According to WebMD, metabolism refers to the process of converting food into the energy that allows your body to function. Its commonly known that people who have faster metabolisms tend to use up calories faster than those with slower metabolisms. “Metabolism” describes chemical reactions that occur in your body and help keep your body alive and moving.
When you have a high metabolism, you have the energy to move, which can make you feel better. And even if you don’t have a fast metabolism, there are ways you can speed it up.
- Eating food can increase your metabolism for a few hours, especially when more you consume protein. This can boost your metabolism, which helps you burn more calories. It also helps you eat less. Muscle loss is a common side effect of dieting and increasing your intake of protein can reduce your risk of this.
- According to the National Institutes of Health, drinking lots of water is commonly suggested as a part of weight loss regimens. Usually, this is because sugary drinks contain a lot of calories and replacing them with water automatically lowers your calorie intake. Water is not only essential to maintaining normal bodily function. According to the Healthline Website, studies have shown that drinking 17 ounces (0.5 liters) of water increases resting metabolism by 10–30% for about an hour.
- Incorporating high-intensity interval training into your workout routine can help you burn more fat through the increase of your metabolic rate. HIIT is a great way to mix up your exercise routine because it involves quick, tense bursts of activity. For example, if you are jogging at a pace of 3 mph for 5 minutes, try increasing it to 3.5 mph or higher for 1 minute and then return to your normal speed. This strategy can help you inhale more oxygen and make your cells work harder to burn energy.
- According to the Healthline website, lifting weights will also help you retain muscle and combat the drop in metabolism that can occur during weight loss. Muscle is a lot more metabolically active than fat, which means building muscle can help speed up your metabolism.
- Green tea is best known for its antioxidant properties and contains an ingredient called catechin, which can help boost your metabolism. According to health.com, catechins may improve fat oxidation and thermogenesis, your body’s production of energy, or heat, from digestion.
- Not getting enough sleep is linked to an increase in the risk of weight gain because of the negative effect sleep deprivation has on metabolism. Lack of sleep can not only slow down your metabolism, but it can also change the way you process sugar and disrupt the hormones that regulate your appetite.
Any change in metabolism or increase in calorie burn varies from person to person and depends on many factors, including:
- genetics
- eating habits
- health conditions
- workout routine
- sleep schedule
- stress levels
By incorporating a few changes in your lifestyle, like adding strength training sessions to your fitness routine and eating and healthier, is a great way to lose weight and keep it off.