How to increase your metabolism?
With the current resurgence of interest in fitness and bodybuilding, the term “metabolism” is heard more and more. Sports coaches are also multiplying their advice to increase it. But what is it exactly? Here is a detailed explanation of basal metabolism and above all, some valuable tips to improve it.
What is basal metabolism?
Basal metabolism, or basal metabolism, corresponds to the energy needs necessary for the body to function normally, at rest . It is the sum of the “incompressible” daily calories that the body needs to maintain its vital functions:
- brain activity
- heart pump
- Respiration
- Digestion, metabolization and assimilation of nutrients
- Maintenance of body temperature (or thermoregulation)
- Cell renewal
Food is the main source of energy. But the body can also draw on its reserves to feed the body, when the nutritional intake is insufficient.
Basal metabolic rate varies depending on an individual’s height, weight, age, and gender . Other factors may also come into play, such as genetics or certain diseases (thyroid dysfunction, diabetes ).
How to calculate your basal metabolic rate?
There are many methods of calculating basal metabolic rate . All are based on 4 factors: age, gender, weight and height – accessible data. They thus offer a relatively reliable estimate of the basal metabolic rate and therefore make it possible to evaluate the optimal daily food intake to keep in shape.
Among these methods, the most popular are:
- Oxford equation: this equation was reassessed in 2005 (1) , to “stick” as closely as possible to the reality of humankind and no longer be based essentially on a European population.
- Calculation of Harris and Benedict: this method was re-evaluated in 1984 (Roza and Shizgal), because the original formula was obsolete and thus lost precision.
- Formula of Black et al. : this formula (2) is currently widely used, because it takes into account overweight subjects and people aged over 60.
Basal metabolism calculation methods are good indicators , but nevertheless have some limitations . Indeed, to be really precise, the calculation should (among other things) take into account the temperature, the fat mass/lean mass ratio or even the thyroid activity. Moreover, these methods make it possible to determine the daily energy needs according to the physical activity. It is this type of calculation that is used by health applications on smartphones, for example.
How to increase your base metabolism?
1- Banish restrictive diets
Metabolism is a sort of “creature of habit”. If, suddenly, the body is deprived of calories, it will automatically reduce the level of metabolism (therefore its energy consumption), in order to manage to mobilize enough energy and thus maintain the basic vital functions. If the diet is long-lasting, the basal metabolic rate will remain very low. But as soon as the diet stops, and the individual resumes a normal diet, or even if he eats a little more, the weight gain is substantial, because the metabolism has been weakened by the prolonged diet. Energy consumption is naturally low, so that the body no longer “knows” how to use calorie intake other than by storing it. This is called the yoyo effect .
In addition, diets reduce metabolism because:
- The weight of the body being less important after a mode, the organization requires less and less energy to function.
- Drastic weight loss affects adaptive thermogenesis (i.e. energy expenditure caused by environmental changes, such as infectious disease, external cold or heat, sudden exertion physical…) (3).
Also, to increase your basal metabolism, it is advisable not to follow a diet.
2- Rebalance your diet
It seems more profitable to modify one’s diet than to adopt dietary restrictions, to increase one’s basal metabolism.
Lean proteins are recommended because they require energy to digest. Thus, for the equivalent of 100 kcal of ingested proteins, 25 kcal on average will be used to digest them (against 2 kcal for lipids or 7 kcal for carbohydrates). So it will be interesting to add poultry, fish, eggs, cottage cheese and legumes to your food bowl.
The diet must also include other nutrients – mono diets have deleterious effects on the body. Thus, quality lipids must be consumed regularly: raw oilseeds (neither salted nor grilled), seeds (squash, flax, sunflower, chia), first cold-pressed vegetable oils (olive, grapeseed, rapeseed, walnuts ), lawyer . As for carbohydrates , we prefer complex ones, rich in fiber and with a low glycemic index (raw cereals such as spelt or oats, sweet potato, etc.). They should be consumed in moderation, but not banned, as they are necessary for good brain health.
Some spices and drinks also help improve your basic metabolism:
- Tea and coffee , if consumed without sugar or milk (presence of caffeine accelerating thermogenesis)
- Pepper piperine, chilli capsaicin , but also turmeric, ginger , cardamom, cinnamon or cumin. Also spices are excellent substitutes for salt.
Finally, to increase your basal metabolism, it is advisable to split your meals . 4 to 5 small daily food intakes would be preferable to two “big meals”. In addition, the body would be less pushed to store during fasting periods, between each meal.
3- Find a restful sleep
To increase your basal metabolism, it is essential to get enough and adequate sleep . The sleep diet is as deleterious to metabolism as the food diet. During the night, the body regenerates and recovers. The benefits of restful sleep are numerous :
- Reduction of stress and its harmful effects
- Decreased risk of anxiety and depression
- Regulation of hunger ( ghrelin ) and satiety ( leptin ) hormones – thus metabolism!
- Improved memory and information assimilation
- Strengthening of the immune system
- Elimination of cellular waste
- Improved physical condition
- Increased libido
Thus, a lack of sleep , or poor quality sleep (frequent awakenings) will cause fatigue , irritability and a lack of tone , causing a slowing of the metabolism. Cortisol, the stress hormone, will tend to rise , thus causing poor metabolization of nutrients (and therefore, a decrease in metabolism and weight gain). As for the hormones that regulate appetite , they will be disrupted : feeling of increased hunger, difficulty feeling satiety and snacking that is harmful to the metabolism.
To increase your metabolism, it is therefore important to:
- Respect the natural cycles of sleep by going to bed when you feel sleepy (yawning, itchy eyes, chills), if possible between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.
- Opt for regular sunrise and sunset times.
- Sleep in a quiet environment, in a cool, airy room.
- Sleep in the dark, and avoid screens and exposure to blue light before bedtime.
- Avoid all stimulating substances that disturb sleep (coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco).
4- Practice regular physical activity
Physical activity is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to increase your metabolism. Indeed, the greater the muscle mass, the more the metabolism improves, because the muscle tissues are voracious in energy, even at rest. Sport is all the more important as muscle mass (and therefore basal metabolism) decreases with age .
Daily physical activity is therefore to be preferred: daily walks, bicycle rather than car, stairs rather than elevator, active games with children rather than consoles… So many small efforts that make a clear difference on the metabolism.
In addition, it is important to practice a regular sports activity , in order to solicit all the muscles of the body, frequently, to maintain a high metabolism. Intensive sports , such as interval running or Hiit, lead to a significant increase in metabolism , during and after exercise. We talk about the “Afterburn Effect”: when we practice a sport intense, the cardiovascular system accelerates, to supply oxygen and energy to the muscles. If you exceed your capacity, the body goes into an oxygen “debt”. During recovery, the body will therefore have to compensate and “rebuild”. This reconstruction is voracious in energy, so the body will draw on its reserves. This is the afterburn effect, or post-exercise oxygen consumption. This complex process, if reproduced regularly, markedly improves basal metabolism. Endurance sports, such as brisk walking or swimming, will be less effective. However, it would be a mistake to deprive yourself of their virtues, because they are still beneficial to metabolism, physical health (cardiac, muscular and respiratory capacities) and mental health (stress reduction, better sleep).
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.