Bananas are chock-full of something called resistant starch — a healthy carb that helps keep you full (similar to fibre) and boosts your metabolism. The high content of potassium in bananas can also help your body regulate the transfer of nutrients into cells, which may increase your metabolism as well.
"The biggest thing people do that slows their metabolism down is eating too few calories," said Fiore. 1200 calories per day is roughly the amount you need to perform basic functions, she suggested, and when a person eats fewer than that, the metabolism slows down to conserve energy.
A shift in your hormones can put the brakes on your body's energy use. That can make you tired. Some conditions, like an underactive or overactive thyroid and diabetes, are hormonal diseases that affect your metabolism. Stress also releases hormones that can trigger a slow-down.
This includes weight lifting, high-intensity interval training, eating enough calories and protein, getting plenty of sleep and drinking green tea. Try adding a few of these strategies into your daily routine to help keep your metabolism fast and even give it a boost.
Water is the key to life, and it turns out it's also one of the easiest ways to help your metabolism. Drinking water increases your metabolism by up to 25% for nearly an hour after drinking it. That means if you drink a few cups of water every hour, you'll keep your metabolism at peak performance all day.
People with more muscle mass often have faster metabolisms that burn more calories. Age: You lose muscle as you get older, which slows down the metabolism. Sex: Males tend to have faster metabolisms than females. They have more muscle mass, larger bones and less body fat.
Regardless of whether your metabolism is fast or slow, our bodies are designed to store excess energy in fat cells. So, if you eat and drink more calories (energy "intake") than your body expends (energy "output") you will gain weight.
Your doctor can prescribe a metabolism test and perform it in a medical setting. They may do a blood draw at the hospital or recommend a laboratory where your blood will be drawn. If you wish to choose your own lab, look for one that is Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified .
Pooping a lot does not necessarily mean fast metabolism, as digestion and metabolism are not as closely correlated as many people think them to be. Many people have a fast metabolism but still do not poop a lot.
It may be that you have a fast metabolism (meaning your body burns energy from food at a fast rate than the people around you) or you're just naturally slender. For some people, underlying health conditions and certain medications and treatments can make it difficult to reach and/or maintain a healthy weight.
So what does that have to do with eating more? Science says that people who eat more likely move more, and therefore burn more calories. "Research suggests that when subjects were provided too few calories, their NEAT scores dropped," says Kristin Koskinen, a registered dietitian.
Aerobic exercise (cardio) is an effective way to improve your health and burn calories. Studies also show that it's one of the most effective forms of exercise for reducing belly fat.
According to the University of Washington, drinking cold water will increase metabolism — but only slightly. When you drink a cup of ice water, you burn about 8 more calories than when you drink room temperature water.
Fasting for a certain number of hours each day or eating just one meal a couple days a week, can help your body burn fat. And scientific evidence points to some health benefits, as well.
