Many of us are struggling with the self-diagnosed “slow metabolism.” You may say to yourself: “My metabolism is getting slower. I keep gaining weight, especially around the belly and my motivation and energy are at an all-time low. I guess I’m getting older and that’s just the way it is.” Does that sound familiar?
But we can change low energy, lack of motivation, and for sure, get rid of that stubborn belly fat. In fact, if you’re willing to change a few habits, you can even turn back the clock and build a leaner, healthier body than you’ve ever had before. Let me show you how you can boost your metabolism today by changing a few habits and without another diet.
Have You Heard Of The 5 Ways You Can Boost Your Metabolism?
What is metabolism and what does it do?
Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this very complicated biochemical process, calories in food and drink are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function. Although your metabolism influences your body’s basic needs or your body’s primary energy needs, how much you eat and drink along with how much you exercise will determine, ultimately, your weight and your energy levels.
There are 4 factors that determine your individual basal metabolism (the number of calories your body burns just to function).
- Body size and composition
Higher weight people burn more calories, but people with a higher muscle composition will also burn more calories, even at rest.
- Your sex
Men typically store less fat, and more muscle than women do at the same age and weight. This means that men usually burn more calories than women.
- Your age
As you age, you tend to decrease the amount of muscle in your body and increase the amount of fat. This slows down the number of calories you burn.
- Activity level
Physically inactive people can lose 3-5% of their muscle mass each decade after the age of 30.
Just not fair, right? After the age of 50, I started noticing that it was so much harder to keep myself in shape and I noticed that I had to work so much harder and be more committed. I couldn’t skip exercising, and drink or eat whatever I wanted.
The weight started to creep up. My muscles looked softer and more flabby, and I had to rethink my strategies, saying, “All right. I need to do something different. My metabolism works against me, and I need to get in the game and change things: change the way I eat, change the way I exercise.” And I have, just like everybody else, struggled with this. But I’ve gotten a good handle on how this whole metabolism thing works and how I can boost it, and that’s what I want to share with you today.
But, you know what? The big question always remains: “How do I increase my metabolism, so I don’t gain weight and feel energized?” So let’s get to it. The five simple steps to boost your metabolism that nobody talks about:
#1 – Eat more protein
Protein is essential when trying to lose weight and fat, and here is why. Protein helps you keep that all-important lean muscle mass. Protein significantly increases fullness, which means you feel fuller despite eating less, and eating more protein often causes people to eat less overall.
So the question now becomes, “How do you calculate all of this?” Maintain your total calorie intake, but change your macronutrients. In my Seven Days to Ignite Your Spark Planner, I talk extensively about this process. So for today, what we want to do is increase protein to 30%, drop your carbs to 40%, reduce fat to 30%. Again, you can dial this in using “myFitnessPal” or another calorie and macro-tracking app.
Now, what does the amount look like? For most active women, if you look at the palm of your hand and you say, “Okay, I can eat four to six palm sizes a day.” That’s how big a serving you can have of good sources of protein (such as fish, lean meats, beans, tofu, chicken, or whey protein). I will also put a link to my favorite protein shake. I just love it. And if I’m on the run and I need to get protein in, my protein shake is the way to go for me. So I’ll put a link for you in the show notes.
#2 – Skip processed carbs
Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and healthy fats instead. Think of beautiful, colorful vegetables loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Water and fiber (also in our fruits and vegetables) help us fill up during meals, stay full between meals, and help you recover faster from your workouts.
Try to eat 4-6 fist-sized servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Then pick from all the fruits you want such as berries, bananas, pineapples, strawberries, and pick any vegetables such as red peppers, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms. And those are just the beginning!
When you’re picking your carbohydrates, think of high quality, whole grain carbs. Again, 4-6 handfuls of quality carbs such as whole grains, potatoes, oatmeal, quinoa, squash, lentils.
Finally, take into account your fats. Instead of 4-6 handfuls, we’re going to eat 4-6 thumb sizes worth. Think of eating avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds.
Now, for our carbs, we look at the handful. So cup your hand in front of you. Use four to six handfuls of quality carbs. None of that processed stuff. So we’re looking into whole grains, potatoes, white and sweet potatoes, oatmeal, quinoa, squash, lentils. So again, a beautiful, wide variety of grains and carbs for us.
#3 – Exercise
You need a mix of strength training and cardiovascular fitness. A combination will decrease your stress and lower your cortisol levels; a hormone responsible for weight gain, especially around the belly. Strength training helps you maintain and eventually gain muscle mass. And, as we heard before, it burns more calories, even at rest. That’s a winner right there.
So what counts as strength training? Lifting weights, using stretchy bands, Pilates. You may also want to check out my YouTube channel, Pursue Your Spark, and check out the 3 IN 3 = Fun series. I posted a link in the show notes so you can check out the little video series I started to help you get an idea of what kind of exercises you could do to boost your metabolism.
Cardiovascular training like running, biking, and fast walking, all improve your heart health. The sky’s the limit when it comes to cardiovascular training. You want to plan for about one hour a day of exercise. And remember, it doesn’t always have to be hard and all out, but consistency is the key. One hour a day every day with consistent strength training and cardiovascular training, you will see the difference.
#4 – Increase your N.E.A.T.
NEAT is Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This is related to the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating, or a sports-like activity. So what does it mean? These are activities like walking from your car to the office, performing yard work, or standing. Increasing your NEAT is easy – try using a standup desk, park your car further away, or walk to the park instead of driving. Think about what other things you can do that just a little bit increase your metabolism.
#5 – Sleep
Sleep is as important as nutrition and exercise when it comes to metabolism. Try to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Some people make us believe that less is better. Do not believe them. It is not true that you become more productive and more energized if you are sleepless. In my podcast #12 “How Do I Get More Sleep and Energy?” I share sleep strategies that work. So go check it out!
So there you have it. These are the 5 simple steps to boost your metabolism. I know this can sound like a lot, but start with one item on the list and work on that habit until you feel comfortable with it. New things are always challenging, and it takes time to master them.
If you found today’s episode helpful and you’re ready to go further, then you might like my free Thrive Guide.
Click here to listen!
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