Metabolism is talked about constantly in the wellness sphere. Often, with a great deal of the talk consisting of people sharing hacks for speeding it up. However, metabolism doesn’t exactly work like that. It isn’t ‘broken’ or slow for most people, it’s just something that’s influenced by our daily habits. We’re here to clear up all the myths surrounding metabolism speed. Can you really boost your metabolism? Or can you at simply support it? Lets dive in.
What is metabolism?
Your metabolism broadly refers to the processes by which your body converts food into energy. This includes your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the minimum amount of energy you use simply being alive. Breathing, sleeping, blood circulation: all of these require energy. Your individual BMR will dictate how many calories these processes need. In fact, 60-80% of our energy expenditure every day is accounted for by our BMR, with the rest going towards physical activity, and digesting and processing food.
A slow metabolic rate means you burn fewer calories, leading to more of them being stored as fat in the body. Conversely, a fast metabolism means your body burns calories at a quicker rate, allowing people to eat more without gaining weight.
Many people believe that if we can increase our metabolic rate, then we can use more calories in our day-to-day, helping us to lose weight. Unfortunately, it’s not that straight-forward. Changing your BMR is difficult and highly dependent on various factors, such as genetics, age, weight, gender, and hormonal levels. Some of these are completely out of our control. But while we can’t necessarily speed up our metabolism overnight, there are a few ways we can support our BMR, and encourage a higher energy expenditure throughout the day. Let us explain.
Why quick fixes don’t work
When people say they want to ‘boost their metabolism’, what they’re really trying to do is increase their energy expenditure: more energy used = more calories burned. However, there are plenty of common myths that claim that certain products or habits can actively speed up your BMR. From detoxes, to extreme calorie restrictions, to fat burning juices, these are sold as quick fixes to ‘hack’ your metabolism. And we’re here to clear it up: they’re not going to work.
Quick fixes like this might seem effective at first, but this is often just temporary water loss or appetite suppression being mistaken for metabolic change. Not just this, but they are often completely counterproductive: severe restrictions will reduce your energy expenditure over time.
The truth is, your metabolism doesn’t just spike or drop permanently due to one product or habit. The best way to increase your body’s resting energy expenditure is with long-term, sustainable lifestyle changes, not short-term fads.
How to support your metabolism
There are a few ways you can work to increase your energy expenditure, and therefore burn more calories at rest. Here’s what we recommend focusing on:
Build and protect your muscles
Muscle tissue needs more energy to maintain than fat tissue does. Because of this, the more muscle you build, the more calories you will burn at a resting state. Strength training helps to preserve or build this muscle, supporting this higher resting energy expenditure over time. Small habits every day also achieve this: simply increasing the amount of walking and standing you do will help preserve the muscle you already have.
What’s vital to remember is that consistent movement over time has a larger impact on your muscle mass than occasional intense workouts, so try to find a sustainable routine for the best results.
Eat more protein
When you eat, your body uses energy to digest, absorb and process your food – this is known as the thermic effect. Some foods are easier to process than others, resulting in a lower thermic effect, meaning less calories burned. So, in order to use more calories just by eating (what’s not to love?!), protein is a vital thing to include in your diet. To easily up your intake, protein shakes are our go-to.
With a higher thermic effect than carbohydrates or fats, protein not only uses more calories when being digested, but supports muscle maintenance and keeps you fuller for longer. A win, win, win when it comes to energy expenditure.
Manage stress and focus on sleep
Sleep quality and stress levels play a significant role in our metabolism. Not getting enough sleep can affect your hunger and satiety hormones, potentially reducing your energy expenditure over time. Additionally, stress can influence our appetite, fat storage, and recovery abilities.
Ensuring we are resting enough and allowing our body to fully relax is the best way to support metabolic functions, including muscle repair and hormonal regulation. No matter how much you train, if you’re not letting your body recover properly, you won’t see the results you’re after.
Can you really boost your metabolism?
So is this metabolic process something we can actually change? In short, no. But while you can’t permanently ‘hack’ your metabolism in any meaningful way, there are ways to support higher energy expenditure. Building more muscle, eating more protein, prioritising sleep and recovery, and staying active are all ways to help your body burn more calories throughout the day – even at rest.
So, instead of chasing a faster metabolism, we’d always recommend focusing on trying to feel your best. Feeling strong, energised and resilient are great goals to keep in mind, and a healthy, active lifestyle will support them. Your metabolism works best when you’re well-fuelled, well-rested, and well up for daily movement – so make sure you give it the best chance it’s got.
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References
Can you increase your metabolism? | Harvard Health Publishing
