Unfortunately, there are more myths about boosting metabolism than tactics that work. Some myths can backfire. If you think you are burning more calories than you actually are, you could end up eating more than you should.

It is true that you burn more calories when you exercise , especially when you get your heart rate up with activities like biking or swimming. That increased calorie burn lasts as long as your workout. You might keep burning extra calories for an hour or so after that, but the aftereffects of exercise stop there.

Once you stop moving, your metabolism will go back to its resting rate. If you load up on calories after a workout, thinking your body will keep burning calories the rest of the day, you risk weight gain. What to do: Exercise for your health and refuel with healthy foods. Do not let exercise give you an excuse to overindulge in high-calorie foods and drinks.

Muscle burns more calories than fat. So will building more muscle not boost your metabolism? Yes, but only by a small amount.

Most regular exercisers only gain a few pounds fewer kilograms of muscle. That is not enough to make a big difference in the number of calories you burn. Plus, when not in active use, muscles burn very few calories. Most of the time, your brain, heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs account for most of your metabolism.

What to do: Lift weights for stronger bones and muscles. Make strength training part of a well-rounded exercise program that includes activities to get your heart pumping. To keep off extra weight, you also need to eat a healthy diet and appropriate portions. Eating foods like green tea, caffeine, or hot chili peppers will not help you shed excess pounds kilograms.

Some may provide a small boost in your metabolism, but not enough to make a difference in your weight. What to do: Choose foods for their good nutrition and taste.

Eat a variety of healthy foods that fill you up without filling you out. Unfortunately, there is little scientific evidence that eating small, frequent meals boosts metabolism. Spreading your meals throughout the day might keep you from getting too hungry and overeating.

If so, it is a good idea. Athletes perform better when they eat more often in smaller amounts. If you are someone who has a hard time stopping once you start eating, 3 meals a day may make it easier for you to stick to an appropriate intake than lots of little snacks.

What to do: Pay attention to your hunger cues and eat when you feel hungry. Keep track of your daily diet and limit high-sugar, high-fat snacks. A good night's sleep will not boost your metabolism but going without sleep can add weight.

Sleep-deprived people tend to eat more calories than they need, possibly to deal with feeling tired. What to do: Plan your schedule so you have enough time for sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, look into ways to unwind before bedtime and make your bedroom comfortable for sleep.

Talk to your health care provider if self-care tips for better sleep do not help. While it is true that our metabolism is slower than when we were kids, a lot of mid-life weight gain happens because we become less active.

Jobs and family push exercise to the back burner. When we do not move as much, we lose muscle and gain fat. As you get older, you may also have trouble regulating your meals. You can also try going for walks during the day or invest in a standing desk. In a study , researchers found that doing this resulted in reduced blood insulin and sugar.

Sitting for a long time burns few calories and may negatively affect your health. Try standing up or taking walks regularly or investing in a standing desk. Green tea and oolong tea help convert some of the fat stored in your body into free fatty acids, which may indirectly increase fat burning when combined with exercise.

However, some older research suggests that these teas do not affect metabolism. Therefore, their effect may be small or only apply to some people. Drinking green tea or oolong tea may affect your gut microbiome, which may be influencing the way your body breaks down fats, but research is mixed.

Peppers contain capsaicin , a compound that can boost your metabolism. For instance, one review evaluated the effects of capsaicin at acceptable doses. It predicted that eating peppers would burn around 10 additional calories per meal. Over 6. Alone, the effects of adding spices to your food may be quite small.

However, it may lead to a slight advantage when combined with other metabolism-boosting strategies. Eating spicy food could be beneficial for boosting your metabolism and help you maintain a moderate weight. However, the metabolism-boosting effect of spicy foods is quite small. Lack of sleep is linked to a major increase in the chance of obesity.

This could explain why many people who are sleep-deprived often feel hungry and may have difficulty losing weight or may gain weight. In a study , researchers also found that a lack of sleep for four nights or longer may slightly decrease how the body metabolizes fat.

Lack of sleep can affect the levels of your appetite-regulating hormones and may slightly affect how your body metabolizes fat, which may lead to weight gain. Research has shown that caffeine can trigger the body to release neurotransmitters like epinephrine , which helps regulate the way your body processes fat.

However, this effect may vary based on several factors. For instance, one study found that caffeine was more effective at increasing fat burning during exercise in individuals with a less active sedentary lifestyle in comparison with trained athletes.

Drinking coffee can significantly increase your metabolism and may help you lose weight if that is your goal. They may explore underlying causes and offer you a tailored plan. Managing any condition that slows down your metabolism, like hypothyroidism , can help make other efforts more productive.

Jumpstarting your metabolism may also require you to change a few habits like a nutrient-dense diet with limited processed foods, regular physical activity , and optimum sleep hygiene that allows your body to rest and recharge.

You may also avoid doing things that slow down your metabolism like restricting too many calories or not doing any strength resistance training. Every body is different.

Signs of a slow metabolism may vary individually but may include fatigue, digestive upset, not losing any weight despite your efforts, and easily gaining weight. Only a healthcare professional may accurately assess your metabolism and the underlying causes of these symptoms.

Restrictive diets may sometimes lead to a slow metabolism, among other health effects. Although for weight loss and fat burning you do want to consume fewer calories than you burn, your body still needs to get enough fuel and nutrients to perform body functions.

Instead of eating less, you may want to focus on nutritious foods and move more. Foods that boost your metabolism typically include protein such as meat, dairy, or legumes.

Read more about the 12 best foods to boost your metabolism. Learn about these and other foods you can eat before bed.

To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit. This means you need to eat fewer calories than you burn, or better, burn more calories than you eat.

You may want to focus on healthy eating habits while you consume enough calories to support your body functions. Consider reducing processed foods, sugar and alcohol intake, and saturated fats.

Resistance training and eating an adequate amount of protein can help preserve lean body mass. Muscle growth helps you burn more calories at rest.

Making small lifestyle changes and incorporating these tips into your routine can help increase your metabolism. Having a higher metabolism can help you lose weight and keep it off, if that is your goal, while also giving you more energy. Try this today: In addition to trying the tips outlined above, you can also add more metabolism-boosting foods to your diet.

Check out this article for a list of some nutritious foods that can support your metabolism. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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