5 Best Ways To Increase Your Metabolism

It is inevitable, as we age, that our bodies progressively slow. One aspect that many observe throughout aging is the metabolism.  The metabolism, as many can attest, slows and is often the excuse given to weight gain over the years.  The metabolism refers to the body’s ability to distribute and convert everything you consume into energy.  The quicker the metabolism, the more energy one has to use for activity.  The slower the metabolism however could mean less energy for activity which could induce sluggishness, fatigue, and loss of motivation.  While there are many claims that certain products “increase” energy in the body, many are false claims.  This article discusses five ways in which the body’s metabolism can be increased.

5 Ways to Increase Your Metabolism

• Caffeine. Caffeine is a known ergogenic aid which is commonly found in coffee beans, soda, tea, and chocolate.  When consumed, caffeine increases heart rate, dilates blood vessels, and can increase metal focus.  As a stimulant, many crave caffeine regularly.  Research has found some benefit in caffeine to aid in metabolism.  Recent studies have found caffeine and green tea to have properties to increase metabolism [1], making coffee and tea a viable option for speeding up metabolism.
• I.I.T. Many gyms and exercise programs are shifting exercise design towards high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in an attempt to reduce body fat and increase metabolism.  Recent studies have demonstrated high-intensity interval training to be effective for increasing fat oxidation levels in skeletal muscle by about 14 to 34 percent in healthy adults [2], which suggests the body’s metabolism is heavily increased as a result. HIIT programs can be performed anywhere and many only require body weight to perform.  In addition, many of these programs are short duration (20 minutes), making them more attractive than an hour long workout for increasing metabolism.
• Resistance Training. Muscle is the most metabolically active in the body, which is beneficial for an increased metabolism.  As a result of being more metabolically active, it is beneficial to have more muscle mass than fat mass.  The best way to increase muscle mass is to perform regular resistance training.  Studies have shown a 7.7 percent increase in metabolism among older adults as a result of a four month resistance training program [3]. Since metabolism typically slows with age, it is promising to know metabolism can increase at such a quick pace and it further establishes the importance of a complete workout for increasing metabolism and controlling body weight.
• Drink Water. Water is one of the most important compounds on earth since life would not exist without water.  The consumption of water can help regulate hunger and appetite and it helps keep the body properly hydrated following a workout.  In addition, water can help aid in the increasing metabolism in healthy adults.  Research has shown that the consumption of water can induce a 30 percent increase in metabolism for up to 40 minutes [4]. This helps underscore the value and importance of consuming adequate water throughout the day as part of managing body weight and metabolism values.
• Sit Less. The human body is meant to be in motion for as long as possible.  As descendants of cavemen, the human body is meant to hunt and gather.  As evolution continues, the human body has shifted into a sedentary nightmare.  More individuals sit during the day in front of a computer or on the phone due to work demands, which wreaks havoc on the metabolism.  Each and every day the body is sedentary and for every minute, hour, and day the body remains inactive, the body progressively slows and adds fat.  This is why a sedentary is frowned on by health advocates.  If you want to increase your metabolism, avoid sitting for longer than 30 minutes at any one sitting if you can control this.

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