Studies have shown that your metabolism slows down with age. Younger people often find they can eat as much as they like but, over time, this changes, and weight gain kicks in.
So, can raising your metabolism actually help you lose weight? Experts are undecided on whether it can. However, most say that it’s still beneficial for people’s health.
Metabolism is the process your body uses to convert food into energy. It includes many chemical reactions to make sure our cells get everything they need to function properly.
If you’re trying to lose weight, health experts at the Mayo Clinic say that, while the best way to do this is by reducing calories and getting more exercise, speeding up your metabolism could be helpful for dropping some extra pounds.
They wrote: “Supplements claiming to boost your metabolism may have little or no benefit and may contain substances that have serious side effects. How much you weigh largely depends on the choices you make about food and how much physical activity you get.”
How to speed up your metabolism
There are a few natural, safe ways to speed up your metabolism:
- Make sure you eat breakfast and have regular meals throughout the day.
- Eat more whole foods and cut back on ready meals, processed foods, and takeaways.
- Have as many healthy, home-cooked meals as possible with fresh ingredients.
- Include a variety of different types of fruit and vegetables in your diet.
- Drink plenty of water – you should aim for at least 2 liters a day.
- Become more active, as this converts your food into energy. Aim for a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training to burn fat and increase your metabolism.
- Cut back on alcohol and caffeine, as these can affect liver function and slow metabolism.
Although your metabolism will naturally slow over time, these steps can help to keep it at a healthy level, and will also improve your general health.
