How to Increase Your Metabolism

By Brooke Strickland

Your metabolism is unique.  You may have been lucky enough to inherit a pretty awesome metabolism – for others of you, you have a slower metabolism, making it harder to burn calories.  For most people, metabolism begins to slow down steadily around the age of 40.  Even though you can’t change this fact or your genetics, you can do other ways to boost your metabolism and keep you healthy. 

·         Build muscle.  Building muscle is a great way to increase your resting metabolic rate.  Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily.[1]

·         Work out hard.  Working out is great for your heart, lungs, and overall well-being, but a recent study published by Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that people pedaling a stationary bike for 47 minutes, as hard as they could, slashed 190 calories above their resting metabolic rate for 14 hours after their workout.[2]

·         Get some rest.  The more sleep you get, the faster your metabolism will be.  Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night.

·         Eat well.  Add more fresh foods your diet, step up your intake of protein, and it’s been shown that spicy foods contain chemicals that can kick your metabolism into overdrive. 

There are a lot of other ways to keep your metabolism functioning at its peak, but it’s important to remember that staying active is the first key to healthy living.  Avoid crash diets and be sure to recharge yourself with healthy snacks and drinks, like green teas, fresh veggies, and fruits.