Metabolism refers to all the chemical reactions in your body, which keep your body alive and functioning.

However, this term is often used interchangeably with metabolic rate, which actually refers to the amount of calories your burn.

The higher your metabolism is, the higher the metabolic rate and the easier it is for you to lose weight and maintain it.

What’s more, high metabolism gives you energy and makes you feel better. So here are 11 science-backed ways to improve metabolism.

1. Load up on protein

Eating food can boost your metabolism for a few hours, and this is called the thermic effect of food (TEF).

Since protein has high TEF, it helps increase your metabolic rate by 15–30%, compared to 0–3% and 5–10% for fats and carbs, respectively.

In addition, multiple studies have shown protein intake to help you feel fuller, thus preventing you from overeating.

In fact, people have been found in one small study to eat around 441 fewer calories per day when 30% of their diet is made up of protein.

What’s more, increased protein intake may reduce the drop in metabolism often affiliated with fat loss.

2. Use coconut oil instead of cooking fats

Coconut oil is chock-full of medium-chain fats, which boost metabolism more than the long-chain fats.

In fact, medium-chain fats have been found in one study to increase metabolism by 12% compared to the 4% increase caused by long-chain fats.

Coconut oil’s unique fatty acid profile makes it more beneficial for weight loss compared to any other cooking fats.

3. Drink cold water

Sugary drinks are jam-packed with calories; thus, drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened drinks is way more beneficial when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off.

It can speed up your metabolism in a few hours. In fact, drinking 0.5-liter water has been shown in studies to increase resting metabolism by 10–30% for about an hour.

However, drinking cold water may even increase this calorie-burning effect considering that your body needs energy to heat it up to body temperature.

Water may also have an appetite-suppressing effect; it helps fill you up. Drinking water 30 minutes before meals has been shown in studies to help you eat less.

Additionally, people who drank half a liter of water before eating have been found in one study of overweight adults to lose 44% more weight compared to those who didn’t.

4. Drink coffee

Caffeine found in coffee has been shown in studies to boost metabolism by 3–11%.  This is to say that coffee may also promote fat burning–just like green tea.

However, lean people seem to be experiencing this effect more.  For example, coffee has been shown in one study to boost fat burning by 29% for lean women and only 10% for obese women.

Nevertheless, coffee’s effects on fat burning and metabolism may be great contributors to a successful weight loss and maintenance.

5. Do a high-intensity workout

High-intensity interval training, which involves quick and very intense activity alternated with low-intensity recovery periods, can increase your metabolic rate even after the workout, leading to improved fat burning.

In fact, a 12-week high-intensity exercise has been found in one study in overweight young men to reduce belly fat by 17% and fat mass by 2 kg.

6. Drink oolong tea or green tea

Studies have shown oolong tea and green tea to increase metabolism by 4–5%.

These teas are low in calories; thus, drinking them may be beneficial for both losing weight and keeping it off.

They have metabolism-boosting properties that may help prevent you from reaching a weight loss plateau, which comes with a slow metabolism.

Study results are however mixed. Thus, it can be noted that their effects may not be the same for everyone.

7. Eat spicy foods

Peppers carry a chemical called capsaicin, which helps reduce your appetite and speed up your metabolism.  However, the doses needed to have a significant effect are just intolerable for many people.

Eating pepper has been predicted in one study of capsaicin, at tolerable doses, to burn around 10 additional calories every meal.

Adding spices to your food alone may only have small effects; however, when combined with other metabolism-boosting strategies, it may offer a slight advantage.

8. Get enough B vitamins

B vitamins play a key role in fully functioning metabolism; some key B vitamins include B6 (pyridoxine), B2 (riboflavin), and B1 (thiamine).

Excellent B vitamin food sources include the following:

• whole-grain foods
• baked potatoes
• peanut butter
• orange juice
• bananas
• spinach
• eggs
• peas

9. Lift weights

Lifting weights helps build muscle, which can also increase one’s metabolic rate. It helps you burn more calories every day, even when you’re at rest.

On top of building muscle and increasing metabolism, it can also help you retain muscle mass and prevent your metabolism from slowing down during weight loss.

For example, women who were placed on a diet of 800 calories per day and did the resistance training have been found in one study to maintain their muscle mass, strength, and metabolism.

10. Stand up more often

Sitting for too long is not healthy. It may increase your risk of chronic health problems, including certain cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.

It has been called “the new smoking,” as it burns fewer calories and can cause weight gain.

In fact, an afternoon of standing up at work is way better than sitting for too long, as it can burn an extra 174 calories

If your work involves sitting for too long, try to take a break by standing up for short periods.

11. Get adequate quality sleep

Not getting enough quality sleep has been linked to a major increase in obesity risk.

It can be noted that sleep deprivation can negatively affect your metabolism.

Lack of sleep has been shown to decrease the fullness hormone leptin and boost the hunger hormone ghrelin. What’s more, it has also been linked to increased insulin resistance and blood sugar levels.

This may be the reason why a lot of sleep-deprived people feel hungry and struggle to lose weight.

Conclusion

A healthy lifestyle combined with these science-backed tips can often lead to fast metabolism.

So make sure you are loading up on protein, drinking plenty of cold water, getting adequate quality sleep, getting enough B-vitamins, and lifting weights or exercising. These allow you to achieve weight loss and weight maintenance, while keeping you energized.