching down at the hips and bending your knees.
In the active squat position, perform one repetition of bicep curls.
As you return to a standing position with an explosive movement, press your weight straight up to the ceiling with your arms fully extended.
Bring both dumbbells together for one repetition.
Return the weight to its starting position, and repeat.

Takeaway

Exercise, in general, boosts metabolism and burns fat over time. If you follow a protein-rich healthy diet along with your exercise regimen, you should lose fat and gain muscle. Gaining muscle is the best way to improve metabolism, as muscles help burn calories even at rest.