Everybody needs energy to complete basic chemical processes, like breathing, digestion and cell repair. These processes are collectively known as the metabolism; raising it helps the body to burn more calories and encourages weight loss.

Here’s how to optimise your metabolic rate through exercise and diet:

Do aerobic activity

Active people burn more calories and have a faster metabolism than inactive people. Cardiovascular activity, such as cycling, running and walking, helps to keep the body trim, strengthen the heart and encourage weight loss. Experts recommend that 30 minutes of activity for five days a week is enough to maintain a speedy metabolic rate. Creatine supplements are perfect for sustaining longer periods of exercise because they make it easier for the body to release its energy stores.

Combine strength training with cardio

Muscles burn more calories than fat so increasing muscle mass is a clever way to boost the metabolism. Lifting weights at the gym or simply using the body’s natural weight to perform resistance exercises like crunches and sit ups speeds up the metabolism and creates a leaner silhouette.

Go for green tea

Believed to regulate blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s, green tea has another benefit; it encourages fat oxidation, boosts the metabolism and is full of antioxidants and polyphenols. Soy beans and green coffee beans have a similar effect – they speed up the metabolism, burn fat and stabilise blood sugar levels as well as keep the body feeling fuller for longer.

Steer clear of faddy diets

Crash diets can have a negative effect on the metabolic rate by forcing the body to break down muscle mass. As mentioned above, it’s important to retain muscle because the body uses up more energy to maintain it than fat reserves. Eating a sensible diet containing a varied mix of natural ingredients and exercising regularly is far better for the body than starving it through fad dieting. Other tips for kick-starting the metabolism include exercising in the morning, eating a nutritious breakfast, adding spicy chilli to meals and drinking coffee.