Your metabolism can have a drastic impact on your body, health, and wellbeing. Your metabolism is how quickly your body burns calories and it is dependent on several factors. Some of these factors are easy to address and alter. Some of them, like your genetics, are not so easy.
The following is a list of six things you can begin doing to rev up your metabolism, no matter where you find yourself in your fitness journey.
1. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is crucial for maintaining every aspect of your health and wellbeing. It should come as no surprise that your metabolism is no exception. The length and quality of your sleep has serious implications for your metabolic system. We know that people nowadays are not getting the sleep that they need. Aim for eight hours of good quality rest in a room without all that pesky blue light from the screens we’re so fond of. Being sleep deficient decreases the number of calories you burn. It also disrupts your appetite-regulating hormones and alters how your body processes sugar.
2. Stay Hydrated
Let’s add another bullet point on the ever-growing list of why you need to drink more water. Half a liter of water increases your resting metabolic rate by 10%-30% for an hour. Need I say more? The effect is further increased if the water is cold. This is not hard to manage. Your skin and digestion and organs and mental state will also thank you. Just drink more water already. There’s no way you don’t know you should be doing this by now.
3. Build Muscle
Your body is burning calories all the time to keep you alive and functioning and muscle cells need a lot of energy to maintain themselves. Increasing your muscle mass boosts your metabolism because muscles require more energy to be maintained than fat. Each pound of muscle in your body needs roughly six calories to maintain itself throughout the day. This doesn’t seem like much, but it quickly adds up.
There are countless ways to build muscle depending on the time you have and your exercise preferences. Resistance training, weight lifting, holding your child above your head… find the one that works for you.
4. Drink Green Tea
Thanks to compounds called catechins, tea increases your metabolic rate. Green tea has the highest concentration of catechins, so that’s why it’s highlighted here. If you hate green tea but love oolong, that works too. As a bonus, according to Vivarin, the caffeine found in tea also gives your metabolism a little boost.
As a side note, if you’re a caffeine-sensitive person, you can skip this tip. You know who you are. Save your work colleagues from hyper caffeine-fuelled rants about your favorite canceled tv show and your theories about what would have happened if the show stayed on the air.
5. Use an App
In this digital world, there’s an app for everything. When it comes to metabolism management and healthy eating, there are dozens. Two of the most popular are the Noom app and the Weight Watchers app. As such, these two options are a good jumping-off point. In addition to helping you boost your metabolism, these apps can also help you employ healthier habits overall. For those of us who don’t enjoy planning, but like to have things organized, this is an excellent option.
6. Eat More Spicy Foods
This metabolism-boosting method is incredibly effective but will be harder for some people to employ than others. If you were looking for an excuse to pour more hot sauce on your eggs in the morning, this is it. All this being said, you know how much heat you can handle. Be kind to yourself. I know sometimes it seems like a competition, but it isn’t. Beyond metabolism increase, there are countless other health benefits of including more spicy foods in your diet.
There you have it. Six easy methods to give your metabolism some encouragement. Health and wellbeing have never been and never will be one-size-fits-all journeys, but these tips are relatively easy to apply to our lives and reap the benefits of.
As a bonus, most of these methods have fantastic health benefits reaching far beyond a speedy metabolic rate. Even if you are in love with your metabolism and have no desire to change it, these simple tips can have positive effects on your overall health.
Of course, as with all body-related advice, it’s important to listen to your body before you hear out other people’s thoughts. Your body is magnificent and it’s sending you messages constantly. Take the time to learn how your body speaks to you and understand what it’s trying to tell you.
