According to the one meta-analysis, sleep restriction decreases insulin sensitivity and causes changes in brain activity in response to food stimuli, meaning food especially unhealthy types becomes more rewarding. Make it a priority to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night in order to keep hormone levels in check, including cortisol.

High cortisol levels associated with a lack of sleep are tied to poor mental functioning, weight gain and becoming more resistant to insulin that controls blood glucose levels.

Another way to maintain hormonal balance is to rest enough between exercise days. Overtraining repeatedly causes fatigue, muscle loss and a lower basal metabolic rate, not the opposite as you might think.

Exercise impacts your hormonal status, and intense workouts without rest elevate cortisol levels. Exercise of any kind is important for keeping metabolic function working into older age.

Therefore, a decline in metabolism seems to be related most to age-associated reductions in exercise volume and calorie consumption than aging itself. What is a good metabolism booster when it comes to exercise?

High-intensity interval training HIIT , a form of exercise that features intervals that vary between all-out effort and short periods of rest, is known to especially jump-start metabolic functioning better than steady-state workouts can.

One of the best things about HIIT workouts is that they require less time than traditional cardio workouts, yet they have more profound benefits. This phenomenon is due to the way the body uses higher levels of oxygen to recover following intense physical activity.

HIIT burns more fat over the duration of the day, builds more muscle and improves metabolic function compared to steadier exercises. It can also generally improve cardiometabolic functions and even hormonal balance, such as in women with PCOS. Strength training — whether lifting weights or using your own body weight — can support your resting metabolic rate because it builds lean muscle mass , which naturally uses more calories than body fat does.

To improve your body composition, I recommend ideally doing heavy weight training of six to 12 reps, five days a week, for about 45—75 minutes for the best results.

Certain foods slow down digestive processes and increase free radical damage, which is one major cause of aging. This increases inflammation and stress hormone production, which slows down metabolic functioning.

When trying to boost your metabolism, I recommend avoiding the following foods as much as possible:. Certain foods might help the body use and expend energy better. This has to do with the thermic effects of some foods, especially those high in protein, meaning the body works harder to break down and metabolize certain fat-burning foods.

Eating enough protein, for example, is tied to a strong metabolism, as are some spicy foods. Packing in healthy high-protein snacks and sources throughout the day is one the simple metabolism boosters that also keeps you full for longer. Protein is beneficial for keeping energy and blood sugar stable while also helping build calorie-burning lean muscle mass.

Drinking natural forms of caffeine in moderation, like coffee or green tea, is also supportive of a healthy metabolism. Green tea consumption has been considered a natural metabolism booster for centuries thanks to special antioxidant compounds in addition to low levels of caffeine.

Naturally warming foods like cayenne pepper, chili and other spicy ingredients are known to increase heat in the body thanks to an active compound called capsaicin. These antioxidant-packed spices also might help decrease appetite and slow the growth of fat cells.

As mentioned above, very low-calorie diets can actually interfere with your ability to burn more calories. Therefore you want to avoid most fat diets when trying to boost your metabolism. While calorie intake varies from person to person, we all need to meet our needs in order to supply the necessary chemicals that are used for building, upkeep and repair of all body tissues.

Very low-calorie diets miss key nutrients. This robs the body of raw materials like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus or sulfur, which are supplied in carbohydrates, lipids, protein and water from our diets.

Meal timing can look differently for different people, with some choosing to eat three square meals a day with fewer snacks, while others prefer eating smaller meals but more often. Either approach is OK as long as it keeps your energy, blood sugar and hunger levels stable. In addition, to support a healthy and stable weight, one of the most compelling reasons to work on increasing your metabolism is that this keeps us from prematurely aging and getting sick often.

Another benefit of eating enough calories every day is that it helps you maintain a healthier relationship with food. Popular Posts All Time This Week {position} Detox Your Liver: A 6-Step Liver Cleanse.

More Health Dr. Axe on Facebook Dr. Axe on Twitter 70 Dr. Axe on Instagram Dr. As such, Weiler explains, prioritizing lean proteins at every meal may aid in burning more overall calories, therefore increasing metabolism. Finally, Weiler says iron is crucial to maintaining a steady calorie burn.

Now that you understand how your metabolism works, take the next step by adding these metabolism-boosting foods to your diet. Whole milk is a great source of bone-building calcium in addition to providing 8 g of protein per cup, according the United States Department of Agriculture USDA.

The protein in this fruit contains all nine essential amino acids, plus heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A cup of cheddar has around 25 g of protein —pair it with an apple for a satisfying afternoon snack.

Its nougat-like texture makes tempeh a smart stand-in for meat. Sauté, or crumble cooked tempeh over salads. Flaxseeds are soluble fiber that help the gut microbiome, Weiler says, and therefore potentially support metabolism.

Make them into a breakfast pudding with yogurt, or sprinkle them into a smoothie or onto a salad. Beans are a plant-based protein, and many varieties, such as lima beans, are also a source of soluble fiber. As such, they slow the glycemic response, or the rate at which sugar reaches the bloodstream, adds Weiler, which may positively affect the metabolism.

Pair black beans with rice or quinoa for a complete meal. Weiler adds that lentils are also high in protein, which is why she recommends adding a spoonful to your next salad or casserole. Sweet potatoes are a source of soluble fiber, says Weiler, which aids metabolism by fueling the gut with diverse microbiota.

According to the USDA , one large potato also contains 3. Kimchi is a fermented cabbage condiment traditional to Korea. A single serving offers nearly every trace mineral your body needs, including protein, iron, magnesium, and zinc.

Add a scoop to smoothies or water for a quick protein hit. Avoiding animal products? Try soy or another plant-based protein powder. Of all the leafy greens, spinach boasts the highest protein content at almost 3 g per raw grams, per the USDA.

Made from soybeans, this low-cal, versatile protein will take on any flavor you season it with, from sweet to salty to spicy. It packs In fact, just one half of a cooked salmon filet boasts Quinoa and other grains like amaranth and buckwheat offer more protein than your typical side of rice.

Weiler adds that quinoa, in particular, offers an iron boost as well.