For many people, the dream is simple — find a way to burn more calories effortlessly, even while resting. The key to achieving this is a faster metabolism, meaning your body naturally burns more energy throughout the day without needing endless hours of exercise.
While activities like running or cycling are effective calorie burners, their afterburn effect is temporary. Strength training, on the other hand, continues to boost metabolism for hours after a workout and contributes to long-term increases by building lean muscle. This means that even while you’re sitting at your desk, watching TV, or sleeping, your body is burning more calories than it normally would.
For a long time, strength training was seen as something reserved for bodybuilders or gym-goers lifting heavy weights. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality is that anyone—regardless of age, gender, or fitness level—can benefit from it. Even a small increase in muscle mass can significantly impact metabolism, making it easier to manage weight, boost energy, and improve overall health.
The best part? You don’t need an expensive gym membership or heavy weights to experience the benefits. This article will explain how to boost your metabolism at home using bodyweight exercises, household items, or affordable weights, all while ensuring proper form for maximum effectiveness and safety.
Why Strength Training is So Effective at Boosting Metabolism
Strength training builds lean muscle, and muscle tissue is far more metabolically active than fat tissue. This means that the more muscle you have, the more calories your body naturally burns throughout the day—even when you’re not exercising.
Additionally, strength training triggers the afterburn effect, known scientifically as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). After a workout, your body continues to burn calories for hours as it repairs muscle tissue and replenishes energy stores. Unlike cardio workouts, where calorie burn stops shortly after you finish, strength training keeps your metabolism elevated long after you’ve completed your last rep.
Many people mistakenly believe that strength training is only beneficial for people who want to “bulk up”. However, this is a myth. Even small increases in muscle tone can significantly improve metabolism, leading to better fat loss, increased energy, and improved weight management over time.
Best Practices for Safe & Effective Strength Training
Before you begin any strength training routine, it’s important to train smart to avoid injuries and get the best results.
Here are some key principles to keep in mind:
1. Master Proper Form First.
Proper form ensures that you engage the right muscles while protecting your joints and spine. It’s better to do fewer reps with correct form than to rush through exercises with poor technique.
2. Start with Bodyweight Exercises.
If you’re new to strength training, begin with bodyweight movements before adding weights. This helps build a solid foundation, improving balance, coordination, and muscle endurance before progressing to resistance exercises.
3. Focus on Major Muscle Groups.
The biggest metabolism boosters are the legs, glutes, back, and core. Training these larger muscle groups requires more energy, leading to greater calorie burn both during and after exercise.
4. Allow Time for Recovery.
Strength training works by breaking down muscle fibres, which then rebuild stronger during recovery. Rest is just as important as the workout itself—aim for at least one full day of rest between strength sessions to allow muscles to recover and grow.
Bodyweight Strength Exercises You Can Do at Home
Bodyweight exercises are an excellent starting point for building strength, as they require no equipment while still engaging multiple muscle groups at once. By focusing on a few simple core exercises that target large muscle groups, you can significantly boost your metabolism with just two or three short sessions per week, without needing to set foot in a gym.
1. Squats
Squats are often referred to as the king of lower-body exercises—and for good reason. They target some of the largest muscle groups in the body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core. Because they engage multiple muscles at once, squats help to burn more calories both during and after exercise, making them one of the most effective movements for boosting metabolism.
Beyond metabolism, squats also improve mobility and functional strength, meaning they make everyday movements like walking, climbing stairs, and lifting objects easier. They also enhance lower-body endurance and help build strong, injury-resistant joints.
How to Squat Properly:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned outward.
- Keep your chest lifted and core engaged as you begin the movement.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees, lowering your body as if you’re about to sit into a chair.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as low as your mobility allows) while keeping your knees in line with your toes.
- Drive through your heels to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Letting knees cave inward—keep them aligned over your toes.
- Leaning too far forward—engage your core to maintain an upright posture.
- Rounding your lower back—keep a neutral spine to avoid strain.
For a more comprehensive guide check out the following free resource from men’s health (the tips are equally applicable to all genders).
2. Push-Ups
Push-ups are one of the most effective upper-body exercises, engaging the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core while improving overall muscular endurance. This movement strengthens the upper body and enhances core stability, making it an excellent full-body exercise.
While push-ups are often overlooked in favour of gym equipment, they are incredibly versatile and scalable. Whether you’re a beginner starting with knee push-ups or someone advancing to decline push-ups, this exercise can be modified to match your fitness level.
How to Perform The Perfect Push-Up:
- Place hands shoulder-width apart on the floor.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels—engage your core.
- Lower your chest until it’s just above the floor, keeping elbows at a 45-degree angle.
- Push back up without locking your elbows.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Dropping your hips—keep your core engaged.
- Flaring elbows out too wide—this can cause shoulder strain.
- Rushing the movement—lower and raise yourself in a controlled manner to maximise muscle engagement.
For a more comprehensive guide check out the following free resource from men’s health (the tips are equally applicable to all genders).
3. Lunges
This dynamic lower-body movement works the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, while also challenging balance and stability. Unlike squats, lunges require unilateral (one-sided) movement, meaning they strengthen each leg individually, improving muscle imbalances and coordination.
Like squats, because lunges involve multiple joints and muscles, they not only help with calorie burn and metabolism but also make day-to-day movements easier—whether it’s walking, running, or even climbing stairs.
How to Lunge Correctly:
- Stand tall and step one foot forward, keeping your back straight.
- Lower your back knee toward the floor, ensuring your front knee stays aligned over your ankle.
- Push back through the heel of your front foot to return to standing.
- Switch legs and repeat.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Leaning too far forward—keep your torso upright to engage your core properly.
- Not stepping wide enough—take a big enough step so your knee stays over your ankle.
- Letting your back knee slam into the ground—lower yourself with control.
For a more comprehensive guide check out the following free resource from men’s health (the tips are equally applicable to all genders).
4. Planks
This isometric exercise (where you hold a position rather than moving through reps) engages the core, back, shoulders, and legs all at once, making it one of the most effective full body strengthening exercises.
A strong core is essential not just for aesthetics but also for preventing injuries, improving posture, and enhancing overall movement efficiency. Planks stabilise the spine and strengthen deep core muscles, which support virtually every movement you make throughout the day.
How to Plank with Correct Form:
- Start by placing your elbows directly under your shoulders, forearms on the floor.
- Extend your legs behind you, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Engage your core, glutes, and legs to hold the position, avoiding any sagging in the lower back.
- Breathe deeply and hold for 30–60 seconds, focusing on maintaining perfect form rather than just time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Holding your breath—breathe deeply to maintain endurance.
- Letting your hips drop—engage your abs to keep your body aligned.
- Raising your hips too high—this reduces core engagement and shifts the effort to your shoulders.
For a more comprehensive guide check out the following free resource from men’s health (the tips are equally applicable to all genders).
Using Household Items as Weights
If you’re ready to step up your routine and add more resistance to your exercises, you don’t need to rush out and buy expensive gym equipment. Many common household objects can be repurposed as makeshift weights.
Water bottles or jugs can serve as makeshift dumbbells. A standard 1-litre water bottle weighs around 1kg (2.2lbs), and larger jugs can provide even more resistance. Holding these in each hand during squats or lunges turns these lower-body movements into full-body exercises, engaging more muscle groups and increasing calorie burn.
A backpack filled with books is another fantastic way to increase resistance. Worn on your back during squats or lunges, it provides a similar effect to using a weighted vest. You can also place the backpack on your upper back during push-ups to add extra weight, forcing your arms, shoulders, and chest to work harder. For planks, resting a weighted backpack on your back increases core activation, further improving strength and endurance.
Investing in Affordable Home Weights
While household objects can be a great way to introduce resistance, the time may arrive where it makes more sense to invest in a few key pieces of equipment.
For squats and lunges, adjustable dumbbells are an excellent option. They allow for gradual increases in weight, helping you build strength without the need for multiple sets of dumbbells. Holding dumbbells in each hand while performing lunges or squats adds significant resistance, making your muscles work harder and improving calorie burn long after your workout ends.
For upper-body movements such as push-ups and shoulder work, resistance bands can be incredibly effective. Looping a band around your back during push-ups increases the challenge by providing added tension throughout the movement. Alternatively, with a set of dumbbells you could experiment with new lifts such as bicep curls and shoulder presses.
A Simple 30-Minute, Twice-a-Week Routine
This simple, twice-a-week routine, is a great way to boost metabolism, build strength, and improve overall fitness without spending hours exercising.
The key to success is consistency. Just two sessions per week can create noticeable improvements in muscle tone, strength, and energy levels.
- Squats – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Push-ups – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Lunges – 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
- Planks – 1 Round of 30-60 seconds
- Side planks – 1 Round of 30-60 seconds each side
This workout can be done anywhere and is scalable based on your fitness level. Whether you’re using bodyweight only, adding household resistance, or incorporating dumbbells or bands, this routine will help you increase muscle mass, improve metabolism, and burn more calories effortlessly throughout the day.
The most important thing?
Get started!
Stick to it for a few weeks, and you’ll begin to feel stronger, move better, and notice real changes in your body and energy levels—all with just two short workouts a week.
