There’s a lot of talk about metabolism when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight–but a lot of people gloss over the nuances of what your metabolism actually does, and what it doesn’t do. Your body’s metabolism, for example, doesn’t “speed up” if you skip breakfast.1 (Myth!) Another big misconception about metabolism is that it slows down with age. The truth is, metabolism tends to slow down with age only if your activity level slows down.2
See, the body’s metabolism is based on all sorts of factors, including your body size, muscle mass, diet, and physical activity levels.3 And here, we’ll break down everything you need to know about maintaining a healthy weight, by maintaining a healthy metabolism.
Spoiler alert: Your body’s metabolism won’t just magically get faster; you will have to put the work in. But luckily there are practices and products that can help.
What is “metabolism” anyway?
Metabolism is how the body turns food and drink into energy in order to keep it functioning. It’s made up of all the chemical processes happening behind the scenes in the body’s cells, every second of the day, that help you move, breathe, heal, and just live.
Often when we talk about metabolism, we’re talking about how our bodies burn calories from food and drinks, which is known as our “metabolic rate.” As the name implies, the rate that people “burn through” calories to keep the body breathing, the heart beating, engaging in physical activity, and digesting food, can vary.
Someone with a fast metabolism (or fast basal metabolic rate / BMR) burns a lot of calories even while at rest; while someone with a slower metabolism will burn fewer calories while at rest.3
But metabolic rate is something that you can change.
What Impacts Metabolic Rate?
According to Cleveland Clinic, some of the best things you can do to keep your metabolism healthy and fired up include3:
Eating balanced meals throughout the day: Research shows that metabolism functions best when it has a steady source of energy throughout the day.
Focus on nutrient-dense foods: Fresh fruits, healthy veggies, lots of lean protein, fiber-rich whole grains, and healthy fats are key to keeping the metabolism chugging along.
Don’t skip meals: Luckily these days people seem more aware that drastic calorie restriction or skipping meals doesn’t help with long-term weight maintenance; if anything, it just messes up your metabolism. When the body is deprived of the calories it needs, the metabolism slows down in order to store more energy.
Stay active: Exercise– and particularly strength training or heavy weight training– have been shown to increase people’s resting metabolism, perhaps more than anything else. Healthy, strong muscles help your body to burn more calories than fat, even while at rest.
Get enough sleep: A lack of sleep can disrupt the endocrine system and mess up your hormones. This can slow down your body’s ability to use energy efficiently.
Stay hydrated: According to Cleveland Clinic, even mild dehydration can slow down the body’s metabolism significantly. So drink plenty of water throughout the day; if you’re dehydrated after a sweaty work out, throw some electrolytes into the mix.
Does Metabolism Impact Weight?
According to Cleveland Clinic, metabolism isn’t usually the sole cause of weight gain or loss; but it definitely can play a role. If your metabolism is faster, you’re burning more calories while at rest, plain and simple.
But experts at Harvard Health are quick to point out that whether your metabolism is fast or slow, the body is going to store excess energy (calories) in fat cells. So if you’re eating and drinking more calories than your body expends, you’re going to gain weight. Vice versa, if you’re expending more calories than you’re consuming, you’ll likely lose weight.4
And boosting the metabolism is one way to increase the amount of calories your body expends.
Boosting the metabolism for healthy weight loss
Back in the day, we had “weight loss pills” which were essentially speed, containing all sorts of ingredients that have since been banned. Sure, they’d boost your metabolism for a while and cut your appetite– kind of like doing a bunch of cocaine might– but they’d also boost your heart rate, blood pressure, and your likelihood of keeling over.5
Thankfully today drugs like these are (mostly) outlawed, and we have a better understanding of how to boost metabolism in healthy ways. For example, it’s pretty common knowledge these days that the more strength training you do and muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism will be.
For those who want to boost their metabolism further, supplements like URO Metabolism + Probiotic Capsules might be a good (and speed-free!) solution for you.
URO Metabolism + Probiotic Capsules
This 4-in-1 formula helps support healthy weight management in a few different ways:
- It improves the health of your gut microbiome. Your gut’s health is directly related to digestion, weight management, metabolic function, and not to mention mental health and wellbeing.6 This product contains B. lactis Fit™, a probiotic strain clinically studied for its impact on fat reduction and body composition. It works by nourishing the gut microbiome, supporting fat metabolism, and helping shift the body’s natural fat storage processes to promote energy balance.*
- It boosts energy levels. Each capsule delivers 100mg of caffeine—which is about the same amount as one cup of coffee. This is paired with vitamin B12, another natural energy booster. This combination can help those who feel too sluggish to get to the gym or go for a walk to move their bodies– which boosts the metabolism. Remember, lift heavy! Cardio alone is not going to boost your resting metabolic rate.*
- It curbs cravings. These days GLP-1 drugs are super trendy because they curb cravings, which results in weight loss. In the same way, this supplement contains chromium, probiotics, and green coffee bean extract which together support satiety, healthy blood sugar levels, and digestive regularity.*
This product will be especially useful for those who aren’t seeing the results they want with diet and exercise alone, for those who tend to have lots of cravings for unhealthy snacks, or anyone who wants to boost energy levels.*
Though, since this product does contain the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee, you’ll probably want to avoid it if you’re historically sensitive to caffeine.
The Bottom Line
Metabolism is a trendy word these days, but really understanding what it does and what it doesn’t do are key to making it work for you–not against you.
Ultimately, maintaining a healthy metabolism through strength training, healthy sleep habits, hydration, eating nutrient-packed foods throughout the day, and if you need a little extra help, weight loss supplements like URO Metabolism + Probiotic Capsules, can help you to maintain your weight–in a healthy and sustainable way.
