Have you heard these terms before:

Boost your metabolism...

Metabolism-boosting supplement....

Increase your metabolism...

And wondered, what is a ‘metabolism’ anyway?

Metabolism is the rate at which we burn calories and convert food into energy that our body needs. The rate at which we burn these calories is known as our metabolic rate.

When you ‘boost’ your metabolism, you’re increasing the rate at which you burn calories.

Essentially, a high metabolism means a higher caloric burn which can equal faster weight loss and easier weight maintenance.

Your metabolic rate is determined by these factors:

• Age
• Height
• Weight
• Muscle mass
• Body fat percentage
• Activity level
• Type of exercise you do
• Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) – how much general day-to-day movement you do (or don’t do)
• Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) – how much ‘work’ your body does to process and digest food
• Dieting history

Metabolism is a fluid thing meaning you can have periods of time when your metabolism is fast/high and periods when it is slow/low. This is often determined by the activities you choose, foods you consume, internal factors like hormones, and external influences like stress level.

How can you improve your metabolic rate?

Increase muscle mass

Muscle is a metabolic tissue. It is always active, even at rest. Fat does not use energy at rest. A higher body fat percentage will lead to a lower metabolic rate.

Increase NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)

This is the activity you do outside of intentional exercise. Things like walking to the water cooler at work, walking from the parking lot to the building, etc. The more NEAT you do in a day, the higher your metabolic rate will be.

Increase TEF (Thermic Effect of Food)

Food requires energy to break it down. Whole foods (fresh fruits/veggies, whole grains, etc.) require the most energy for digestion. Processed foods (cookies, candies, etc.) require less energy because they are already partially broken down for us. Because whole foods require more energy, we also burn more calories when we eat whole foods. Eat 80% whole foods and 20% processed foods daily to take advantage of the TEF.

Increasing your metabolic rate can mean significant changes in your rate of weight loss and your body composition. Here are a few quick ways you can increase your metabolic rate, right now:

• Add more fruits, veggies, grains, complex carbs, and high-quality protein to your diet. Swap out the ‘easy processed foods’ and take a bit more time to prep fresh foods to maintain 80/20.
• Move more by standing while working, parking further from the entrance, or choosing the stairs over the elevator.
• Incorporate weight-lifting into your weekly workout routine. Cardio is good but strength training helps build muscle and more muscle means increased metabolic rate.

You do not need magic pills or supplements to increase your metabolic rate. Some simple food swaps and lifestyle changes can go a long way to improving your metabolic rate and ultimately helping you achieve your weight loss and body composition results in less time.