Seven Easy Ways to Boost Metabolism
Do you want to work on boosting your metabolism? If so, then read on for some great ideas. But first, let’s explore a little science.
Our metabolism is the process our body uses to expend energy and burn calories. Even when we are sleeping, our bodies are constantly converting the food and nutrients we consume into the energy we need to function properly. That includes everything from breathing to circulating our blood to growing and repairing cells.
You have likely heard people say they have a “fast” or a “slow” metabolism. A fast metabolism means that you burn calories quickly. A slow metabolism means you burn calories slowly, so more of them end up stored in the body as fat. The desire to burn fat or lose weight is why many people want to speed up their metabolism.
Whether your metabolism is fast or slow depends on your genes, your age, your level of physical activity, your diet and body size, and any conditions or diseases you may have, along with medications you are taking.
There are several ways you can give your metabolism a boost, but remember that these strategies must be part of an overall lifestyle that includes regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, cutting back on processed foods, and reducing your intake of junky foods like sweets, chips, and soda. It’s important to look at the big picture and take all factors into account when seeking to make a change in your life.
So are you ready to give your metabolism a boost? Here are seven ways you can give it a jumpstart.
- Eat protein at every meal.
Healthline explains that “eating food can temporarily increase your metabolism for a few hours. This is called the thermic effect of food (TEF). It’s caused by the extra calories required to digest, absorb, and process the nutrients in your meal. Protein causes the largest rise in TEF.” Great ways to add protein to each meal include replacing side dishes full of carbs (such as fries, chips, or pasta) with high-protein foods such as quinoa, nuts, eggs, or Greek yogurt. Or make chicken, salmon, or lean meat part of each meal. You could also add one of Performance Inspired’s protein powders to your daily routine as a meal replacement or a snack.
- Lift weights.
Did you know that building muscle not only helps increase your metabolism, but it burns more calories? It’s true! Plus, lifting weights is good for bone strength. If you have a gym membership, add weight training to your routine. If you do not, buy some free weights for your home.
- Try a high-intensity workout.
High-intensity interval training involves activity that is both quick and has intense bursts. This includes squats, burpees, lunges, jumping jacks, and so much more. Make sure this type of exercise is safe for you, and then check out YouTube for some great examples of exercises to try.
- Stop sitting so much!
Long days of sitting at a computer or sitting in front of the TV have detrimental effects on our bodies. This inactivity leads to weight gain, burning fewer calories, and even certain diseases. Healthline explained that a “2018 review found that standing or stepping at work was associated with lowered cardiometabolic risk (CMR) scores, weight, body fat, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting triglycerides, total/HDL cholesterol, and insulin. However, stepping rather than standing resulted in greater improvements to lower systolic blood pressure and insulin resistance.” Set an alarm or a reminder to get up at least once an hour and move around even for just five minutes. You will see and feel the benefits.
- Drink green tea.
Green tea has a myriad of amazing benefits. Not only might it help with your body’s fat-burning process when combined with a good exercise routine, but the antioxidants help reduce bodily inflammation, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Plus, drinking green tea not only helps you stay hydrated, but if you replace juices or sodas with it, you will be reducing your calorie count as well. This reduction in calories helps increase your weight loss.
- Eat at regular times, and snack on healthy foods.
Have you ever been so hungry that you eat a lot more than you need or had originally wanted to eat? Getting into a routine of eating at the same times every day will help you reduce your chances of extreme bouts of hunger, so you can avoid overeating. In addition, eating healthy snacks throughout the day will ensure that you don’t get desperate and hunt down the snack machine for a bag of chips or cookies. If you work in an office, plan out snacks and meals and take them with you instead of eating out. Prepare snacks such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, or yogurt ahead of time so they are ready when you feel hungry. And while we’re talking about snacks, try to keep your stress levels down, as an increase in stress is an impetus for many to binge on junk.
- Sleep!
We all need it, but not many of us actually get the amount of sleep we need to help our bodies rest and recuperate. Adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. The lack of sleep has been linked to an increase in obesity. In fact, researchers found that “individuals who regularly slept less than 7 hours per night were more likely to have higher average body mass indexes and develop obesity than those who slept more. Studies showed that experimental sleep restriction was associated with increased levels of ghrelin, salt retention and inflammatory markers as well as decreased levels of leptin and insulin sensitivity.” So put down the phone, turn off the TV, and crawl into bed a little earlier tonight—and every night!
Adding some or all of these practices into your daily routine may just give your metabolism the boost you need to begin losing weight. But if you try these and they don’t work, or if you feel that you have tried everything and nothing works, talk to your doctor, and look for the signs of a slow metabolism. These include digestion problems, difficulty losing weight, and fatigue. Your doctor is the only one who can diagnose a slow metabolism, and he can also help determine if there are underlying causes that you should address.
