How to Boost Metabolism The Natural Way: 9 Strategies for the New Year

A new year is a time for resolutions and goal setting to improve your health. Although proper diet and exercise will always be the best way to shed unwanted pounds, there are a few tried-and-true ways to speed up your metabolism and burn unwanted fat.

In this article, we will share ten of the best ways on how to boost metabolism to feel and look your best this year.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories for energy. 
• A high metabolism means you will burn more calories at rest and during physical activity. A poor metabolism burns fewer calories each day and can lead to weight gain and fatigue.
• While there is no magic trick to boost metabolism, incorporating strength training and aerobic exercise, prioritizing protein, and eating healthy snacks throughout the day can increase your metabolic rate.

WHAT IS METABOLISM?

Metabolism is defined as the set of chemical reactions within the cells of your body that convert food into energy.

It’s a fairly complex process that combines the calories from the foods you eat and the beverages you drink with oxygen to provide your body with the energy it needs to carry out day-to-day tasks. 

The higher your metabolism is, the more calories you burn at rest, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off.

Men naturally have a slightly higher metabolism than women, but genes, age, and body size all play a role in how your body stores fat. 

METABOLISM AND MUSCLE MASS

Many people believe the thinner you are, the faster your metabolism is. However, it ultimately comes down to a person’s size and the amount of muscle they have.

People who are larger and have more muscle burn more calories at rest.

Strength training is the best way to increase muscle mass and elevate your metabolic rate.

Studies estimate that a pound of muscle burns approximately six calories per day. This is nearly three times as many calories as a pound of fat. 

We naturally lose muscle mass as we age, making it vital to incorporate regular resistance training to counteract age-related muscle loss and promote lean muscle. 

HOW YOUR POOR METABOLISM MAY BE AFFECTING YOUR WEIGHT GAIN

If you have a poor metabolism, your body burns fewer calories at rest and during physical activity.

This means that to lose weight and keep weight off, you’ll need to eat fewer calories than someone with a faster metabolism.

Over time, a slow metabolism can lead to excess calories being stored as fat throughout the body and fatigue.

Poor metabolism is often caused by genes passed down by your parents. It can also be caused by a shift in hormones, underactive thyroid, or diabetes. 

Other factors, including stress, not eating enough calories, and inadequate sleep, can negatively impact your metabolic rate.

Despite playing a role in our weight, a poor metabolism is rarely the sole cause of significant weight gain. 

Still, it’s important to support a healthy metabolism because a slow metabolism can undoubtedly lead to weight gain over time if you eat more calories than you burn.

HOW TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM TO BURN CALORIES, LOSE WEIGHT, AND PROMOTE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

1. Drink Enough Water 
2. Get Enough Sleep 
3. Strength Train 
4. Interval Train 
5. Eat Enough Calories 
6. Eat More Frequently 
7. Drink Caffeine 
8. Eat More Protein 
9. Take Collagen 

The good news is, there are natural strategies that can boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories at rest. 

It’s important to note that there isn’t any magic fix guaranteed to boost your metabolism. However, making small changes to your diet and lifestyle can certainly help.

DRINK ENOUGH WATER

Drinking water can help you lose extra weight in several ways. Water can promote satiety, decrease your appetite, boost your metabolism, and help your body function more efficiently during a workout.

Studies show that drinking water may also temporarily speed up your metabolism by 25% after an hour.

Additionally, even mild dehydration may cause your metabolism to slow down, making it essential to stay hydrated.  

The exact amount of water a person needs will vary from person to person. 

On average, women need to drink around 11.5 cups of water per day, and men need to drink around 15.5 cups per day. These numbers increase for those who perform intense exercise.

While this may sound like a lot, these recommendations consider your fluid intake from other drinks and foods that you eat.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Studies show that sleep deprivation can directly influence your metabolism. Lack of sleep can also increase the hunger hormone ghrelin and decrease leptin, the hormone that helps you feel full.

Moreover, people who get the recommended amount of sleep tend to have lower body weight than people who do not get enough sleep.

To support a healthy metabolism, most adults should aim to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. 

STRENGTH TRAIN

Strength training can increase your muscle mass, which will increase your overall metabolic rate.

One study from 2018 found that resistance training increased the participants' basal metabolic rate (BMR) for up to 48 hours.

Strength training will also help you maintain muscle mass and keep your metabolism up during weight loss. 

Lift weights at least twice a week to build muscle and improve your metabolic rate.

INTERVAL TRAIN

HIIT is a training style that involves periods of intense exercise followed by recovery periods.

It has been shown to boost metabolism and help you burn fat for many hours after your training is over.

One study found that overweight men who performed HIIT for 12 weeks reduced their belly fat by 17% and overall fat mass by 4.4 pounds.

Include 15-30 minute HIIT sessions three to four times per week to boost your metabolism and promote fat burning.

EAT ENOUGH CALORIES

When you significantly cut calories, your body begins to enter what is commonly referred to as “starvation mode.” This results in your metabolism beginning to shut down, which ultimately can lead to weight gain. 

Even if you’ve recently lost weight without drastically cutting calories, you could hit a plateau. This is known as adaptive thermogenesis, and researchers believe it is why most people who lose weight put it back on.

Many times, simply adding a couple hundred calories to your diet each day can help reset your metabolism and allow you to begin losing weight again.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends cutting 500-1000 calories from your current dietary intake to safely lose 1-2 pounds per week. 

You can do this by combining exercise with calorie reduction. For example, you can cut 250 calories from your daily intake and burn another 250 through exercise each day. 

EAT MORE FREQUENTLY

Eating small, frequent meals can help you lose weight and burn fat. 

If you eat one or two large meals each day and then you don’t eat for an extended period, your metabolism slows down in between meals. 

To keep your metabolism up, have a healthy snack or small meal every three to four hours. 

Research shows people who snack on healthy foods throughout the day also eat fewer calories during mealtime.

DRINK CAFFEINE

If you’re a coffee drinker, you may be in luck! Recent studies have found that drinking four cups of coffee can lead to a body fat reduction of 4%.

Researchers believe this is due to the caffeine found in coffee increasing metabolism.

Drinking caffeine can also help you feel energized to help you power through a workout, ultimately burning more calories. 

If you’re not a fan of coffee, there are many other ways to get you moving more and support a healthy metabolism. 

You can take pre-workout before exercise, drink green tea, or other caffeinated beverages to boost metabolism and help you train harder. 

Green tea is packed with catechins which can help you lose weight by increasing your ability to metabolize fat. 

If you opt for coffee or other caffeinated beverages, be sure to limit added sugars and creamer to avoid extra calories. 

EAT MORE PROTEIN

Protein is one of the most important macronutrients for weight loss. 

Eating a high protein diet can not only decrease your appetite but can also boost metabolism by up to 100 calories each day.

Protein has a thermic effect, meaning that your body burns more calories digesting protein than carbs or fat.

Eating protein is also crucial to preserve lean muscle mass and prevent a metabolic shutdown during weight loss.

The guidelines for active people and athletes from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend getting between 1.2 and 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Good sources of lean protein include lean turkey, beef, fish, chicken breast, nuts, tofu, and beans.

Alternatively, you can boost your daily protein intake with a high-quality protein powder.

We recommend using grass fed whey protein or plant protein to increase your protein intake.

TAKE COLLAGEN

In recent years, collagen supplements have soared in popularity. Collagen is commonly known for improving skin health, but it can also play a role in weight loss.

Although we need more research, there’s a growing amount of evidence that collagen can indirectly help with your weight loss goals.

Because collagen is a protein, it can increase levels of satiety and thermogenesis.

Collagen is also the main structural protein in your muscles. When combined with strength training, collagen can help you build muscle and increase your resting metabolic rate.

In one study from 2015, older adults with age-related muscle loss completed 12 weeks of strength training. Half of the group took a collagen supplement, while the other half took a placebo.

Participants who took collagen peptides experienced a significant improvement in muscle mass and strength compared to the placebo. They also lost more fat mass.

BOTTOM LINE

Although weight loss is about calories in and calories out, it’s not always that straightforward.

Many factors play a role in our ability to lose weight. While a slow metabolism may not be the main culprit of a significant weight gain, it can certainly hinder your weight loss efforts.

There’s no magic pill or supplement to speed up your metabolism. However, there are ways to improve your metabolic health to help you lose weight and feel better. 

By eating a protein-rich, balanced diet paired with strength training, aerobic exercise, and a calorie deficit, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier lifestyle this year!