Metabolism refers to the process of converting the food you eat to energy. The rate at which your body consumes energy depends on your weight, age, genetics and your sex. Women tend to burn fewer calories and carry more body fat than do men, says MayoClinic.com. While a slow metabolism is rarely to blame for excess weight gain, you can take small steps to boost the calorie-burning potential of your body.
Step 1
Avoid extremely low-calorie diets. When you restrict your caloric intake, your metabolism naturally adjusts by slowing down even further to match your eating habits. Instead, gradually decrease your calorie consumption when you reach a weight loss plateau.
Step 2
Exercise at moderate- to high-intensity levels. While lower intensity cardio burns more fat for energy, especially in women, high intensity sessions give your metabolism a boost even after you stop exercising.
Step 3
Add strength training to your exercise program. Most women lack the hormones to bulk up like men do, but adding extra muscle mass through weight-training will raise your metabolic rate.
Step 4
Swap your morning cup of coffee with caffeinated green tea. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the combination of caffeine and polyphenols in green tea can boost metabolism, especially in overweight and obese individuals.
Tips and Warnings
- Talk with your doctor before starting any new diet or exercise program. Limit your aerobic exercise to 30 minutes most days of the week at first, and gradually increase the time and intensity, suggests the American Council on Exercise, or ACE. Many women hop on the treadmill for hours at a time in hopes of charging their weight loss, but too much cardio can lead to burnout or over-training injuries.
- Diet pills claiming to boost your metabolism may cause dangerous side effects, and such supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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