What is Metabolism?
Your body is a complex biological machine. It performs numerous functions, both externally and internally. Your body performs most of these functions, almost restlessly, without you having to decide.
Your body needs a constant supply of energy to carry out all its functions. This is where metabolism comes in. Metabolism is the process of breaking down complex food materials into energy that your body requires.
In general, the metabolism refers to all the chemical reactions that take place inside you. However, it is not as simple as it seems. It is a complex phenomenon that is continuously happening inside your body.
If you are wondering how to boost metabolism it is very important to understand how metabolism works and what affects its speed. However, it is not possible to double it overnight, but if you follow the right strategies, you can significantly increase your metabolic rate over time.
Metabolism vs. Metabolic Rate
If you've researched how to reduce your body weight, you might have come across the term "metabolic rate." Often, metabolism and metabolic rate are used interchangeably. Nonetheless, the distinction is clear and simple.
As metabolism refers to the process, the metabolic rate refers to how your body converts calories into energy. The faster your metabolic rate, the more calories you burn, and the more weight you lose.
However, apart from weight loss, maintaining a healthy metabolic rate benefits you in plenty of ways.
Can I increase my Metabolic Rate?
You cannot have complete control over your metabolism. One's metabolic rate differs based on a variety of factors, such as:
- Body type
- Age
- Sex
- Activity level
- Muscle mass
- Body fat
- Genetics
However, your role is still crucial in controlling your metabolic rate. There are a variety metabolism boosting foods that can help you speed up your metabolism. You can also do exercise or any other physical activity to increase metabolism.
What are the most effective ways to boost Metabolism?
To make it simple for you, we have comprehensively listed 11 ways to enhance your metabolism as follows:
1. Break your meals
Along with what you eat, how you eat also becomes important. Instead of having a bulk meal, you can split up the meal into several segments.
Splitting up the bulk meals into smaller meals helps you maintain your blood sugar level and prevents a steep rise in insulin levels. This prevents you from gaining weight.
Splitting up your meal and consuming smaller portions constantly supply calories to your body instead of stuffing it all at once. This boosts your metabolism and supplies constant energy.
2. Intake more protein
Generally, your metabolism is high right after you eat food, and it continues for some hours. This effect is called the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). This TEF can go higher if you consume protein-rich foods.
In other words, high-protein foods result in a high metabolic rate. Studies show that protein contributes to around a 15%–30% increase in metabolic rate compared to a 0%–3% increase in fat and a 5%–10% increase in the case of carbohydrates.
Some protein-rich foods that you can add to your diet include:
- Soya
- Beans
- Egg white
- Meat and poultry
- Seafood
- Dairy products like milk, yoghurt, paneer, cottage cheese, etc.
3. Intake more calories
Skipping meals may lower your metabolic rate. If you want to know how to boost metabolism to lose weight, eating enough calories regularly is key.
4. Vitamin B-rich foods
Vitamin B plays a crucial role in enhancing your metabolism. Your B vitamins, especially B1, B2, and B6, contribute to healthy metabolic activity and supply sufficient energy to your body.
Some vitamin B rich foods that accelerate your metabolism are:
- Bananas
- Eggs
- Potatoes
- Orange juice
- Peas and peanut butter
- Whole-grain foods
- Spinach
5. Green tea
A popular choice among metabolism-boosting drinks, green tea may help enhance metabolism and is a good replacement for sugary beverages.
6. Drinking more water is the key
Drinking more water boosts your metabolism. When you are dehydrated, the necessary chemical reaction that converts the calories into energy gets affected.
Your body often dehydrates at night because you cannot possibly intake fluids unless you're awake. So, an ample amount of water before and after your sleep is essential to increase your metabolism.
7. Coffee
Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system and encourages calorie burning, making coffee an effective metabolism-boosting drink.
8. High-intensity workouts
If you wonder how to increase your metabolism rate permanently, the answer lies in physical training.
Especially in high-intensity workouts like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and circuit training, your body burns so many calories in a short period of time.
This amplifies your metabolic rate and helps you burn more fat. Both HIIT and circuit training are energy-demanding workouts, so it is essential to supplement your workouts with foods that speed up your metabolism as well.
9. Weight training
Although HIIT and circuit training are both beneficial, muscle-building workouts secure a special place when it comes to increasing metabolism. It is a great exercise to increase metabolism.
Your muscles' metabolic rate is usually higher than that of fats. Lifting heavy weights or doing weight training builds your body muscles.
When your muscle mass increases, your metabolic rate will also increase, and you will burn more calories.
10. Stress reduction
Stress has numerous adverse effects on your health. When you're under stress, your hormone levels will be disturbed. Moreover, your body will produce higher amounts of cortisol than usual.
Cortisol is a hormone that is responsible for regulating appetite. When its balance gets disturbed, you may tend to develop eating disorders and also sleep issues.
Both of these have adverse effects on your metabolism, and your body weight can become unregulated. Hence, it is important to track your stress level and indulge in stress-relieving activities often.
11. Getting sound sleep
Poor sleep is linked to obesity and sluggish metabolism. A good night’s sleep supports healthy metabolic functioning.
Some Other Additional Ways to Enhance Your Metabolism
Here are some more impressive ways to boost metabolism that go beyond traditional tips:
• Add More NEAT to Your Day: Try to do small movements such as standing while working, walking around the house or office, and stretching, which are effective ways to boost metabolism naturally without the gym.
• Try to Incorporate Thermogenic Spices: Incorporate metabolism boosting foods such as cayenne pepper, turmeric, black pepper, and ginger in your diet to help you increase calorie burn.
Fruits That Boost Metabolism
- Add fruits that boost metabolism, like:
- Oranges(rich in vitamin C)
- Grapefruits (rich in vitamin C)
- Apples (high in fiber and pectin)
- Berries (such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries)
- Bananas (rich in potassium)
- Avocados (rich in potassium)
- Kiwi (High in potassium, fiber, and vitamin C)
Individuals can enjoy these fruits that boost metabolism as snacks or in breakfast bowls.
What Foods Boost Metabolism?
Listed below are some of the foods that boost metabolism:
- Chili peppers (capsaicin)
- Avocados (healthy fats)
- Seaweed (iodine for thyroid health)
These are some of the perfect choices when planning meals focused on what foods boost metabolism.
How to Boost Metabolism Quickly?
Individuals can boost their metabolism quickly by doing these things in their daily routine:
- In the morning, after waking up, drink warm lemon water.
- Try to do at least 15-20 minutes of morning exercise or any physical activity.
- Eat a protein-rich breakfast
- Spend 5-10 minutes in the sun
- Take a cinnamon or ginger shot
These tips are simple but effective examples of how to boost metabolism quickly.
How to boost Metabolism to lose weight?
A metabolism boost can be achieved in many ways. Some ways help boost your metabolism to help with weight loss.
- Performing some exercises
- Eating nutrient-dense foods
- Drinking metabolism boosting drinks such as green tea or black coffee
- Staying active
- Reducing Stress
- Sleeping enough
- Limiting processed foods
How to boost your Metabolism?
There are many ways for the metabolism boost . How to boost metabolism naturally? Here are some of the ways for a metabolism boost :
- Exercise well.
- Eat protein.
- Eat regularly.
- Drink enough water.
- Drink green tea.
- Eat metabolism-boosting foods.
- Avoid trans fats.
- Limit processed foods.
- Get enough sleep.
- Manage stress.
- Try intermittent fasting.
How to boost metabolism in the morning?
Many ways help in the metabolism boost. There are many tips to boost metabolism. Here are the ways for the metabolism to boost in the morning.
- Drinking sufficient water.
- Drinking lemon water.
- Eating protein in the morning.
- Exercise early in the day.
- Getting enough amount of sunlight.
- Drinking green tea.
- Taking some cinnamon
- Drinking coffee
- Taking a ginger shot
Key Takeaway
Even though you cannot completely control your metabolism, you can influence it in a positive way. There are also a whole lot of Indian foods that increase metabolism, like ginger and paneer.
A good amount of food, sufficient physical activity, and quality sleep are the key factors to boosting your metabolism.
FAQs
1) Name the foods to boost metabolism.
The foods for the metabolism boost include :
- Spinach
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Lean proteins such as chicken, blueberries, almonds, turkey, fish, and avocados
2) Name some homemade drinks to boost metabolism and lose weight.
Some homemade drinks that help with the metabolism boost and weight loss include :
- Lemon water
- Green tea
- Apple cider vinegar
- Ginger tea
- Cinnamon water
- Fennel tea
- Cucumber and mint infused water
- Kombucha
3) Which are the best supplements to boost metabolism?
The supplements that help with the metabolism boost include:
- B Vitamins
- Vitamin D
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
4) Which is the best time to exercise to boost metabolism?
Morning time exercises may be the best for the metabolism boost. However, one could perform exercise even at other times for a metabolism boost. Some researchers say that performing regular exercise between 7 and 9 a.m. helps with weight management.
5) Name the vitamins that boost metabolism.
B vitamins like B6 and B12, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D are the vitamins that may help for metabolism boost.
6) How to boost metabolism for fat loss?
Some ways to boost metabolism for fat loss include:
- Exercising
- Eating protein
- Eating nutrient-dense foods
- Getting sufficient sleep
- Managing stress
- Drinking coffee
- Drinking cardamom tea
7) Name the foods that boost metabolism for flat stomach.
The foods that boost metabolism for a flat stomach include fibre-rich foods like legumes, beans, peas, and lentils.
