Have you been trying to “boost” your metabolism? Maybe you read that chugging back diet shakes or regularly drinking green tea is the solution, or perhaps you’re just all about those interval workouts. You’ve heard that these are quick ways to increase your metabolic rate. And, they say when you increase your metabolism, you burn more calories.

While this isn’t entirely wrong, it’s not exactly right either. Metabolism isn’t something that can be quickly manipulated overnight. In reality, improving your metabolism takes serious time and dedication. In fact, the word ‘metabolism’ is frequently misunderstood. So, let’s get down to the bottom of this once and for all. What does metabolism actually mean? And how can you improve yours? 

Understanding Your Metabolism

According to the Oxford Dictionary, ‘metabolism’ refers to “the chemical processes in living things that change food into energy and materials for growth.” Other sources also generalize this definition into ‘all chemical reactions that take place within the body to maintain life.’

From here, it’s fairly obvious that metabolism isn’t just one entity. Metabolic activity takes place in all the cells in your body (and your body has about 37.2 trillion cells). In other words, it’s not like a single muscle where you can simply flex it to make it work. Your metabolism is much more complex than that.

Generally, your metabolism works something like this: You feel hungry, so you eat a snack or a meal to curb that hunger. This food is broken down in your digestive tract, and then absorbed into your bloodstream. Your cells then take in glucose from the food you eat and create energy from it. This energy allows them to perform their necessary functions. When your body uses this energy properly, every cell, organ, and system runs as it should and in turn, you feel good and have generally good health.

In fact, when your metabolism is in tip-top shape, your body is less likely to store fat. Why? Because it’s burning the energy from the food you’ve consumed efficiently and effectively. This is often why you’ll hear doctors or experts claim that metabolic dysfunction or ‘metabolic syndrome’ plays a huge role in the obesity epidemic. In essence, what they’re claiming is that these individuals’ cells aren’t using energy properly. Thus, the food they consume ends up being stored as fat instead of being burned to help their bodies function. 

Breaking Down Your Basal Metabolic Rate

So, at its most basic, metabolism is used to describe how well your body’s cells take in the energy released from the foods you eat and use it. If you have a slow metabolism, your cells aren’t taking in and using energy properly. If you have a high metabolism, your cells are very efficient at this process, which means they are effectively burning energy to perform their functions. So, what about your Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR? What does that mean?

Your BMR refers to the number of calories (energy) your body needs to maintain basic functions at rest and to sustain life, such as breathing and blood circulation. This means that even if you were to lay in bed all day, your body requires a specific amount of energy from food for baseline level functioning and to maintain its current state. 

Interestingly, your BMR is not static, it can change based on your body composition. For instance, someone with more muscle requires a higher number of calories to maintain their current weight and basic functions than someone with less muscle. Muscle is ‘pro-metabolic,’ which means it burns more calories at rest than fat. This is why gaining muscle is frequently encouraged to increase your metabolic rate and to help with weight loss. But increasing muscle mass isn’t the end-all, be-all when it comes to improving your metabolism; there’s more to it than simply manipulating your body composition.

How To Improve Your Metabolism: The Myths

You’ve probably heard it all regarding quick ways to increase your metabolism…

“Drink cold water to increase your fat burn.”

“Lemon water can give your metabolism a quick boost.”

“Try spicy foods to increase your metabolism!”

“One green tea a day is all you need to amp up your metabolism.”

“Increase your metabolic rate by eliminating enemy #1 - carbs.”

“Give intermittent fasting a try.”

Let’s cut to the chase: There isn’t one simple and quick way to instantly increase your metabolism - at least not any that provide sustainable and permanent results. 

And no, fasting and eliminating carbs isn’t right for everyone. In fact, eliminating carbs and fasting sends the wrong signals to your body - especially when it comes to your metabolic rate. 

Your body relies on carbohydrates as its primary fuel source. Carbohydrates are sugars, fibers, and starches which can be found in vegetables, fruits, grains, and some dairy products. When you eliminate carbohydrates, it has to create glucose (simple sugars that are the main source of energy for the body’s cells) from other and less efficient means. 

If you’re fasting on top of this, your body quickly switches into survival mode and your metabolism slows down. After all, your body doesn’t know you’re trying to lose weight or perhaps squeeze into that new dress for your upcoming event, it assumes there is a food shortage, such as a famine. This survival mechanism has been with us for hundreds, if not thousands, of years; likely dating all the way back to our hunter-gatherer ancestors who didn’t always know when their next meal would come. So, while you may initially lose weight on a diet, due to a reduction in your caloric intake, the body is smart, and it adapts. It recognizes the caloric deficit and goes into a protective state, slowing your metabolism to try to balance your energy and prevent starvation. Often referred to as starvation mode or adaptive thermogenesis, this physiological response served our ancestors well but unfortunately tends to do more harm than good today, especially with our diet and lifestyle becoming so much more sedentary over time.

Understanding the physiology of the body and how food is utilized within the body, can give you the tools to improve your metabolism properly and sustainably. It isn’t rocket science. Mostly, it’s about going back to the basics of health. It’s about focusing on your sleep, eating regularly, eating more whole foods, eating less packaged foods, reducing stress, and moving your body.

There is no ‘magic pill’ or quick-fix that can improve your metabolism; it requires a holistic approach maintained overtime, including:

• Eating every 3-4 hours, and eating enough calories throughout your day.

• Including healthy carbs, fats, and protein in your diet from whole foods, and limiting pre-packaged and processed foods.

• Ensuring you’re getting the right balance of nutrients in your diet, such as vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C, and more.

• Getting enough sleep each night. Most adults require 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

• Reducing stress in your life. 

• Including movement, such as light walks and strength training, in your weekly routine. (Strength training increases pro-metabolic muscle tissue, while not adding too much stress to the body.)

• Eating breakfast within 30-60 minutes of waking up.

• Getting about 10-20 minutes of sun each day. This can help with vitamin D creation, and contribute to a consistent sleep-wake cycle (also known as your circadian rhythm).

When you treat your body right, it will treat you right - including burning calories effectively and efficiently!

Remember, not everything on the internet is accurate or true. Before trying that next diet or claim that says it will help increase your metabolism, do your own research and ask questions. Does it make sense? Does it really work? What’s the whole picture? 

After all, your metabolism doesn’t have to be your enemy. You don’t have to constantly go to battle against it. You can make it work with you and for you. It all comes down to learning what you personally need to do to make that happen. Usually, this is a combination of things that when put in practice daily will have a huge impact over time. Once you learn about your own body composition and how to optimize your metabolism, you can make the right decisions to change your health and life for the better.