Do you ever notice that sometimes you lose weight without even trying and at other times, the pounds creep on even if you’re doing your utmost to avoid cakes and exercise more? It’s always left me frustrated. I can walk for several days carrying a backpack, eating very little and the scale refuses to budge.
So I’ve been researching all about “how to increase your metabolism” and I’ve found so many answers to where I’m going wrong that I need to share them with you. If you want to know ways to boost your metabolism especially after 40 or for women over 50 read on.
Ways To Increase Metabolism That Work
These are some of my favorite tips for how to boost metabolism, from food to eat, vitamins and supplements, to exercise.
#1 Stop Skipping Meals
I have a terrible habit of skipping meals. When I’m busy working I’ll forget the time and end up eating my lunch very late in the afternoon. It’s the same if I’m out hiking. I’ll walk for hours without eating more than a few healthy snacks.
It never occurred to me that this fasting could be slowing down my metabolism. I always thought it was a good thing and would help me to lose weight!
But it turns out skipping meals makes you stressed and hangry with your body shifting into survival mode. Result? Your metabolism slows down.
So I’m now trying to change my bad habits and stick to regular meal times. That means taking a packed lunch with me when I go on a hike!
#2 Sleep Better
I used to be one of those people who was wide awake at 2 a.m. sending emails and never thought about what it was doing to my health. Well, it turns out that failing to get a good night’s sleep could be a key reason behind a slow metabolism.
It’s certainly true most people will eat more and make bad food choices after skimping on sleep. I know I do! Plus it makes it much harder to go out and exercise. I now try to prioritize my sleep and feel much better when I get 8 hours of sleep every night. It’s one of the ways to increase your metabolism that comes with lots of extra benefits.
#3 Ditch The Diets
Just about everyone has tried dieting at some point. We all try it and very few of us realize it’s messing up our metabolism. The less we eat, the better the human body gets at surviving on not much food. It’s a bit like animals hibernating. They get through the winter months by slowing their metabolism right down.
Start a diet and you’re signaling to your body to hang on to those fat stores. It’s the number one reason why most diets fail. No matter how hard you try to lose the pounds your weight loss is slow or even hits a plateau.
The best advice is to avoid all fast weight-loss diets. Keep to a weight loss plan where your calorie deficit is no more than 500 calories a day. You can do this by exercising or just eating slightly less and keeping full on high protein nutritious food. Protein fills you up and eating food with all the nutrients you need such as healthy vegetables signals to your body that all is well.
#4 Strength Train
There are all sorts of reasons why you should strength train:
- It will help you stay mobile as you get older.
- Strength training 2-3 times a week helps you avoid running injuries.
- It’s great for your metabolism!
Those perfect bodies you see on social media – they’re always a combination of aerobic training and lifting weights. Gaining muscle mass can give a big boost to your metabolism.
Muscle cells use up more energy than fat cells. It’s one of the reasons you never want to go on a diet and not exercise. You’ll just end up with a weak body with a low metabolism.
So if you want to lose weight and keep it off start strength training. You don’t need to join the gym – these bodyweight exercises are great for everyone – not just runners.
#5 Add High-Intensity
Did you know that High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), will significantly boost your metabolism for several hours after your workout?
HIIT involves short periods of intense exercise alternated with low-intensity recovery periods. You burn more calories per minute compared with a regular workout because of the effort level but the exercise session is shorter.
So a quick 10-15 minute HIIT session in the morning could boost your metabolism until lunchtime. If you’re short of time, it’s an easy way to exercise effectively. Just check with your doctor that HIIT is suitable if you haven’t exercised for a while, or have any medical conditions.
#6 Eat Protein With Every Meal
Everything you do uses calories – even digesting food. Of course, it’s not possible to eat to lose weight (shame) but this thermic effect of food (TEF) happens to be higher for protein than fat or carbohydrates.
Protein will also leave you feeling fuller for longer and may prevent you from overeating at mealtimes. Making sure you eat protein with every meal is an easy win for weight loss and boosting your metabolism.
#7 Stay Hydrated
I loved the idea that drinking cold water could increase your metabolism and it was a shame to find out that the effect is minimal. But I’m still going to keep drinking water throughout the day.
It’s so much better for you than sugary drinks and confusing thirst for hunger can be a factor in overeating. So I’ll still keep my water bottle handy!
(Just be aware that drinking an extreme amount of water in a short amount of time is dangerous).
#8 Drink Green Tea
Some studies suggest drinking green tea may boost your metabolism. I’m not too convinced, but I do love a nice cup of tea!
The theory is that tea polyphenols can boost your metabolism. I think the effect must be minimal judging from the amount of tea I drink during the day but if you drink your tea without sugar, it’s a low-calorie way of staying hydrated.
#9 Caffeine
It’s a little similar to the effect of drinking tea, but this one does work. The caffeine in coffee has been shown to boost your metabolism.
But before you drastically change your coffee habits, bear in mind the negative effects of caffeine: insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, an upset stomach, a fast heartbeat, and even muscle tremors! There are better ways to give your metabolism a boost.
#10 Spicy Foods
This is one of the more wacky items on the list, but peppers contain capsaicin which can boost your metabolism.
The effect is tiny. One study talks about burning around 10 extra calories per meal. Capsaicin may help you feel fuller for longer but there are far better ways of boosting your metabolism.
If you’ve found these metabolism tips useful I’d love you to give them a share!