Metabolism… what is it exactly? Well, some would say it’s the mysterious process everyone seems to be trying to speed up. It’s a pretty good explanation without getting too technical, anyway! And to make that happen, some people swear by green tea, others load up on spicy foods, and some even blame their sluggish metabolism for why they can’t resist an extra slice of cake (maybe you’ve been tempted to say the same thing yourself from time to time).

And that’s something you should remember because your metabolism isn’t just some random setting you’re stuck with, and it’s actually influenced by daily choices, habits, and lifestyle tweaks, some of which can give it a serious boost. So if you’re looking for ways to fire up your body’s natural calorie-burning power, keep reading – you might just discover the exact hack you’ve been looking for. 

Photo by Samer Daboul

What Is Metabolism?

Of course, we were having a bit of fun when we explained (sort of) what metabolism is, but before we actually look into how to boost it, let’s clear up what metabolism actually is – properly. The fact is that it’s not just about how fast you burn calories – it’s the entire process of converting food into energy. 

What you might not realise is that even when you’re not moving, your body is constantly using energy for breathing, circulating blood, and keeping your organs functioning. So while you can’t completely transform your metabolism overnight, you can make some great lifestyle changes that help it work more efficiently and eventually it’ll start working in the way you really want it to. 

Fuel Your Body Properly

What you eat is really important, and not just what you eat, but how much you eat too. It might seem to make sense to try an extreme diet if you want to lose weight, but interestingly, your metabolism isn’t a fan of extreme dieting. In fact, when you drastically cut calories, your body literally panics and slows down its calorie-burning processes to conserve energy (that’s survival instincts at their finest!). In other words, you’ll put on weight, or at least not lose any (and you’ll feel terrible because you’re not getting the nutrients you need. 

So the key isn’t eating less… it’s eating right. One factor that can help is the thermic effect of food. Yes, that might sound a bit confusing and technical, but what it basically means is the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and process the food you eat. What’s important to know is that some foods need more energy to break down than others, and those are the ones that give your metabolism a bit of a boost – so they’re the ones you’ll want to focus on. 

A good example is protein because that has a much higher thermic effect compared to fats and carbs, which just means when you add lean meats, eggs, fish, and plant-based proteins into your meals can keep your metabolism working harder throughout the day, and that’s good. And  as a bonus, protein helps preserve muscle mass, and that’s another thing that boosts your metabolism, so you can’t really go wrong! 

Build Muscle To Burn More Calories 

Speaking of muscle, it’s crucial to talk about something really handy – the fact that strength training is fantastic for boosting your metabolism. It’s all down to what muscle and fat can do when you’re resting – muscle burns more calories essentially, so when you’re just sitting and relaxing, the more muscle you’ve got (compared to fat), the more calories are being burned.

Maybe you’re not such a fan of doing weights, but it could be that this piece of information is what makes you a little more keen to try it… Or perhaps you want to look into other types of exercise that can build muscle and focus on those because the results will tend to be better. Of course, you don’t have to turn into a bodybuilder or anything (unless you want to!), but thinking more about building muscles and less about reducing fat could make all the difference.

Stay Active All Day

It’s true that going to the gym is great, but what about the rest of the time? If you spend most of it sitting, like you would if you have an office job, for example, your metabolism isn’t going to be doing very much, and that could be a problem.

That’s why it’s crucial to try incorporating more movement into your day, which could mean taking the stairs, stretching every hour, or going for a walk after meals, as well as plenty of other things – it all depends on what you like to do, in the end – can help keep your metabolism engaged. Even small changes, like standing while you’re working (maybe with a standing desk) or pacing while you’re making phone calls, can make a difference. And you probably won’t feel quite so sluggish at the end of the day if you haven’t literally been sitting in one spot for hours at a time. 

Get Your Heart Pumping

Cardio isn’t just about burning calories while you exercise – the reality is that it can actually keep your metabolism elevated for hours afterward… which means that even after you stop exercising, you could still be burning calories. It’s all down to something called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which is basically your body working overtime to recover after a workout, and that’s got some great metabolism benefits to improve things for you. 

One thing you can definitely do to make this happen is high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which is short bursts of intense exercise, followed by short recovery periods. This type of exercise can really improve your metabolism and keep it working brilliantly long after your workout is over. So in other words, less exercise but more results. 

Make Sleep A Priority 

You can wet well, exercise daily, and still struggle with your metabolism if your sleep is a mess, and that’s because poor sleep messes with hormones that are meant to regulate hunger, which then leads to increased cravings and a horribly sluggish metabolism. Not great. 

So to make things better, you need to aim for around seven to nine hours of quality sleep every night, and unfortunately, lying in bed going through your social media isn’t what we mean. You actually need to wind down, so you’ll need to create a relaxing nighttime routine to help that helping, which is going to include limiting screen time before bed and keeping a consistent sleep schedule – do that and it’ll do wonders for your metabolism and, crucially, your energy levels. 

Hydrate A Lot 

The reality is that water does a lot more than just stop you feeling thirsty, and in the end it plays a crucial role in keeping your metabolism doing what it’s meant to do. It’s a problem that even very mild dehydration can slow down your metabolism, which then makes it harder for your body to burn calories properly, so it’s clear that drinking more is definitely going to help. 

And interestingly, cold water in particular increases how well your body burns calories – that’s because your body has to work to warm it up, so there’s just that little extra boost taking place. This isn’t magic, it’s science, and staying well-hydrated through the day means all your body’s functions – including metabolism – keep doing what they’re meant to be doing. 

Cut Back On Processed Foods

Processed foods aren’t just bad for your overall health – they can also slow down your metabolism, so they’re probably even worse for you than you thought they were. Highly processed foods tends to be low in fibre and protein, so they’re really easy to digest, and although that sounds like a good thing, it means there’s hardly any thermic effect, which we’ve already seen is what’s needed to burn calories. 

That’s why you’ll want whole, nutrient-filled foods in your diet instead because they take longer to break down so your metabolism has to work harder. And since they’re also just better for you, it’s a great chance that’ll improve your health and your life.