Metabolism is defined by the number of calories burned by the body. At rest, the body expends calories to maintain vital functions such as breathing and body temperature. Many unchangeable factors, such as genetics, age, sex, or weight, can influence metabolism. Fortunately, it is possible to increase your metabolism. In this article, we explain everything about basal metabolism and share our best tips for boosting it.
Metabolism and energy expenditure
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that take place within our bodies and influence our well-being, physical fitness, and even our mood. It is necessary for transforming food and burning calories. There are two main types of metabolism: anabolism and catabolism. Catabolism refers to the process of transforming food into chemical compounds that can be used by the body, such as the transformation of proteins into amino acids. Anabolism refers to the opposite process, namely the use of these compounds for the body to function optimally. Muscle synthesis from amino acids is one example. Energy metabolism represents our body's ability to transform consumed calories into energy and includes three components that are essential to distinguish.
- Basal metabolism, which represents the amount of energy the body needs to function at rest, that is, to ensure its vital functions. It varies according to different factors such as height, weight, age, sex, and thyroid activity, and accounts for approximately 60% of total energy expenditure.
- Active metabolism represents the energy our body uses for our daily movements as well as the energy expended during exercise. It depends on the level of physical activity. It can vary considerably from one person to another and accounts for approximately 30% of total energy expenditure.
- Thermogenesis refers to the amount of energy our body expends to digest the food we eat and therefore metabolize the nutrients contained in that food. It accounts for approximately 10% of total energy expenditure.
Thus, there are two levers we can act on to increase calorie burning: active metabolism and thermogenesis.
Slow or fast metabolism?
Some people have a faster metabolism than others. This can be explained by several factors specific to their body as well as their lifestyle. We distinguish between slow and fast metabolism. A slow metabolism is characterized by the almost systematic accumulation of fat as energy reserves, which can lead to weight gain. Conversely, a fast metabolism refers to people whose bodies assimilate nutrients somewhat faster than normal. They burn calories relatively quickly without storing fat.
It is important to know that basal metabolism can be influenced by various unchangeable factors, such as genetics, age, weight, illness, or hormones. In the case of a slow metabolism, these factors can promote weight gain and reduce energy expenditure at rest. Other lifestyle-related factors can also affect your basal metabolism and cause it to become disrupted, such as a restrictive diet that causes the body to function more slowly, thyroid problems, lack of sleep, or chronic stress, which disrupt nutrient assimilation.
It is possible to speed up your metabolism by focusing on 4 essential aspects: diet, physical activity, sleep, and stress management.
How can you increase your metabolism through your diet?
Diet plays a very important role in stimulating your metabolism. What we eat determines our fitness, performance, sleep, recovery, health, and weight.
Eat regularly
Plan to eat more frequently in small amounts to boost your metabolism. Plan at least 3 meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to provide your body with everything it needs to function properly. You can also plan a snack to curb cravings, especially if your lunch and dinner are light. Nothing very new, but a reminder never hurts.
Focus on protein
In addition to playing a role in maintaining muscle mass, protein requires more energy to digest than fats and carbohydrates. In fact, fats increase the percentage of energy consumed by 0 to 3%, carbohydrates by 5 to 10%, and protein by 15 to 30%. Thus, prioritizing protein-rich foods will help you burn more calories during digestion and increase your resting metabolism. The best proteins for speeding up your resting metabolism are those with high levels of amino acids and low levels of fat. Choose quality white meats, fish, and eggs.
Consume the right fats
To boost your metabolism, you should consume good fats, meaning fats containing a significant amount of fatty acids. They help burn calories for several hours after a meal and are essential for our cells. Choose cold-pressed oils, which are better for your health, and vary the fats you consume. You can use coconut, rapeseed, olive, and walnut oils, for example, and consume flax seeds, chia seeds, nuts such as almonds, and oily fish such as tuna or salmon, which are rich in omega-3s.
Eat spicy foods
Spicing up your meals is also an excellent way to boost your metabolism. One study showed that chili peppers could increase the metabolic rate by up to 50% for 3 hours after consumption. Certain spices such as turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, and paprika can also boost your metabolism.
Eat foods rich in micronutrients
The thyroid plays an essential role in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. An underactive thyroid can be responsible for weight gain. That is why it is important to stimulate its function by consuming vitamins, iodine, iron, zinc, and selenium. You can prioritize fruit, particularly citrus fruits such as lemons and grapefruit, or berries, which are rich in vitamins and antioxidants and help burn fat.
Drink cold water
Water makes up 70% of our body. It is involved in all the chemical reactions that take place in our cells. Staying hydrated regularly can help increase your metabolism. This effect is amplified when you drink cold water because the colder the water, the more your body increases its calorie expenditure to warm it up.
Drink tea and coffee
Studies have shown that coffee, in addition to being calorie-free, helps stimulate basal metabolism for 150 minutes. Caffeine activates the burning of fat stored in the body, but it should be consumed in moderation. The theine contained in green tea also plays a role in increasing basal metabolism. Green tea also contains tannins and catechins, which counteract fat absorption.
Avoid refined sugars and saturated fats
With little nutritional value, pastries, deli meats, butter, and baked goods rich in saturated fats and refined sugars should be consumed in very limited quantities because they slow metabolism and promote weight gain. Consuming fewer carbohydrates forces your body to draw on its reserves to provide the energy needed for all the organs to function properly, resulting in additional energy expenditure. This does not mean eliminating carbohydrates or fats, but rather prioritizing, for example, the complex carbohydrates found in whole grains or foods rich in healthy fats.
What about stress, sleep, and physical activity?
Boosting your metabolism is not limited to the composition of your plate. You should include regular physical activity, restorative sleep, and a positive mindset in your lifestyle. All these combined efforts will allow the body to increase its energy expenditure, both during exercise and at rest, and maintain a healthy weight over the long term.
Whatever physical activity you choose, if you incorporate it into your daily routine, you will burn calories because your muscles and heart need to use energy to become active. They begin by using the sugar reserves available in your body. Once these reserves are depleted, they use fat reserves. Depending on the intensity you choose, you will obviously burn more or fewer calories. The most important point for losing weight sustainably is consistency. No matter which sport you choose, you should enjoy it so that you stay motivated. To achieve results, it is recommended to do 2 or 3 exercise sessions per week, lasting 45 minutes each (the body begins drawing on our reserves after 30 or 40 minutes).
Sleep then regulates many things in our bodies, particularly hormone secretion and appetite, as well as our metabolism. Restorative sleep helps limit snacking when you feel tired and improves nutrient assimilation. Getting enough sleep is therefore a way to boost your metabolism; conversely, lack of sleep can slow your metabolism and increase the risk of weight gain. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night so that your body can regenerate properly and stimulate your metabolism.
Finally, it is important to know how to manage your daily stress. Stress increases the production of the stress hormone cortisol, which increases appetite and hunger, fat storage, and therefore slows metabolism. So take time for yourself and try meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises to relieve your stress.
A little extra help
To optimize your efforts, you can also turn to dietary supplements. Depending on their composition, they can be very effective at stimulating your metabolism and activating weight loss. This is the case with our Metabolism Boost, delicious blueberry-flavored chewable tablets. This chewable dietary supplement containing kola, Moro orange, chromium, and choline helps boost lipid metabolism and weight loss. This combination of active ingredients is the perfect way to eliminate already-established fat and reduce future fat storage, while detoxifying the liver and regulating blood sugar levels. Kola, a powerful stimulant rich in caffeine and theobromine, and Moro orange, rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, help increase lipid metabolism and break down fat accumulated in the body. Moro orange and chromium promote good cholesterol (HDL) over bad cholesterol (LDL). Chromium, a partner of insulin, also helps maintain normal blood sugar levels and thus prevent unused sugar consumed by the body from being stored as fat. Finally, like Moro orange and kola, choline increases normal lipid metabolism. It also has a detoxifying effect on the liver by preventing fat accumulation in this organ.
This product, combining the benefits of herbal medicine and micronutrition, was formulated alongside our French laboratory and our health experts. In addition to being made in France, Metabolism Boost is made with 90.7% ingredients of natural origin and is suitable for all diets (gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan). An added bonus is its delicious blueberry flavor and low sugar content. No more excuses for not completing your course of treatment!
Each sachet contains 30 tablets, providing a 30-day course that can be renewed. It is recommended to take 1 tablet per day, preferably in the morning or at lunchtime. This is the most suitable amount to provide effectiveness without any risk of overdose. Our courses have been formulated so that they can be combined with one another. For example, if you selected the slimming goal in the questionnaire, you can combine your personalized course with Metabolism Boost and Slimming Powder without any problem. These courses are complementary, and their benefits work together perfectly. These tablets are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, or people sensitive to caffeine. If you have any doubts about taking them, do not hesitate to ask a healthcare professional for advice.
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