ORLANDO, Fla. – Metabolism is the process of your body changing food into energy. It is often said that the metabolism you’re born with is the metabolism you are stuck with for life.
However, there are things you can do to benefit your metabolic health.
“When a person either exercises or consumes food their metabolism increases or decreases,” Steven Burroughs, a nutritionist and metabolic expert at the University of Central Florida said.
Research shows there are simple tricks you can do daily that may rev up your metabolism.
The first tip is to drink morning coffee. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that caffeine can be used as a central nervous stimulant to kickstart your metabolism.
The next tip was to keep drinking water all day long. A small study showed drinking 17 ounces of water increases metabolism by 30% an hour.
Also, eat plenty of protein. It takes 20 to 30% more energy for your body to digest protein.
“We know that protein in the diet, coming from things like chicken, beef, or eggs, increases the amount of muscle tissue. If a person meets their protein requirements, they can increase the body’s ability to use food for energy,” Burroughs said.
Another tip is, stand up more. A 2018 study found that standing at work was associated with higher metabolism. Personal trainers recommend fitting in what they call movement snacks every hour.
Experts say other simple tricks to speed up your metabolism can include watching the sunrise to ramp up Vitamin D levels and turning down your thermostat. The colder your body temperature is the higher your metabolism is.