We often hear the word ‘metabolism’ while talking about losing weight or gaining weight. But what exactly is metabolism? Metabolism can be said as the totality of all biochemical reactions in the body that are involved in maintaining the living conditions of the cells in an organism. It is important to have a healthy metabolic rate as it is connected with your overall bodily functions.
Boosting metabolism can lead to healthy weight loss, improve overall energy, support sleep, and even aid in digestion. So it is important to understand how to effectively enhance metabolism. This article on ‘what boosts metabolism’ talks about the same concept. Read along and find out how effectively you can accelerate your metabolic rate.
Understanding Metabolism
Derived from the Greek word ‘metabole’ which means ‘change’, metabolism is the name given to all life-sustaining chemical reactions that take place in the body. It is a process in which calories and oxygen are combined to release energy. This is the energy needed to fuel all functions in your body. There are three basic functions to metabolism and they are listed below.
- Converting food to energy that is necessary for running cellular processes.
- Converting food to building blocks of your body such as protein, nucleic acids, and lipids.
- Expulsion of metabolic wastes from the body.
Metabolism is the process that regularly provides energy for basic body functions such as breathing, digestion, blood circulation, body temperature regulation, hormonal balance, etc. Your body burns calories even while you are resting through processes like breathing, cell production, nutrient processing, etc. So the minimum amount of calories needed for such basic functions is called basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is also known as resting metabolic rate (RMR). These two are not the same and differ with a variation of 10%. Several factors can affect your metabolism and some of these are given below.
- Age– One of the factors that affect metabolic rate is your age. As you age, your metabolism starts taking a back seat causing it to be a bit sluggish and slow. This is due to lower muscle mass and fat accumulation that happens as you age.
- Genetics- Genetics can also play an important role in metabolic functions as some families have reportedly been having much faster metabolism than others.
- Muscle Mass- Research shows that people with more muscle mass tend to have a faster metabolism. This is because it needs more energy to build and maintain muscle mass than fat. A study published by NIH explained this in detail.
- Activity level- Engaging in regular exercise can improve your muscle mass and thereby lead to faster metabolism.
Why Boosting Metabolism Is Important?
Boosting metabolism can have various benefits for your body. Some of these are discussed here.
- Supports a healthy weight- As you age, you tend to have lower BMR and this can lead to reduced fat burning. Having an improved metabolic rate can burn calories faster which helps with healthy weight loss.
- Promotes digestion- It is through metabolism your body gets enough energy to digest the food you consume. So the faster your metabolic rate, the more effective your digestion will be.
- Elevates your energy- As mentioned earlier, metabolism works by converting the food and drink you consume into energy. So it is needless to say that boosting metabolism can make a significant impact on your energy levels.
- Improves sleep quality- No doubt having poor sleep quality can dismantle your metabolic functions. This is equally applicable vice versa as having a faster metabolism can also lead to better sleep quality.
What Boosts Metabolism?
Various factors can boost your metabolism.
- Quality sleep- This might be one of the most neglected aspects that one considers in boosting metabolism. Research shows that people who have sleep disorders or poor-quality sleep often have lower metabolic rates. A study published in Sleep Medicine journal explained that shorter sleep duration is connected with greater visceral fat mass in US adults.
- Consuming more protein- Protein has been found to have thermogenic properties in the body causing you to have an improved metabolism. It helps you burn more calories due to the high thermic effect.
- Avoid skipping meals- This is extremely important to boost metabolism, especially avoiding the practice of ditching your breakfast. Studies have shown that eating at regular intervals can help a person keep full throughout the day and have a positive effect on their metabolism.
- Strength training- Another method to boost your metabolism is to lift weights. According to research published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism explained that resistance training combined with diet can reduce body fat by triggering metabolic functions.
- Drink more water- Drinking water can promote higher levels of fat oxidation which is evidence of elevated metabolic rate. So the next time you feel your metabolism is low, drink more water.
- Green tea- Another factor that boosts metabolism is green tea consumption. The presence of caffeine in green tea can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and support energy metabolism. Also, certain active compounds in it called catechins have been shown to increase the breakdown of fat.
- Lowering stress- Having chronic stress is related to several metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, etc. Too much stress releases stress hormones, cortisol in the body which is linked with lowering metabolic rate.
Conclusion
Metabolism is an essential process in the body through which the food and drink you consume get converted into energy. Increasing metabolic rate has been found to have certain beneficial effects such as aiding in weight loss, increasing overall energy levels, promoting sleep quality, and enhancing digestion.
Several factors can affect metabolism such as age, genetics, physical activity, etc. As one age, the chance of having a lower metabolic rate is higher. But by making some necessary changes, one can increase the metabolism. It includes; consuming more protein, engaging in strength training and high-intensity interval training, drinking more water, having quality sleep, reducing stress, eating at regular intervals, etc. Remember, having an optimal metabolic rate is essential for maintaining your overall health and function.
FAQs
Some of the best exercises to boost metabolism include high-intensity interval training (HIIT), burpees, squats, strength training, lunges, push-ups, etc.
To support metabolism and weight loss, you need to ensure that 10% to 35% of your daily calories are obtained from protein.
Yes. Drinking water can increase your metabolic rate and help with weight loss by suppressing your appetite.
A lack of quality sleep can alter glucose metabolism and change the hormones such as decreasing leptin and increasing ghrelin, which are associated with metabolism.
Foods that are higher in protein content such as lean meats, legumes, and eggs as well as fiber-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can increase metabolism.
One way in which stress lowers metabolic rate is by increasing stress hormones, cortisol which can slow down metabolism.
