Metabolism refers to how your body converts the food and drink you consume into energy. This energy fuels every bodily process. A well-functioning metabolism is important for maintaining weight, boosting energy levels, and supporting overall health.
Several factors influence your metabolic rate (how quickly or slowly your body burns calories), including age, sex, body weight and composition, and genetics. While some aspects of metabolism are beyond your control, adopting certain lifestyle habits can help increase your metabolism.
Water is essential for nearly every bodily function, including metabolism. Drinking water can give your metabolism a slight boost by increasing the amount of energy (calories) your body uses.
One study found that drinking 17 ounces (500 milliliters) of water raised metabolic rate by up to 30%, with effects lasting up to 40 minutes. This occurs because water activates your body’s sympathetic nervous system, which in turn raises your metabolic rate. Drinking water may also help with weight management by reducing appetite and promoting fat burning.
Drinking water also helps prevent dehydration, which can slow down metabolism. Water intake requirements vary from person to person, depending on body weight and activity levels. In the United States, the recommended daily water intake—from food and drink—is about 11.5 cups for females and 15.5 cups for males.
Eating meals high in protein-rich foods like meats, nuts, eggs, seeds, legumes, and fish may temporarily boost metabolism. This is because eating protein increases the amount of energy your body uses to digest food.
Regularly consuming more protein may increase your resting metabolic rate, the calories your body burns at rest. Protein is needed for building and maintaining muscle, which burns more calories than fat at rest.
While the increase in calorie burn is small, it may still make a difference in preventing gradual weight gain, especially if you stay active and eat balanced meals. Try to include a protein source with every meal. For snacks, reach for protein-rich options like nuts, cottage cheese, or boiled eggs.
Building lean muscle mass can boost your metabolism. Research shows that each pound of muscle burns about 6 calories daily at rest, while fat tissue burns only around 2 calories.
Strength training exercises, such as weightlifting, help build and maintain muscle. Aim to do strength training at least two days a week. Focus on large muscle groups, including your legs, arms, back, and core.
If you’re new to strength training, start with bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups. As you build strength, you can add resistance bands or light weights to increase the challenge and support your metabolic health.
Green tea contains caffeine and catechins, plant compounds that may slightly increase metabolism. Caffeine stimulates your nervous system and increases hormones that help your body burn more calories when active and at rest. It also encourages fat burning by increasing cAMP, a molecule that helps the body break down fat and use it for energy.
While the effects are modest, drinking green tea may support a healthy weight and metabolism, especially when paired with regular exercise and a balanced diet. Drink a cup in the morning or before exercise for extra energy and a metabolic boost. Skip sugar additives and creamers, which can add to your daily caloric intake.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) combines short bursts of maximum-intensity exercise with brief recovery periods. Two smaller studies found that HIIT workouts increased metabolism for up to 24 hours after exercise in physically fit men and women.
Many gyms offer HIIT workout classes, but you don’t need a gym to do HIIT. Try alternating between 30 seconds of fast-paced movement (e.g., jumping jacks, high knees, or sprinting) and 30 seconds of rest, repeating for 15-20 minutes, up to three times a week.
Spicy foods like chili peppers contain capsaicin, which gives peppers their heat and may help increase your metabolism.
Capsaicin slightly raises body temperature and increases the calories you burn after eating, a process known as thermogenesis. Research shows that people with a higher body mass index (BMI over 25) who consume capsaicin daily increase their energy expenditure, or calorie burn, by about 70 calories per day.
Capsaicin may also promote fat burning by activating brown fat, which helps regulate body temperature and increases the breakdown of fat for energy. It may reduce fat accumulation by slowing the formation of new fat cells.
While these effects are minor, adding chili flakes, cayenne, or fresh hot pepper to meals may boost your metabolism.
Sleep plays a vital role in regulating your metabolism. A good night’s sleep helps your body recover, regulate hormone production, and maintain a well-functioning metabolism. Studies show that consistent, restful sleep supports better weight management and may help preserve muscle mass, which benefits your metabolism.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and less leptin (the fullness hormone). Lack of sleep is also associated with cravings for high-calorie, sugary foods. Over time, a consistent lack of sleep may lead to a slower metabolic rate.
Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support your metabolism and overall well-being.
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is all the energy your body expends during non-exercise activities, including standing. Staying active throughout the day helps your body burn more calories. For a 170-pound person, standing burns 186 calories per hour, compared to 139 calories when sitting.
Look for opportunities to incorporate more movement into your daily routine. Take the stairs, walk during phone calls, or get up every hour to stretch and move around. These simple changes can help your metabolism stay active.
To lose weight, you generally need to be in a calorie deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume. Cutting calories too drastically can have negative effects.
When your body doesn’t get enough energy from food, it may slow its metabolism to conserve energy. This makes weight loss more difficult and increases the chance you’ll regain weight you lost. Eating too little for an extended period can also cause your body to break down muscle for energy. Since muscle helps maintain a healthy metabolism, losing it can slow your resting metabolic rate.
To support your metabolism, eat enough calories to fuel your activity level and meet your basic needs. Choose whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats, to fuel your body.
Chronic (long-term) stress is associated with weight gain. It can increase cortisol levels, slow metabolism, and promote fat storage, especially in the abdominal area.
Stress management practices can help reduce stress levels and support a healthy metabolism. Meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, or daily walks in nature are calming activities that can help against the metabolic effects of stress. Listening to music, journaling, or spending time with loved ones are also effective ways to relieve stress.
Metabolism refers to the process by which your body converts food and drinks into energy, using it to power every function your body performs.
Staying active, building muscle, getting enough sleep, and managing stress can help increase your metabolism. Eating enough protein, staying well-hydrated, and choosing nutrient-rich foods can also help boost your metabolic rate. Even small habits, such as drinking green tea every morning or incorporating spicy foods into your meals, may offer a slight boost.
Consistently practicing these habits can help maintain a steady metabolism and promote better energy balance, weight management, and overall health.
