How To Increase Metabolism: 5 Powerful Tips

Envious of your slim friend who can eat anything without gaining a gram? Don't worry—it could be you! Here are five tricks to help boost your metabolism and bring you closer to that six-pack.

Aug 15, 2024by Miriam Johansen
5 min read
Fit, muscular man with a six-pack

The difference between you and your perpetually slim friend lies in your resting metabolic rates. While you may have to work hard to burn fat due to a slower metabolism, they naturally burn more without much effort.

Fortunately, you can boost your metabolism in five easy steps. But first, let's examine what affects metabolism.

What Affects Your Metabolism?

Metabolism refers to how quickly your body breaks down nutrients in food to release energy. This process is also known as metabolism.

We’re discussing the energy required to maintain vital functions, such as regulating body temperature. Metabolism depends on several factors, including age, gender, body fat, muscle mass, activity level, and genetics.

READ MORE: Joonas: "I Have Probably Never Been Stronger"

For example, a 70 kg man who spends most of the day at rest will have a daily energy expenditure of around 1,650 kcal.

You can boost your metabolism by increasing your activity level. Additionally, the more muscle mass you have, the more energy your body uses. This is because muscle has a higher metabolic rate than fat tissue.

So, how do you increase your metabolism?

5 Tips on How to Boost Your Metabolism and Loose Weight

Food rich in protein
The right food can help you increase your metabolism

1. Eat More Protein

As muscle mass has a higher metabolic rate than fat, increasing your muscle can be a great step towards boosting your metabolism. To build more muscle, it’s crucial to eat more protein, making lean protein one of the foods that can help increase metabolism.

It’s typically recommended to consume 0.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to maintain muscle mass.

But if you have a few extra kilos on the side, you should aim to eat 1.2-1.5 grams of protein per kilo of body weight instead.

Man drinking water
Make sure to drink enough water to help your metabolism.

2. Drink Enough Water

Drinking water is a smart choice if you want to lose weight. Having a glass or two of water when you wake up helps your body flush out toxins and boosts your metabolism. Additionally, water helps reduce your appetite and calorie intake.

Consuming half a litre of water can boost your metabolism for at least an hour afterwards, with even greater benefits if you drink cold water.

Man shows off his strong arms
Extra muscle mass helps increase your calorie burn.

3. Increase Your Muscle Mass

One kilogram of muscle mass burns approximately 12-13 kcal per day at rest, while fat burns around 4 kcal per day.

If you gain an additional 3 kilograms of muscle mass, you will burn approximately 40 extra kcal per day.

READ MORE: 5 Tips on How to Build Muscle Fast

Two seniors boost their metabolism by exercising
You can boost your metabolism by exercising and moving your body.

4. Stay Active

Circuit training won’t give you large muscles, but it can boost your metabolism for several hours after exercise.

High-intensity exercise also provides a greater increase in your resting metabolic rate compared to low or moderate intensity exercise.

Guy eating nuts
Eat the right things to increase your metabolism

5. Eat a Snack

Eating a small snack can be an effective way to manage your weight. Several studies indicate that those who have a snack are likely to eat less at their next meal.

How Can You Get a Six-pack?

Unfortunately, no training methods can target fat reduction in specific body parts. This means you can't focus solely on the fat covering your lower abs to achieve a visible six-pack. Your only option is to gradually reduce fat across your entire body. Moreover, belly fat is typically the last to disappear and the first to return.

The time it takes for belly fat to diminish varies depending on several factors, including how much weight you lose, your metabolism, the amount of exercise you do, and your diet.

READ MORE: How to Get Rid of a Beer Belly

If you manage to reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories a day while also burning 500 calories a day, you can generally expect to lose about 0.5 kilograms per week, which equates to roughly 2 kilograms per month.

Over time, the fat covering your abdominal muscles will diminish as fat is lost from other areas of your body. To further reveal your abs, it’s beneficial to work on your abdominal muscles 2 to 4 times a week.

Ensure You Get the Right Nutrients

Daily intake of 4HIM TestoBalance provides the body with zinc, which helps maintain normal testosterone levels in the blood, as well as magnesium and vitamin B6, which help reduce fatigue and exhaustion. Magnesium contributes to normal energy metabolism, normal muscle function and normal psychological function.