Weight Loss - How to Achieve It Faster By Increasing Basal Metabolic Rate

Your body spends energy to sustain life and functioning. The rate at which calories are burned by your body at rest is called basal metabolic rate. The BMR amounts to almost 70% of the total energy expended by you. The remaining 30% of energy expenditure happens by way of physical activity and by what is called thermic food effect - the process by which you eat and digest food. This might be good news for many who have had trouble losing weight despite working religiously at it. It is true that if you increase your metabolism, your body burns more calories naturally and helps you lose weight faster. Hence, you will do well to understand how to increase your basal metabolic rate to speed up weight loss.

The basal metabolic rate can vary between individuals. The speed of your metabolism depends on a lot of factors. Your age, your gender, and your genes can influence your rate of metabolism.

As you grow older, metabolism slows down and your BMR drops.

Men metabolize faster than women. This is because of increased muscle mass and decreased body fat in men.

Your genes can impact your basal metabolic rate.

Despite the above factors, there are several ways by which you can boost your BMR. Some of these are as follows:

1. Exercise regularly. Increased muscle mass leads to increased metabolism. Therefore, good physical exercise can help you build muscles. Studies have revealed that vigorous exercise causes your BMR to remain elevated even after several hours of working out. Thus, your body keeps burning fat at a higher rate even while you rest.
2. Eat protein-rich food. The more protein you eat, the more calories you burn. Protein raises your BMR by 30%. Lean meat, eggs, and nuts are great sources of protein.
3. Include complex carbohydrates in your diet. Carbohydrates increase BMR by 6%. Whole-grain cereals, bread, vegetables, and legumes are some examples of complex carbohydrates.
4. Prevent muscle loss by strengthening and resistance training exercises.
5. Avoid high-fat food and sugar. These slow down your BMR. Your body takes the energy from the high-fat food for its maintenance, thereby causing metabolism to slow down.
6. Avoid crash dieting or fasting. If you starve, your body understands that it should store calories instead of burning them. This causes your metabolism to drop.

Following the above measures will aid in speeding up your basal metabolic rate and will help you lose weight quickly and more effectively.

Padmavathy Augustus is a freelance writer. With over 11 years of experience in the healthcare industry, writing health-related articles is her area of expertise. She can be contacted at padmavathy.augustus@gmail.com