Your metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories, or use energy. Metabolism is affected by genetics, body composition, age and size. While many people seek magic ways to increase their metabolism to bring about a higher calorie burn and weight loss, the most effective weight loss strategy is to follow a low-calorie eating plan and increase physical activity. Some attempts to raise your metabolism will not hurt, however, and may help you burn a few extra calories daily.
Lift Weights
Increasing the ratio of muscle to fat in your body can help boost your metabolism. Muscle mass burns more calories at rest than fat mass. As you age, you naturally lose muscle mass contributing to a slowing down of your metabolism. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a full-body strength training routine to be performed at least two times per week. Make this routine address all the major muscle groups, including the chest, back, arms, shoulders, legs and abdomen with at least one set of eight to 12 repetitions. Use weights challenging enough to make the last two or three repetitions feel challenging.
Drink Green Tea
Drinking green tea may boost your metabolism a small amount, but you must drink a significant amount to have any noticeable effect Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman told Shape in 2004. The antioxidant compounds in the tea, combined with its caffeine, are responsible for its metabolism-boosting effects notes research published in the journal "Physiology and Behavior" in April 2010.
Eat More Protein
A diet rich in protein may help you boost your metabolism through thermogenesis, or calories burned during digestion. Harvard researchers noted in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in October 2004 that high protein diets both increase your sense of fullness and result in a slightly higher rate of calorie-burn during digestion. Choose complete proteins that include all the amino acids the body cannot produce on its own, such as eggs, meat, fish, poultry or soy, as these seem to elicit higher energy expenditure than lower quality proteins says research in the "Annual Review of Nutrition" in 2009.
References
- Shape: Can Green Tea Boost Metabolism
- Mayo Clinic: Metabolism and Weight Loss
- Pub Med.gov: Green Tea Catechins, Caffeine and Body-Weight Regulation
- Pub Med.gov: The Effects of High Protein Diets on Thermogenesis, Satiety and Weight Loss: A Critical Review
- Pub Med.gov: Dietary Protein, Weight Loss, and Weight Maintenance.
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