A higher metabolism has proven to help your body burn calories quicker whilst also making you feel energised for longer, but finding healthy ways to feel these benefits are not always easy. That’s why at About Town, we’ve put together 5 easy tips to boost your metabolism, so you don’t have to! 

 

Exercise and Build Muscle

As we age our bodies naturally begin to lose the muscle mass which actually increases our metabolic rate. Therefore, it’s important to try and regain and maintain this muscle through fitness activities such as resistance training and weight exercises. However, if this isn’t your usual choice of fitness workout, the good news is that incorporating some high intensity exercise into your week is also an option. This is because by pushing yourself to a higher  intensity, a bigger and longer increase in your resting metabolic rate is created. A good way to include this in your daily exercise is by incorporating small bursts of jogging within a daily walk or if you feel like trying something more fun, maybe sign up for a Zumba class at your local gym!

 

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

It’s no secret that a good night’s sleep is essential in keeping your body energised and healthy, but did you know that more recent scientific data actually shows that not getting in your 8 hours can actually decrease your metabolism? Our resting metabolic rate means that even when we’re asleep our body burns a number of calories depending on factors such as age, weight, height, and sex. Therefore, a lack of sleep can have a variety of effects on our metabolism and overall health. However, whilst this research is still being developed, making sure to get a good amount of sleep can’t hurt in an effort to be your healthiest self! 

 

Hydrate with Cold Water

Drinking 0.5 litres a water has shown to increase your resting metabolism by 10-30% for about an hour and whilst staying hydrated is great for energy levels, clear skin, digestion, and your overall well-being, it’s also a great way to boost your metabolism. Studies have also shown that by drinking cold water, our bodies use energy to heat it up to body temperature which simultaneously increases this calorie burning effect. So, as the hotter months of summer approach, maybe think about adding some ice to your water, or try snacking on fresh fruit and vegetables as an easy way to increase your daily water intake. 

 

Eat a Balanced Diet with Protein and Don’t Skip Meals

Skipping meals can cause your metabolism to slow down which in the long run makes it harder to gain or lose weight, so making sure to eat three meals a day and at regular times is much healthier. Your body also burns more calories when digesting protein than it does fat or carbohydrates, so foods such as lean beef, chicken, eggs and dairy products such as yoghurt, milk and cheese are a great way to get protein into a balanced diet and boost metabolic rates. If you’re a vegetarian, foods such as lentils, tofu, whole grains, mushrooms, and a whole host of other delicious ingredients are also an easy way to do this too. There’s also good news for spice lovers, as spicy foods such as chillis have also been shown to temporarily kick your metabolism up into the next gear, so maybe think about adding some heat to your next meal.

 

Take a Break from Stress

As much as we brush over feeling stressed about work, family and many other day to day commitments, stress can have a significantly negative affect on our bodies. Stress actually affects hormone levels such as cortisol production, which is a hormone responsible for aiding regular appetites. This can therefore be seen to have a direct link to disordered eating patterns which in turn disrupts our metabolic rate. So, the good news is that trying to boost our metabolism doesn’t have to be made up of only increasing the intensity of our workouts or eating healthier, as taking a little time out of your day to relax and meditate can actually be very beneficial for our health.

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