What Increases a Person's Metabolism?
Some people are just born with a faster metabolism. For example, men tend to have a faster metabolism than women. And for most of us, metabolism tends to slow down as we age.
While you cannot control your genes, gender, or age, you can increase your metabolism by making a few lifestyle changes.
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the process your body uses to turn food into energy for basic bodily functions, whether it’s moving, digesting food, or even breathing.
These processes require energy and the minimum amount of energy required for these processes is called the basal metabolic rate (BMR). Having a slow metabolism can be equated to having a low BMR.
7 ways to increase your metabolism
- Strengthen your muscles. Doing strengthening exercises is an effective way to improve your metabolism. These exercises help build muscle mass. The more muscle your have, more calories you burn even when you are resting. However, avoid overdoing it, or you may injure your muscles. Try doing more repetitions, rather than lifting heavier weights.
- Step up your cardio. Aerobic activities such as jogging, cycling, and swimming, can help your burn more calories even after your workout is done. Push yourself to higher intensity when you’re working out for a greater boost in metabolism.
- Eat smaller, frequent meals. Eating smaller amounts of food more frequently throughout the day may help you burn more calories than having fewer larger meals.
- Have protein-rich foods. Your body burns more calories when digesting high-protein foods compared to foods that contain more carbohydrates and fats.
- Drink enough water. According to some studies, people who drink more water burn more calories than people who aren’t drinking enough.
- Drink black coffee. Drinking black coffee once a day keeps you alert and gives you a boost of energy. It may offer a short-term boost to your metabolism.
- Drink green tea. Drinking green tea can offer the benefits of both caffeine and catechins, which can boost the metabolism for a couple of hours.
What medical conditions can slow down your metabolism?
If you think that lifestyle changes are not helping you improve your metabolism, speak to a doctor. You may have a hormonal condition that can cause your metabolism slow down, including:
- Cushing's syndrome (a condition resulting from too much cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal system)
- Hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) due to underlying thyroid abnormality, drugs, restricted diet (goitrogenic diet), or thyroiditis
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (also called autoimmune thyroiditis, the condition results in a long term low level of thyroid hormone)
- Diabetes
- Low testosterone levels