Yet if metabolism really is to blame, can you counteract the effect by eating certain metabolism-boosting foods?

What we eat can help influence our metabolic process and make it a little more or a little less efficient. Metabolism consists of our resting metabolic rate RMR , which is the energy our body uses to breathe, circulate blood, and perform other basic functions; activity thermogenesis, which is any type of activity or exercise; and the thermal effect of food.

Each one of these factors makes up a typical percentage of the total energy expenditure, but there is some variability. For most people, thermogenesis makes up about 10 to 15 percent of their total energy expenditure, while resting metabolic rate accounts for about 50 to 70 percent.

Your resting metabolic rate can vary widely depending on factors such as age, sex, body mass, and physical activity, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Genetics play the biggest role in metabolism, but some variations are seen among certain ethnic groups.

Lean muscle mass also affects metabolism, because muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest. Men have more lean muscle mass on average compared to women of the same age and weight, which is one reason they often have higher metabolic rates, according to Mayo Clinic.

Certain foods can speed up or slow down metabolism, potentially affecting weight loss. On the flip side, not eating enough calories can cause your body to use muscle for energy, which can lead to a loss of muscle mass.

If the body is trying to reserve its energy stores, metabolism will slow. But there are foods that may rev up your metabolism a bit, and there are others you should eat in moderation or avoid altogether.

Avocado is high in healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which promote satiety. A study found that adding half an avocado at lunch may help overweight people feel more satisfied and reduce their desire to eat in the hours following a meal.

Since avocado is an anti-inflammatory food, it may have a secondary effect. One-quarter of an avocado has 81 calories and 7 grams of fat, according to the U.

Department of Agriculture. High in protein and fat, tempeh promotes satiety — a feeling of fullness. A meta-analysis suggested that adults who take probiotic supplements may lose weight; the review did not attribute this to a direct increase in metabolism. Many more studies are needed before probiotics in food or supplement form can be recommended for weight loss or healthy weight maintenance.

Studies show that eating spicy foods like chili peppers may help speed up metabolism. A meta-analysis found that capsaicin , an active compound found in chili peppers, helps to speed up metabolism and may play a role in weight loss as a result.

The studies included in the analysis used capsaicin supplements, so it cannot be assumed that capsaicin-containing foods which have lower amounts of the compound than concentrated supplements do would have the same effect on metabolism. Beans are an excellent source of protein to keep you feeling satiated — and amino acids , the building blocks of protein, can help preserve muscle mass and thus burn more calories while your body is at rest.

Additionally, the fiber in beans helps to fill you up with fewer calories so you can go for a longer time between meals or eat less overall. Eating ¾ of a cup each day of beans or legumes was found to contribute to just over half a pound of weight loss over about six weeks, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Unlike refined grains, whole grains contain fill-you-up fiber, are anti-inflammatory, and may be beneficial for weight management. Study participants who substituted whole grains for refined also had increased calorie loss during digestion.

Research published in the International Journal of Obesity looked at overweight and obese adults over an eight-week period. Two sets of participants went on a diet that reduced their energy intake by 1, calories a day.

One of these groups ate two eggs for at least five days a week for breakfast and the other group consumed the same amount of calories but ate bagels. The egg eaters lost 65 percent more body weight, 16 percent more body fat, had a 61 percent greater reduction in body mass index BMI and a 34 percent greater reduction in waist circumference.

The study also looked at two other groups of participants, who did not go on a reduced-calorie diet but followed the same egg or bagel plan. No statistical differences in weight or fat loss were shown between these sets. Refined grains have the germ and bran removed.

This gives them a finer texture and longer storage life, according to Mayo Clinic. You can find them in white bread, white pasta, white rice, many pastry items, and processed, packaged foods. Unfortunately, they can sabotage weight loss.

A study linked a weight gain of 0. Refined grains contain empty calories, lack fiber, and can cause blood sugar spikes. A study found that eating a high-protein meal with a sugar-sweetened drink may negatively impact energy balance, reduce fat metabolism, and cause the body to store more fat.

Since alcohol consumption also negatively affects blood sugar , you might crave sugary foods after a few glasses of wine and the next day feel unmotivated to exercise. A review found that heavy drinking and binge drinking are associated with an increased risk for obesity.

Instead, look for granola made with percent whole grains, nuts, and a limited amount of dried fruit, and avoid those with added sugar and oils. Soybean oil is high in calories and omega-6 fatty acids, which can promote inflammation and may contribute to weight gain.

A study noted that soybean oil is the component in the American diet that has increased the most over the past century, paralleling a rise in obesity.

Decreasing omega-6 fatty acids and increasing omega-3 fatty acids can aid weight loss, according to a review. Swap soybean oil and other oils high in omega-6 fatty acids for olive oil or flaxseed oil, or eat fatty fish such as salmon.

Rather than making a swap in this case, avoid the processed food altogether and choose whole foods. Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

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Supplement marketers promise pills to make it happen, health mavens pinky swear their diet routine will rev the rate, and probably most of us, starting around our 30s, think that aging has reduced the efficiency of our metabolic engine. He says most things people promise will boost metabolism fall into two categories.

Basal, or resting, metabolic rate refers to work performed by cells when we are doing nothing. That adds up to about 50 to 70 percent of the total you burn through each day, depending on age, says Samuel Urlacher, an anthropologist and human evolutionary biologist at Baylor University in Waco, Tex.

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.