What is AMPk?

AMPk stands for AMP-activated protein kinase. It's an enzyme that influences how your cells act. It's inside of every cell! Scientists say that AMPk plays a major part in determining where our bodies store fat (especially how much belly fat we have).

It's like a master control switch for your metabolism.

Doctors also believe that AMPk plays a role in determining life expectancy. For young people, AMPk is super active. As we get older, AMPk activation goes down. That leads to fat build up and more belly fat.

How to Raise Your AMPk Levels to Reduce Body Fat Storage

You don’t need fancy supplements or treatments to get your metabolism running faster. Instead, you can prompt your body to activate AMPk naturally by controlling what you eat and how you exercise.

AMPk and Lower Carbs

AMPk is inhibited by insulin and activated by lower glucose levels in the body. That means it doesn't activate when insulin levels are high or when your body has a lot of glucose.

One of the best ways to control insulin levels is to eat a lower-carb diet packed with foods that have a lower hypoglycemic index.

• Eat low carb, with most of the carbs coming from vegetables and some fruits

• Focus eating on high quality proteins

• Focus on eating healthy fats

• Avoid processed foods and refined sugar

You want to avoid foods that cause insulin spikes.

AMPk and Fasting

Fasting can be an effective way to jumpstart AMPK. It works the same way lower-carb diets do...when glucose levels are low, AMPk is activated.

One way to flip that switch is to completely stay away from carbs and deplete glucose levels completely. That’s why a fast can be a great trigger for AMPK production.

AMPk Activating Foods

Some foods have been shown to activate AMPK.

Grapefruits contain a chemical called “nootkatone” that activates your AMPK. The rind has the most nootkatone of any part of the grapefruit, so if you just add a little bit of the rind to your smoothies, you can get the most powerful impact from it.

Foods high in polyphenols. Polyphenols give fruits and veggies color. Diets high in polyphenols have been shown to activate AMPk.

Other foods shown to activate AMPk include:

• Turmeric

• Hot Peppers

• Garlic

• Red Sage

• Ginseng

AMPk and Exercise

Because AMPk is activated when you are in a lower energy state, exercise is one of the most effective ways to turn it on.

To quickly activate AMPk, I suggest using short bursts of high intensity exercise. The key is intensity, NOT duration. Short bouts of high intensity exercise can quickly deplete stored energy and turn on AMPk. To help get the intensity you need, use combination movements that require as many major muscle groups as possible.