How to Boost Metabolic Rate

Metabolism is a complicated, ongoing chemical process in which eaten food supplies the fuel that cells convert into energy required to perform numerous essential biological processes, such as moving and thinking. Calories are a measurement unit for how much energy any given food supplies to the body, and the rate at which a person metabolizes or breaks down food to use for energy depends on three factors: the amount of calories a person consumes, the amount of calories a person burns while physically active and the amount of calories a person burns as dictated by unique genetic makeup.

Instructions

• 1

  Calculate your resting metabolic rate. Even when you're not physically active, your metabolism is working and burning calories to produce the fuel needed for processes such as thinking and clearing waste from your kidneys. It's essential to not consume fewer calories than your body requires while at rest because doing so will cause your body to go into survival mode. At that point, the body begins burning as few calories as possible to conserve what it believes is a limited store of fuel, and metabolism then slows down.

• 2

  Add muscle to your body. Because muscle tissue is heavier than fat, it causes the body to burn more energy, even while you're inactive. As a result, several pounds of additional muscle can increase your resting metabolism rate by approximately 100 calories.

• 3

  Start every day with breakfast. Eating a balanced, nutritious breakfast not only recharges your body after a night of downtime sleep, but it activates your metabolism and gets it ready to function for the rest of the day.

• 4

  Eat small meals or snacks throughout the day, especially if three traditional meals don't curb your hunger and keep your appetite under control. The key is to focus on nutritious foods and to divide your daily calorie intake by the number of smaller meals to ensure you don't overeat. Eating often keeps your metabolism active, which helps maintain a steady level of blood sugar to prevent insulin spikes that create cravings for the wrong types of food, such as sugary snacks.

• 5

  Maximize post-exercise calorie burning. Alternating five-minute intervals of physical activity, such as swimming or walking, at a normal speed with short-yet-intense 30-second bursts of high-speed exertion increases mitochondria--the parts of cells that produce energy--and causes them to burn calories more efficiently and for longer periods of time, effectively allowing you to stay fit with shorter workouts.