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Experts love to talk about effective ways to increase our metabolism [3] in order to burn more calories and lose weight. But have you been getting the wrong advice? This comparison photo from fitness and lifestyle coach Marci Nevin [4] illustrates three things you absolutely can do to speed up your metabolism and three things you should avoid.
Boost your metabolism by:
- Lifting weights: Strength training builds muscle, and Marci says, "The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn [5], even while at rest." While doing cardio does burn calories, your body quickly adapts to the amount you do, so in order to burn the same number of calories, you'll have to do more cardio. Lifting weights saves you time and is way more effective.
- Be active throughout the day: While getting in a solid workout burns calories and builds muscle, focus on moving throughout your entire day, especially if you are sedentary most of time. Choose to stand at your desk instead of sitting, pace while talking on the phone, take short walks, clean, have a mini dance party after dinner, run up and down the stairs, and add in short bursts of exercise like this one-minute bathroom workout [6] — all of these things burn calories and start to add up!
- Get your fill of protein: Did you know that when you eat, your body burns more calories digesting and metabolizing protein [7] than it does compared to fats or carbohydrates? Protein also fills you up, so you stay satiated longer, which keeps daily calories down. Check out this chart to figure out how many grams of protein [8] you should aim for each day.
You can also get your metabolism soaring by eating enough daily calories (ladies, never dip below 1,200), getting enough sleep, drinking enough water [10], and doing HIIT [11] (high intensity interval training).