Summary Read the full fact sheet. The mmetabolism in metabolism that occurs Boosted fat metabolism rate digestion is called the thermic effect of food TEF. Editorial team. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

Boosted fat metabolism rate -

They think their metabolism is too slow. But is that really the cause? If so, is it possible to speed up the process?

It's true that the rate at which the body breaks down food is linked to weight. But a slow metabolism isn't usually the cause of weight gain.

Metabolism does help decide how much energy a body needs. But weight depends on how much a person eats and drinks combined with physical activity. Metabolism is the process by which the body changes food and drink into energy.

During this process, calories in food and drinks mix with oxygen to make the energy the body needs. Even at rest, a body needs energy for all it does. This includes breathing, sending blood through the body, keeping hormone levels even, and growing and repairing cells.

The number of calories a body at rest uses to do these things is known as basal metabolic rate, also called basal metabolism. Besides the basal metabolic rate, two other things decide how many calories a body burns each day:. How much a body moves. Any movement, such as playing tennis, walking to a store or chasing the dog, makes up the rest of the calories a body burns each day.

This can be changed a lot, both by doing more exercise and just moving more during the day. Daily activity that isn't exercise is called nonexercise activity thermogenesis NEAT.

This includes walking around the house. It also includes activities such as gardening and housework, and even fidgeting. NEAT accounts for about to calories used daily. You might want to blame a medical condition for slow metabolism and weight gain. But rarely does a medical condition slow metabolism enough to cause a lot of weight gain.

Conditions that can cause weight gain include Cushing syndrome or having an underactive thyroid gland, also known as hypothyroidism. These conditions are uncommon. Many things affect weight gain. These likely include genes, hormones, diet and lifestyle, including sleep, physical activity and stress.

You gain weight when you eat more calories than you burn — or burn fewer calories than you eat. Some people seem to lose weight more quickly and more easily than others.

But everyone loses weight by burning more calories than are eaten. The bottom line is calories count. To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories or burn more calories through physical activity.

Or you can do both. You can't easily control the speed of your basal metabolic rate, but you can control how many calories you burn through physical activity. The more active you are, the more calories you burn. In fact, some people who seem to have a fast metabolism are probably just more active — and maybe fidget more — than others.

Aerobic activity. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight, maintain weight loss or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more.

Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as brisk walking, biking, swimming and mowing the lawn. Vigorous aerobic exercise includes activities such as running, heavy yardwork and aerobic dancing.

Don't look to dietary supplements for help in burning calories or losing weight. Products that claim to speed up metabolism usually don't live up to their claims.

Some may cause bad side effects. Mixing up your exercise routine and adding in a few high-intensity workouts can boost your metabolism and help you burn fat. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat.

Building muscle can help increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories each day, even at rest. Lifting weights can also help you retain muscle and counter the drop in metabolism that can occur during weight loss. Lifting weights can help build and retain muscle. Higher amounts of muscle will result in a higher metabolism.

Sitting too much can have negative effects on your health, partly because long periods of sitting burn fewer calories and can lead to weight gain. However, stepping rather than standing resulted in greater improvements to lower systolic blood pressure and insulin resistance.

If you have a desk job, try standing up and walking for short periods to break up the length of time you spend sitting down. You can also try going for walks during the day or invest in a standing desk.

In a study , researchers found that doing this resulted in reduced blood insulin and sugar. Sitting for a long time burns few calories and may negatively affect your health.

Try standing up or taking walks regularly or investing in a standing desk. Green tea and oolong tea help convert some of the fat stored in your body into free fatty acids, which may indirectly increase fat burning when combined with exercise.

However, some older research suggests that these teas do not affect metabolism. Therefore, their effect may be small or only apply to some people. Drinking green tea or oolong tea may affect your gut microbiome, which may be influencing the way your body breaks down fats, but research is mixed.

Peppers contain capsaicin , a compound that can boost your metabolism. For instance, one review evaluated the effects of capsaicin at acceptable doses. It predicted that eating peppers would burn around 10 additional calories per meal. Over 6. Alone, the effects of adding spices to your food may be quite small.

However, it may lead to a slight advantage when combined with other metabolism-boosting strategies. Eating spicy food could be beneficial for boosting your metabolism and help you maintain a moderate weight. However, the metabolism-boosting effect of spicy foods is quite small.

Lack of sleep is linked to a major increase in the chance of obesity. This could explain why many people who are sleep-deprived often feel hungry and may have difficulty losing weight or may gain weight.

In a study , researchers also found that a lack of sleep for four nights or longer may slightly decrease how the body metabolizes fat.

Lack of sleep can affect the levels of your appetite-regulating hormones and may slightly affect how your body metabolizes fat, which may lead to weight gain. Research has shown that caffeine can trigger the body to release neurotransmitters like epinephrine , which helps regulate the way your body processes fat.

However, this effect may vary based on several factors. For instance, one study found that caffeine was more effective at increasing fat burning during exercise in individuals with a less active sedentary lifestyle in comparison with trained athletes.

Drinking coffee can significantly increase your metabolism and may help you lose weight if that is your goal. They may explore underlying causes and offer you a tailored plan.

Managing any condition that slows down your metabolism, like hypothyroidism , can help make other efforts more productive. Jumpstarting your metabolism may also require you to change a few habits like a nutrient-dense diet with limited processed foods, regular physical activity , and optimum sleep hygiene that allows your body to rest and recharge.

You may also avoid doing things that slow down your metabolism like restricting too many calories or not doing any strength resistance training. Every body is different. Signs of a slow metabolism may vary individually but may include fatigue, digestive upset, not losing any weight despite your efforts, and easily gaining weight.

Only a healthcare professional may accurately assess your metabolism and the underlying causes of these symptoms. Tip: Trim off any visible fat from meat and poultry, including the skin.

Low-fat cooking methods include broiling, roasting, sautéing, grilling and baking. Metabolism-Boosting Powers: The calcium and vitamin D found in milk are essential for building dense muscle mass, which is important for overall health.

Tip: Add low-fat milk instead of water to oatmeal, hot cereals and condensed cream soup. Metabolism-Boosting Powers: Broccoli is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family.

It's known for its high water and fiber content, which is a great combination to help you feel full. Tip: Eat broccoli steamed or roasted. Or, enjoy it raw with a low-fat veggie dip. Metabolism-Boosting Powers: Lentils are a type of legume and are packed with iron, magnesium and potassium.

They are a great plant protein and fiber source with 8 grams of each. Lentils come in a variety of colors including red, brown, green and yellow.

All are equally healthy for you. Tip: Adult women should get more than twice the amount of iron as men. One cup of lentils provides about 35 percent of your daily iron needs. Metabolism-Boosting Powers: This is a powerhouse full of fiber that will not only help you last through the morning without hunger but will slow down the release of sugar into your blood stream.

Tip: Start the day with a hot bowl of oatmeal in the morning or make overnight oats the night before in a mason jar for an on-the-go breakfast. Metabolism-Boosting Powers: Berries, such as blueberries and strawberries, are low in calories and high in fiber.

Fiber promotes overall weight loss by reducing your appetite. Metabolism-Boosting Powers: Almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber and protein, which is a combination that curbs hunger. Tip: Enjoy a handful of almonds between meals to avoid unhealthy snacks or chop them up for a crunchy salad topper.

Metabolism-Boosting Powers: Cottage cheese is low in fat, low in carbs and high in protein, making it ideal for healthy eaters. Tip: Add a scoop of low-fat cottage cheese to a berry smoothie for a non-traditional twist.

Mayo Clinic offers fzt in Arizona, Florida and Cat and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Find out how Boosted fat metabolism rate Booshed weight, the truth Boosted fat metabolism rate metabolis, metabolism and how to burn more calories. Some people blame their weight on how their body breaks down food into energy, also known as metabolism. They think their metabolism is too slow. But is that really the cause? If so, is it possible to speed up the process? It's true that the rate at which the body breaks down food is linked to weight. The speed of metabolism depends age, Bosted levels, genetics Electrolyte Science Boosted fat metabolism rate factors. Regular meals, sleep, and exercise may all help boost metabolism. Calories Boosted fat metabolism rate the metabklism the body needs, not only to Boosed but also to breathe, digest food, circulate blood, grow cells, repair wounds, and even to think. The rate at which the body burns calories to produce this energy is called the metabolic rate. Scientists use various formulae to measure resting metabolic rate RMRalso known as resting energy expenditure REE. RMR and REE refer to the amount of energy a body uses at rest, for example, sleeping or sitting.