The best way to increase your metabolism starts with learning about what makes it tick. Although several aspects of your metabolic rate are pre-ordained, such as your height and age, other factors can be manipulated to successfully increase it. The rate at which your body burns energy is called your basal metabolic rate, or BMR for short. Anything that affects your BMR also impacts your metabolism. The bottom line -- the faster your BMR, the more calories you burn while sitting still.
Step 1
Learn about your basic BMR before you get started. This number provides a rough estimate of how many calories someone your height, weight and age burns daily just by living and breathing. Most online calculators are a free good start for this. A link to one has been provided in the Resources section.
Step 2
Add strength training into your weekly routine. Lean muscle mass is gained through strength-training exercises such as lifting free weights and resistance exercises such as squats, pushups and situps. Lean muscle mass ramps up your metabolism because it burns more calories even when you are immobile.
Step 3
Do not skip meals. One of the most effective ways to shut down a metabolism is by cutting calories too quickly or skipping meals altogether. Fad and very-low-calorie diets may help you cut pounds initially, but they will ultimately trigger your brain into thinking you are starved. Starvation slows the metabolism to maintain body functions during periods of malnutrition.
Step 4
Eat plenty of lean proteins to maintain those new muscles. Inadequate protein in the diet can lead to muscle-wasting, or the body's break-down and absorption of muscle tissues to sustain caloric needs. Lean proteins will also speed up your muscle recovery between workouts.
Step 5
Get eight hours of sleep each night. When you are tired and run-down from a lack of proper sleep, your metabolism suffers the same fate -- sluggishness. This period of inactivity and rest allows the body to recover, heal and reset your metabolism for the next day.
Tips and Warnings
- Daily exercise will also increase the rate at which you burn calories.
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