Boosting Your Metabolism Makes You Strong

The speed of metabolism is different for everyone since metabolism is impacted by age, gender, hormones, genetics, activity levels, and others. These factors determine how fast the body burns calories and converts these foods into energy. Breathing is also a function that can regulate metabolism since it depends on how much oxygen the body takes over time. It is quite important to maintain a fast metabolism since it can help with weight loss and gaining energy. As a person ages, internal processes in the body begin to slow down making a person feel weak and lethargic. In addition, gaining weight becomes easier than losing weight. It is quite common that diet and exercise are always encouraged. But specifically how much is consumed and how much exercise is being done in weeks’ time. 

What are ways to Increase your Metabolic Rate?

It is easier to increase the individual’s metabolic rate at a young age. As mentioned, in order to boost the person’s metabolic rate one must exercise and diet. Resistance training is the most effective way to increase it. Primarily, basal metabolic rate is solely determined by the person’s lean muscle mass, and with that, it takes a lot of energy (calories) to maintain muscle mass. So, it is essential to meet the daily consumption of calories (the Formula and how to calculate it will be at the bottom). Now if the individual is interested in losing weight it is best to put themselves in a 300 – 500 calorie deficit to lose weight. 

Breathing is also another factor where metabolism can increase. Breathing properly is also beneficial for digestion and because the individual is taking in more air, it can burn fat during the resting period. Burning calories can occur either by being still or being active. Either way, the individual is burning calories all the time but at a different rate. The person’s existence is solely based on breathing (this is what keeps people alive). If a person is active most of the time, the body requires more oxygen. And with more inhaling and exhaling the person will burn calories much faster. This is not to say one must exercise several hours a day otherwise the body will be experiencing more stress which can impact the person’s hormones which can also affect fat loss. 

Can Eating Increase your Metabolism?

The body needs food to refuel as the food is converted to energy through biological processes. Consuming foods in general requires energy to digest. There are also certain foods that can increase metabolic rate such as spicy foods, protein-rich foods, and unprocessed carbohydrates (Generally, minimally processed foods). There are some substances to consider, but do keep in mind consuming these will not guarantee weight loss. But it can help with the process of that. 

• Green Tea
• Green Coffee
• Chili Peppers
• Ginger
• Cinnamon 
• Cocoa and Dark Chocolate
• Bitter Orange
• Apple Cider Vinegar

The contents within these consumables are capable of amplifying energy expenditure, thermogenesis, oxidative metabolism, and other mechanisms. With this in mind, it can support fat burning since energy expenditure is processing calories. 

Macronutrients

The three main macronutrients are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Now, consuming each amount may have importance when wanting to burn fat effectively. As stated previously it’s all about how many calories are consumed per day. What makes up calories are the three macronutrients and there are ratios a person may want to consider when wanting to reduce fat. More importantly, consuming a high protein diet has a higher thermic effect which can increase the metabolic rate (boost metabolism). Since diet-induced thermogenesis makes up 10% to 15% of total energy expenditure. This means the body is using more energy to process protein than it does for carbohydrates and fats (since these 2 are much easier to process). 

Depending on the individual’s goals there are percentages of each macronutrient a person can consume to meet their caloric and macro intake. So, here are approximate measurements of how much can be consumed:

• Carbohydrates: 45% to 65% of total calories.
• Fats: 20% to 35% of total calories.
• Protein: 10% to 35% of total calories.

These percentages can be adjusted based on the person’s goals but this is just a standard. 

Sample

Here’s an example to get started:

Here’s another sample with the adjusted percentages.

Again, the individual can alter the percentages to their liking. Ideally, the second sample is preferred since higher protein intake. 

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If you want to get more specific here’s a formula:

Men: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5

Women: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161

Then, multiply your result by the activity factor below are numbers that represent different levels of activity. 

• Sedentary: x 1.2 (limited exercise)
• Lightly active: x 1.375 (light exercise less than three days per week)
• Moderately active: x 1.55 (moderate exercise most days of the week)
• Very active: x 1.725 (hard exercise every day)
• Extra active: x 1.9 (strenuous exercise two or more times per day)

Another example:

Woman

• Age: 22
• Height: 5’4 (5ft X 30.48 + 4in x 2.54 = 162.56cm)
• Weight: 150lbs (150 X .45359237 = 68.03 KG)
• Sedentary: x 1.2 (limited exercise)

10 x 68.03(KG) + 6.25 x 162.56(CM) – 5 x 22(age) – 161 = 1425.3 * 1.2 = 1710.36 Calories.

You can also use a Macro Calculator. 

Gut Bacteria Supports Regulation on Metabolism 

Gut health can affect many processes in the body and it can impact the brain. There are certain foods and beverages that can either positively or negatively influence the individual’s biochemistry. It is no surprise the microbiota in the body also has involvement in regulating metabolism. If not consuming a balanced diet it can hurt the gut bacteria (or kill off) which can lead to hormonal imbalances. With this occurring, it can cause mitochondrial (Powerhouse cell) dysfunction and will affect energy expenditure. In other words, this sabotages the speed of the person’s metabolism. Behind this, there are more agents involved in this process such as gut peptides, thyroid, leptin, insulin, and more. Simply, consume products that are minimally processed (Fruits and Vegetables). 

If you want to learn more details on gut health check this post out!

Wrap Up

In conclusion, the speed of the metabolism varies from person to person since there is a range of factors involved. Factors such as age, gender, hormones, genetics, activity levels, and others. In order to increase metabolism, one must exercise and diet properly. Doing this appropriately can support weight loss (or maintenance) and the health of the body. There are certain consumables that can increase the individual’s metabolism which in turn burns calories faster (also burns fat!). Breathing is another component on burning calories since it converts food into energy during the respiration process for energy to be used. Regardless, the individual is burning calories through thermogenesis on a daily basis (at a different rate for everyone). 

Sources:

• Effect of Acute and Chronic Dietary Supplementation with Green Tea Catechins on Resting Metabolic Rate, Energy Expenditure and Respiratory Quotient: A Systematic Review
• Your No-Nonsense Guide to Metabolism
• Metabolism
• Basal metabolic rate studies in humans: Measurement and development of new equations
• How breathing and metabolism are interconnected | Ruben Meerman | TEDxBundaberg
• A Critical Review on the Role of Food and Nutrition in the Energy Balance
• A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals

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