7 Biohacks to Speed Up Your Metabolism and Lose Weight

Your metabolism has three primary components:

  1. Basal Metabolic rate (BMR)- 60%
  2. Activity Energy Expenditure (AEE)- 30%
  3. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)- 10%

BMR is the resting metabolism used to run all the systems of your body.


TEF includes the calories used to convert food calories into energy the body can use. This varies by macronutrient.  Protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates require more calories to process than non-fiber containing carbohydrates and fat.

While metabolism (BMR) is primarily affected by one’s age, gender and size,  there are some thing you can do to give it a boost:

  1. Get Enough Sleep

Regulation of sleep and metabolism are interconnected. Inadequate sleep and sleep restriction have been reported to lead to increased feelings of hunger and appetite and are associated with increased risk for obesity.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, Adults (26-64) require 7-9 hours/night

  1. Drink Green Tea

Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content. Green tea may play a role in the control of body composition via sympathetic activation of thermogenesis and  fat oxidation.

There are studies on using green tea catechins to treat metabolic syndrome, obesity, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Long-term consumption of tea catechins could be beneficial against high-fat diet-induced obesity and type II diabetes and could reduce the risk of coronary disease.*~hmac=ab48acebf7d121464b9e5dde0e2888eacf708a5034e46b1ad9efa7838cca7c66


  1. Do Higher-Intensity Workouts

Repeated high-intensity exercise sessions over 6 weeks (3 d·week–1) is a powerful method to increase whole-body and skeletal muscle capacities to oxidize fat and carbohydrate. These  adaptations will vary depending on the training history of the individual.


  1. Eat  Breakfast

Eating breakfast affects energy intake, energy expenditure, and circulating insulin, glucose, and lipid concentrations.

Missing breakfast causes metabolic and hormonal differences in the responses to foods consumed later in the morning as well as differences in subjective appetite and a compensatory increase in energy intake.


  1. Hit the Weights

Strength training increases energy expenditure during the training session and the high intensity/anaerobic nature of strength training results in a post-exercise energy expenditure (fat burning) during the recovery period for up to fifteen hours.

In addition the increase in lean body mass on individuals who strength train can lead to an increase in the number of calories that are burned at rest.


  1. Spice Up Your Food

Spicing up your meals may have metabolic benefits, particularly when it comes to insulin and triglyceride levels.

Adding various spices such as  turmeric, cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne and paprika  to a meal was shown to significantly reduce postprandial insulin and triglyceride levels


  1. Take Fish oil

A study found that fish oil supplementation had favorable effects on:

1) Metabolic rate and substrate oxidation at rest and during exercise

2) Resting blood pressure and resting and exercise heart rates

3) Body composition

4) Strength and physical function

5) Blood measures of insulin, glucose, c-reactive protein, and triglycerides.

If you have been in a weight loss rut, try these biohacks to increase your metabolism and shed some weight.

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