Can You Actually Boost Your Metabolism? Here's What We Know

Suppose you’ve just started a new workout plan, or you’re preparing for an event. In that case, you may wonder if there are natural ways to boost your metabolism. There’s plenty of advice on the internet, so we looked into it.

How Does Your Metabolism Work?

We talk about our metabolism regarding fitness and nutrition all the time, but how does it work? While we often think of our metabolism as a simple calorie-burning engine, that is inaccurate. Your metabolism is a complex system, and burning calories is only one of its many jobs.

According to Queensland Health, your “metabolism” is a series of complex chemical processes by which your body breaks down food and drink, directs energy extracted towards your cells (a process called anabolism) and repairs your body. Suppose you’re trying to boost your metabolism to burn more calories. If you want to boost your metabolism to burn more calories, it’s important to remember the other essential functions it’s serving, and approach things in a healthy way.

It’s also important to note that there is very little evidence that supplements, fancy drinks or over-the-counter medications can boost your metabolism. Finally? If you want to lose weight or make dramatic changes to your diet, you should always consult your doctor first.

Things You Should Keep in Mind When Thinking About Your Metabolism

Three things impact the rate at which your body burns fuel: your age, gender and body size. People with greater muscle mass usually burn more fuel because their body works harder. Generally, people assigned male at birth or with higher testosterone levels will also have higher resting metabolisms because they are likely to have a higher muscle-to-fat ratio. The last thing? Age. As we get older, and begin to lose muscle, our metabolism slows down (you might be starting to notice a pattern here!).

With this in mind, we’ve rounded up some ways you can boost your metabolism to support your overall health.

How to Boost Your Metabolism the Healthy Way

Strength Training

Pumping iron isn’t just for bodybuilders. While running and cardio have long been associated with calorie burning, strength training is an extremely effective way to boost your resting metabolism (that’s the element of your metabolism that burns calories while you sleep and sit rather than just while you work out). There are different kinds of strength training you can engage in, from Pilates which is excellent if you have postural issues and are looking for something low intensity, to weight lifting.

The more muscle mass you gain, the more calories you burn, so increasing your muscle mass is good. It also supports your bone density, posture and overall health.

Get Some Cardio In

We’re not taking cardio out of the equation. As we’ve discussed, incidental activity like walking can have significant health benefits — as little as 30 minutes a day will boost your metabolism while providing you with a host of other physical and mental health benefits. Whether you dance, run or walk, you’ll see an impact.

Eat More Protein

Eating a healthy diet is a no-brainer if you’re looking to keep fit. Still, certain foods provide more support for your metabolism than others. Protein is essential for building muscle but requires more energy to digest than carbs and fat. Consuming protein gives your metabolism a bit of a workout. Foods high in protein include meat, fish, dairy, legumes like beans and lentils, seeds, nuts, and eggs. Try to get your protein from various sources to keep your diet diverse.

Dancing, walking and running for just 30 minutes a day will boost your metabolism. — Dancing, walking or running for just 30 minutes a day can boost your metabolism. Image Credit: Getty

Stay Hydrated

This is basic, but staying hydrated helps your body function at its best. When you’re body is working at it’s best, your metabolism is functioning at its best!

Get More Sleep

Catching some zzz’s is crucial for many aspects of your health, including metabolism. According to the Sleep Foundation, most adults should aim for a minimum of seven hours for optimal psychological and physical well-being.

Eating more protein is a good way to boost your metabolism. — Eating plenty of protein boosts your metabolism in the long and short term. Image Credit: Getty

Eat Spicy Food

Take this recommendation with a grain of salt (or chilli). Substantial research indicates that consuming spicy food can temporarily increase metabolism. Still, there’s also research that shows it has adverse outcomes. Analysing studies, the kind of spicy food you eat is essential — that bowl of mie goreng is probably not doing your metabolism much good, but fresh chilli is. This is attributed to capsaicin, an active component found in chilli peppers. Capsaicin has been found to temporarily boost metabolism and suppress appetite for hours after eating. For this reason, it’s being investigated as a possible treatment in the early intervention of obesity. For our purposes, sprinkling a few extra chilli peppers into your meals will not hurt.

Chill Out

Finally? Try to chill out. Chronic stress increases cortisol in the body and can slow down your metabolism. If you’re feeling consistently stressed, explore options like meditation, yoga, walking, talking to a friend or taking a relaxing bath. If you’re finding stress is interfering with your day-to-day, and not just your #fitness goals, talk to your GP and consider professional help.

Remember, while these tips can help boost your metabolism, they’re not a magic fix. A healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise is the most effective way to keep your metabolism humming.

Can You Actually Boost Your Metabolism? Here’s What We Know

How Does Your Metabolism Work?

Things You Should Keep in Mind When Thinking About Your Metabolism