It’s more than likely that any conversation about losing weight is also accompanied by talks of metabolism. A buzzy word widely regarded as the key to healthy weight loss, it’s often said that you should attempt to speed up your metabolism, but never quite explained how exactly to do this.
Seeing as your metabolism determines how effectively your body burns through fat, it would stand to reason that speeding up this capability would help to create a more significant calorie deficit. We spoke with registered dietitian Zoë Schroeder, MS, RDN, CSCS to get the lowdown on the five tips you should actually be following to speed up your metabolism and increase the ease of which you can lose weight, and as it turns out, it’s not quite as daunting as it seems.
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Watch Your Portions
Every body has a different set of eating needs, to making sure to create portions that serve you individually will help to naturally boost your metabolism. “Eat the right amount for your body (not too big of a caloric deficit if you are trying to lose weight) to support not only your daily activity and vital organs, but also to maximize your workout performance so you can push yourself and make gains in your fitness,” suggests Schroeder, “Not to mention your brain needs fuel to perform optimally as well!”
Strength Training
It’s no secret that working out is a great tool for both improving your strength and increasing calorie burn. However, it’s important to note that the more muscle your body has, the more calories it will burn at rest, giving your metabolism a jolt. “Strength training helps to boost your metabolism because lean muscle tissue is more metabolically active (or as I like to say, "expensive") than fat. The more of it you have, the more calories your body burns just at rest,” explains Schroeder. That’s not to say you have to squat your bodyweight three times a week to see any real results but picking up those weights will actually help you to achieve full body weight loss and strengthen your muscles more effectively than cardio.
Stay Hydrated
Keeping hydrated is essential for improving a number of different functions within your body, with one of the most important being your metabolism. “Drinking enough water is another great way to optimize your metabolism not only for weight loss, but for feeling energized throughout the day,” says Schroeder. “Your body needs to be hydrated in order to function properly so aim to get a minimum of half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces per day.” It’s not a bad idea to carry a water bottle around with you throughout the day to make sure staying hydrated is at the forefront of your mind. Not only this, but drinking enough water has also been shown to reduce unnecessary cravings which will also help to achieve healthy weight loss.
Don’t Skip Meals
A common misconception of losing weight is that skipping meals and dramatically cutting your calories will get you there. But while this may work in the short term, your metabolism will actually suffer for it, making it increasingly difficult to maintain your results while also creating an unhealthy relationship with food. “I know intermittent fasting is a hot topic right now, but the research is not conclusive enough to make widespread recommendations about its benefits,” says Schroeder. “I recommend that my clients prioritize meal timing and eating meals and snacks throughout the day to help stabilize their blood sugar, energy levels, mood aka hangriness, and to avoid getting so hungry for the next meal that you are more likely to overeat.”
Get Plenty Of Sleep
Making sure to get between seven to nine hours of sleep each night may make all the difference when it comes to speeding up your metabolism, as well as improving your overall quality of life. “Sleep is an underrated and underappreciated vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to a healthy metabolism and losing weight,” says Schroeder. “You can be doing all the things and put in all the work, but without adequate, high-quality sleep, your body does not have the ability to build muscle, metabolize fat, regenerate brain cells, produce hormones, the list goes on.” She suggests setting a consistent bedtime and wakeup time, even on the weekends, to maintain a routine you can stick to. Limiting screen time before you head off to sleep and cutting back on alcohol and high sugar foods in the evening will also allow for a better night of sleep.
