If you feel like your metabolism is slow, you aren't imagining things. Due to age, past crash dieting, or muscle loss, your resting metabolic rate can drop over time. But you aren't stuck with a sluggish metabolism. You can actively train your body to burn more calories even when you are sleeping.
In this guide, we'll outline concrete, scientifically backed strategies to increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and turn your body into a fat-burning machine.
1. Build Lean Muscle Mass (The Ultimate BMR Booster)
Muscle is highly active metabolic tissue. Fat tissue, on the other hand, is mostly storage and requires very little energy to maintain. A single pound of muscle burns about 6 calories per day at rest, while a pound of fat burns only 2 calories.
By engaging in resistance training (weightlifting, bodyweight exercises) 3 to 4 times a week, you build lean muscle mass. This permanently elevates your BMR, meaning you will naturally burn more calories every single second of the day.
2. Prioritize Protein Intake
Eating protein boosts your metabolism through the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). Your body burns up to 30% of the calories from protein just to break it down into amino acids. In contrast, carbohydrates have a TEF of 5-10%, and fats have a TEF of only 0-3%.
Additionally, eating enough protein prevents muscle loss when you are in a caloric deficit, ensuring your BMR doesn't drop during weight loss.
3. Stay Fully Hydrated
Mild dehydration can slow down your metabolism. Drinking cold water has been shown to temporarily boost resting metabolism by 10-30% for up to an hour. This is because your body has to spend energy to warm the water up to body temperature (a process called water-induced thermogenesis).
4. Sleep Your Way to a Faster Metabolism
Sleep deprivation is a massive metabolic disruptor. Poor sleep decreases insulin sensitivity, elevates cortisol (which promotes belly fat storage), and disrupts the hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep to keep your hormones balanced and metabolic rate optimal.
Summary
To permanently rev up your metabolism, focus on strength training, eat a high-protein diet, drink cold water, and sleep deeply. Check your baseline metabolic rate using our private BMR Calculator and track your metabolic improvements over time!