Metabolism is a term you’ll often hear in healthy weight loss programs. For instance, your trainer may say your metabolism is slowing down because you have weight gain issues. You may also hear it in your everyday life, such as when someone says their friend never grows fat thanks to their fast metabolism.
But how exactly does metabolism help us lose weight? Let’s learn more about its inner workings and what we can do to improve our metabolism.
Why Metabolism Matters for On Your Weight Loss Journey
Metabolism is the term for the chemical reactions that convert the calories we eat into energy that fuels us. Our bodies can use this energy immediately or store it as fat to use later.
Metabolism never pauses. It is always using calories even when we’re resting. The speed at which your body burns calories is called the basal metabolic rate or BMR. The higher your BMR is, the easier it is to create a calorie deficit — one of the main ingredients to weight loss.
However, our BMR is influenced by factors such as genetics and diet. Your lifestyle matters as well. For example, if you’re always sitting in front of your computer, your metabolic rate will be slower than someone who is always standing and moving about.
Tips for Boosting Metabolism
Here are several ways to increase your metabolic rate so you can lose weight faster.
Get Help From a Weight Loss Program
Joining a professional weight loss program to stay healthy and fit will give you access to nutritionists and coaches who can provide a more structured approach to weight loss. They can target your metabolism by introducing certain foods and exercises to help burn more calories.
Be More Active
Even if the weight reduction program has no exercise regimen, you can still take the initiative and work out independently. You can burn more calories if you move more often.
But instead of settling for a mundane routine, try to add high-intensity workouts so your body works harder and uses more energy. One way to do this is through interval training. This is when you increase your pace for a short period and then return to your usual speed.
Do find ways to be more active even when you’re not working out. For example, you could use the stairs instead of the escalator or take the MRT instead of driving.
Build Your Muscles
Muscles use more calories than fat does. You can boost your BMR by adding resistance training to your workout routine. These include weight lifting and callisthenics.
Working on muscle growth also has the added benefit of improving your body shape and making you physically stronger.
Add More Calorie-Burning Foods to Your Diet
Several foods can help you burn more calories during the digestive process. You can add them to your diet as long as you have no allergies or other adverse reactions to them. Some of these foods include:
Chilli Peppers – The capsaicin in peppers can increase your body temperature and raise your metabolic rate quickly.
Proteins – Out of all the food groups, protein takes the most calories to digest. They’re also important for supporting muscle growth. But if you’re adding more meat, avoid fatty cuts and stick to leaner meats instead.
Dairy – Dairy foods such as yoghurt and milk are rich in calcium, which also helps increase our internal temperature and speed up metabolism.
Eat Your Breakfast
Skipping breakfast seems like an excellent way to cut calories. But this is the one meal you shouldn’t skip, as it helps your body metabolise faster early in the day.
Conclusion
Metabolism is one of the key factors influencing how quickly we lose weight. With a healthy weight loss program that includes careful diet planning and exercise, you can boost your body’s ability to burn more calories. But remember to stay consistent with your efforts — weight management isn’t a journey you should rush.
