Metabolism is a term used to describe all the physical and chemical processes that occur in your body to convert or use energy. These include digestion, circulation, breathing, elimination of waste, body temperature control, and keeping the brain and nerves functioning, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. Your metabolism affects the amount of calories you burn and, therefore, your weight. You can make changes to your diet, routines and lifestyle to speed up your metabolism. Although, it is important to note that you can only make slight changes to your metabolism. Consult your doctor before incorporating any diet or exercise changes into your lifestyle.
Step 1
Eat breakfast. Skipping breakfast to lose weight is counterintuitive. When you skip breakfast your body slows down your metabolism to help conserve calories in order to protect you from starving to death. Eating breakfast each morning will get your metabolism up and running, increasing your weight loss. Also, eating breakfast will help you avoiding binging at your next meal. Maximize the benefits of your breakfast by eating high-fiber and/or protein-rich breakfast foods.
Step 2
Build muscle. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be. Muscles burn more energy than fat even when they are in their resting state. Therefore, muscles will increase your metabolism even after your strength-training workout has ended. Fit strength-training exercises into your schedule at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes each session. Alternate the muscles you exercise to give your muscles at least 24 hours to recover from each workout.
Step 3
Eat food every three to four hours. According to the Diet Channel, the constant supply of food in multiple small meals will keep your metabolism up. Spread your total calories throughout the day, and eat smaller meals to compensate for the increased number of times you eat.
Step 4
Add regular aerobic exercise to your schedule. When you engage in aerobic exercise, your heart rate increases; this increase in heart rate causes your metabolism to speed up. Get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five days out of each week.
Step 5
Drink cold water. Cold water causes you to burn more calories than room-temperature or warm water because your body has to use energy to warm up the cold water once you drink it. Carry ice-cold water with you throughout the day, so you can drink it regularly.
Step 6
Eat healthy proteins such as beans, nuts, seeds and tofu. These proteins are naturally lower in calories than many meat-based proteins, but like all proteins, they take more energy to breakdown. By eating these low-calorie proteins, you will cause your body to expend more energy on digestion, increasing your metabolism.
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