Most popular interest in basal metabolism centers around ways to kick it up a notch and increase our energy use while doing absolutely nothing, with the prospect of losing weight in the process. A common perception is that having a higher metabolism means you can get away with eating more while doing less, without gaining weight.

The relationship between basal metabolism and weight is complicated, however, Pontzer says. But each individual cell is not more active or burning more calories per minute just because there are more cells, Pontzer says.

How much energy each of these cells uses depends on its role in the body. Cells forming muscle, nerves or liver tissue use more energy than those forming fat. Although some factors can cause temporary changes in energy use, cells generally hum along at a rate that is sufficient for their role.

One way to nudge the metabolism needle is to change the amount of some cell types by building more lean mass or muscle. More muscle means more metabolically demanding muscle cells, which translates into a higher resting metabolism. Individual differences in this mass underlie most of the variation in metabolism from person to person, according to Urlacher.

Two people with the same body weight but different proportions of lean mass to fat can eat the same number of calories and still have different weight-gain outcomes. In terms of weight loss, the timing of a gym visit also might make a tiny difference, Urlacher says.

A resting heart rate of 50 beats per minute for one person versus 70 for another just means the heart with the slower resting rate might be more efficient at getting oxygen to tissues, Pontzer says. Bumping up an exercise regimen to burn through more calories may also seem like a sure way to boost metabolism and lose weight.

Evidence suggests instead that daily energy expenditure has a boundary. If you try to push past this boundary, the body adjusts metabolic expenditure in other activities to get back inside the lines. This energy compensation may explain why simply adding more miles a week can yield fitness and other gains but has little effect on weight.

People who exercise also tend to increase caloric intake to compensate for the additional energy expenditure. But how might metabolism change if you exercise and restrict caloric intake? Protein has a higher thermic effect compared with fats and carbohydrates because it takes longer for your body to burn protein and absorb it.

It's not clear how much of an effect protein has on metabolism, but studies suggest the best approach is to combine adequate protein intake with weight training, which increases muscle mass — and that also can boost metabolism. Drink green tea. Studies have found green tea contains a compound called epigallocatechin gallate, which may increase the calories and fat you burn.

A meta-analysis published in Obesity Reviews found that consuming about milligrams of epigallocatechin gallate the amount in about three cups of green tea helped boost metabolism enough to burn an average of extra calories a day.

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On the other hand, keep your body properly fueled and it will perform much better in all areas of life for many years to come. This is a long-term solution instead of a quick fix. If you live in a calorie deficit because your exercise level is too high and your food intake is too low, your metabolism gets the message that it must slow down all functioning to conserve energy.

Which metabolism booster is good for weight loss then? I recommend you stop counting calories and instead focus on nutrient density. Eating enough every day, especially when you consume calories from a variety of unprocessed whole foods, is critical for metabolic health.

It also supports cognitive, hormonal, sexual and digestive health. People who are well-fed and avoid yo-yo dieting often experience better digestion, positive moods and more motivation, stronger desire to be active, better mental health, stronger sex drive, and more stable blood sugar levels.

Eating enough also usually means you have more motivation to be active, gain strength and muscle mass quicker , and feel less fatigued.

This is why sleep deprivation can contribute to trouble with weight loss. According to the one meta-analysis, sleep restriction decreases insulin sensitivity and causes changes in brain activity in response to food stimuli, meaning food especially unhealthy types becomes more rewarding.

Make it a priority to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night in order to keep hormone levels in check, including cortisol. High cortisol levels associated with a lack of sleep are tied to poor mental functioning, weight gain and becoming more resistant to insulin that controls blood glucose levels.

Another way to maintain hormonal balance is to rest enough between exercise days. Overtraining repeatedly causes fatigue, muscle loss and a lower basal metabolic rate, not the opposite as you might think. Exercise impacts your hormonal status, and intense workouts without rest elevate cortisol levels.

Exercise of any kind is important for keeping metabolic function working into older age. Therefore, a decline in metabolism seems to be related most to age-associated reductions in exercise volume and calorie consumption than aging itself.

What is a good metabolism booster when it comes to exercise? High-intensity interval training HIIT , a form of exercise that features intervals that vary between all-out effort and short periods of rest, is known to especially jump-start metabolic functioning better than steady-state workouts can.

One of the best things about HIIT workouts is that they require less time than traditional cardio workouts, yet they have more profound benefits. This phenomenon is due to the way the body uses higher levels of oxygen to recover following intense physical activity.

HIIT burns more fat over the duration of the day, builds more muscle and improves metabolic function compared to steadier exercises. It can also generally improve cardiometabolic functions and even hormonal balance, such as in women with PCOS. Strength training — whether lifting weights or using your own body weight — can support your resting metabolic rate because it builds lean muscle mass , which naturally uses more calories than body fat does.

To improve your body composition, I recommend ideally doing heavy weight training of six to 12 reps, five days a week, for about 45—75 minutes for the best results.

Certain foods slow down digestive processes and increase free radical damage, which is one major cause of aging. This increases inflammation and stress hormone production, which slows down metabolic functioning. When trying to boost your metabolism, I recommend avoiding the following foods as much as possible:.

Certain foods might help the body use and expend energy better. This has to do with the thermic effects of some foods, especially those high in protein, meaning the body works harder to break down and metabolize certain fat-burning foods.

Eating enough protein, for example, is tied to a strong metabolism, as are some spicy foods. Packing in healthy high-protein snacks and sources throughout the day is one the simple metabolism boosters that also keeps you full for longer.

Protein is beneficial for keeping energy and blood sugar stable while also helping build calorie-burning lean muscle mass. Drinking natural forms of caffeine in moderation, like coffee or green tea, is also supportive of a healthy metabolism.

Green tea consumption has been considered a natural metabolism booster for centuries thanks to special antioxidant compounds in addition to low levels of caffeine.

Naturally warming foods like cayenne pepper, chili and other spicy ingredients are known to increase heat in the body thanks to an active compound called capsaicin. These antioxidant-packed spices also might help decrease appetite and slow the growth of fat cells. As mentioned above, very low-calorie diets can actually interfere with your ability to burn more calories.

Therefore you want to avoid most fat diets when trying to boost your metabolism. While calorie intake varies from person to person, we all need to meet our needs in order to supply the necessary chemicals that are used for building, upkeep and repair of all body tissues.

Very low-calorie diets miss key nutrients. Your muscle cells will burn energy at rest, which helps you burn fat and build muscle. This effect is believed to be greater for HIIT than for other types of exercise. To get started, choose a modality, such as biking or running, that you are already familiar with.

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.

Restrictive diets may sometimes lead to a slow metabolism, among other health effects. Although for weight loss and fat burning you do want to consume fewer calories than you burn, your body still needs to get enough fuel and nutrients to perform body functions.

Instead of eating less, you may want to focus on nutritious foods and move more. Foods that boost your metabolism typically include protein such as meat, dairy, or legumes. Read more about the 12 best foods to boost your metabolism. Learn about these and other foods you can eat before bed.

To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit. This means you need to eat fewer calories than you burn, or better, burn more calories than you eat. You may want to focus on healthy eating habits while you consume enough calories to support your body functions.

Consider reducing processed foods, sugar and alcohol intake, and saturated fats. Resistance training and eating an adequate amount of protein can help preserve lean body mass. Muscle growth helps you burn more calories at rest. Making small lifestyle changes and incorporating these tips into your routine can help increase your metabolism.

Having a higher metabolism can help you lose weight and keep it off, if that is your goal, while also giving you more energy. Try this today: In addition to trying the tips outlined above, you can also add more metabolism-boosting foods to your diet.

Check out this article for a list of some nutritious foods that can support your metabolism. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.