Jeffrey Salazar
Yo-yo and crash dieting can cause a long-term slowdown in metabolism, making it difficult to lose weight. Metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy, and it is influenced by genetics, age, body composition, diet, and conditions like hypothyroidism. To increase your metabolism after dieting, you can make small lifestyle changes such as increasing your protein intake, drinking green tea or coffee, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, and incorporating physical activities like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or strength training.
How to Increase BMR After Dieting
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Consume an appropriate number of calories | Females ages 19–30 years need 1,600–2,400 calories per day, depending on their physical activity levels. Males in the same age range need 2,000–3,000 calories per day. |
| Consume more protein | Protein causes the largest rise in TEF. Dietary protein requires 20-30% of its usable energy to be expended for metabolism, compared to 5-10% for carbs and 0-3% for fats. |
| Consume more metabolism-boosting foods | Green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and goji tea. |
| Consume more water | Staying hydrated allows your body to complete tasks more efficiently, including converting food to energy. |
| Exercise | High-intensity interval training (HIIT), running, swimming, lifting weights, resistance training, and strength training. |
| Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) | Fidgeting, standing, walking around, and maintaining good posture. |
| Sleep | Getting enough sleep can help increase metabolism. |
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What You'll Learn
Increase protein intake
Increasing your protein intake can be an effective way to boost your metabolism after dieting. Protein is one of the three macronutrients, along with fats and carbohydrates, and it has the highest thermic effect of food (TEF). This means that protein requires more energy to digest, process, and eliminate compared to other macronutrients.
Protein causes a large rise in TEF, with 20-30% of its usable energy being expended for metabolism, compared to 5-10% for carbohydrates and only 0-3% for fats. As a result, eating more protein can increase the number of calories you burn and prevent a decrease in fat-free mass (FFM), which helps maintain resting energy expenditure even when losing weight.
Several clinical trials have found that a high-protein diet (HPD) not only reduces body weight but also enhances body composition by decreasing fat mass while preserving FFM. HPDs have been shown to increase satiety, reduce appetite, and prevent weight regain after weight loss. Additionally, protein helps build and repair muscle, which further contributes to raising your metabolic level.
The recommended daily intake of protein varies depending on the source. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 to 2025 suggests that adult females consume at least 46 grams of protein per day, while adult males should aim for at least 56 grams. Other sources recommend consuming at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily or 10-35% of calories from protein to prevent protein deficiency.
If you are considering increasing your protein intake, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian, especially if you have any health conditions such as chronic kidney disease. They can help you develop a plan to ensure you are getting adequate protein while also considering your individual needs and overall health.
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Incorporate resistance training
Resistance training is an effective way to increase your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and repair your metabolism after dieting. Building muscle mass through resistance training exercises helps to elevate your resting metabolic rate because muscle burns more calories than fat, even when your body is at rest.
Resistance training can include exercises such as lifting weights, using resistance machines or bands, or bodyweight exercises like Pilates. These types of exercises create a metabolic demand on the body, which helps to increase your BMR. Additionally, resistance training helps to conserve fat-free mass and resting energy expenditure, which is beneficial for maintaining a healthy metabolism.
One study found that nine months of resistance training was enough to significantly increase metabolism. This highlights that consistent and long-term commitment to resistance training can have a positive impact on your BMR. It is important to note that the time frame for seeing improvements in your metabolic rate may vary depending on your individual circumstances and how long you have been dieting.
Incorporating resistance training into your fitness routine can be an effective strategy to increase your BMR and promote a healthy metabolism. By challenging your muscles and building strength, you can enhance your body's ability to burn calories and support your overall health and fitness goals.
It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional or a certified fitness trainer before starting any new exercise program to ensure it is safe and suitable for your specific needs and capabilities. They can provide guidance on the types of resistance training exercises that are appropriate for you and help you develop a well-rounded fitness routine that includes a combination of strength training, cardio, and other forms of physical activity.
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Drink green tea and coffee
Drinking green tea and coffee can be a great way to increase your BMR after dieting. Both drinks contain caffeine, which has been shown to increase metabolic rate and fat burning.
Coffee is a natural stimulant that can help increase your metabolism and make you feel more alert. The caffeine in coffee blocks adenosine, which increases the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine, making you feel more energized. Coffee also contains chlorogenic acid, which may help slow the absorption of carbohydrates. However, it's important to note that the effects of coffee on metabolism may diminish over time as people build up a tolerance to caffeine. To counteract this, you could try cycling your coffee drinking habits, for example, with two weeks on and two weeks off.
Green tea also contains caffeine, which can boost your resting metabolic rate (RMR) and increase your total energy expenditure. A 2021 review found that green tea extract may help burn more calories at rest by increasing total energy expenditure. Additionally, green tea contains catechins, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which may aid in fat oxidation and boost the effects of fat-burning hormones. A 2022 study found that drinking green tea before breakfast increased energy expenditure, although participants reported increased feelings of hunger.
While drinking green tea and coffee can be beneficial for increasing your BMR, it's important to consume them in moderation. Excessive caffeine intake can have negative effects, such as increasing insulin resistance and blood glucose levels. Additionally, combining these drinks with other strategies, such as strength training and a balanced diet, will help further boost your metabolism and support your overall health.
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Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is essential for maintaining overall health and can also help increase your BMR after dieting. Water is critical to every cellular activity in the body, and staying hydrated helps the body run more efficiently.
Drinking water may help facilitate weight loss and encourage other positive health outcomes. Research has shown that drinking water may help with weight loss in several ways. Firstly, water can create a feeling of fullness, reducing hunger and curbing unnecessary snacking. Secondly, water may also temporarily increase the body's resting energy expenditure, or the number of calories burned while at rest. Drinking cold water may further enhance these benefits, as the body expends energy to heat the water for digestion.
Water also helps the body to recover from digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea, and indigestion. It keeps waste moving by softening or loosening hardened stools and facilitating the production of urine. Staying hydrated is a good way to avoid retaining waste, which may add extra pounds.
Additionally, hydration helps maintain the blood's volume and optimize the expansion of blood vessels at the skin's surface to release heat. This is important to prevent heat exhaustion or more severe consequences.
The amount of water needed varies depending on age, gender, health, physical activity, and tendency to sweat. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends 9 cups of water daily for females and 13 for males, in addition to the water consumed through food. However, the majority of healthy people meet their daily hydration needs by listening to their body's thirst cues.
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Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy basal metabolic rate (BMR) and overall health. Here are some reasons why getting enough sleep is crucial and how it can help increase your BMR after dieting:
Sleep Quality and Duration Impact on BMR
Firstly, it is important to understand the relationship between sleep quality and duration and their impact on BMR. Studies have shown that sleep quality and duration can influence energy metabolism, including BMR, in individuals. Poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep can disrupt the body's metabolic processes, leading to potential weight gain and negative health outcomes.
Sleep and Metabolic Rate
Sleep plays a vital role in regulating metabolic processes. During sleep, the body undergoes different stages, including rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. These stages have distinct metabolic characteristics. For example, during REM sleep, glucose uptake increases, resulting in anaerobic glucose metabolism. This means that the body's ability to regulate blood sugar and energy metabolism can be disrupted if REM sleep is insufficient or disrupted.
Additionally, sleep duration also matters. Short sleep duration has been identified as a significant risk factor for weight gain, especially in certain demographic groups. When individuals do not get enough sleep, their bodies may compensate by increasing caloric intake, leading to a positive energy balance and potential weight gain. Therefore, ensuring adequate sleep duration is essential for maintaining a healthy BMR and weight management.
Sleep, Recovery, and Metabolism
Sleep plays a crucial role in the body's recovery and metabolic regulation. When the body is sleep-deprived, it can affect energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate (RMR). Sleep loss can disrupt the body's natural energy balance, leading to potential weight loss or weight gain, depending on individual factors.
Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation can have detrimental effects on overall health and metabolism. It can increase fatigue, physiological stress, and potentially influence insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances. Therefore, getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining hormonal balance and metabolic health.
Optimizing Sleep for BMR Improvement
To increase your BMR after dieting, focus on optimizing your sleep habits:
- Establish a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine to prepare your mind and body for sleep. This can include activities such as reading, meditation, or listening to soothing music.
- Ensure your bedroom environment is conducive to sleep. Keep it dark, cool, and free from distractions like loud noises or bright lights.
- Limit exposure to electronic devices before bed, as the blue light emitted by screens can interfere with your sleep quality.
- Engage in regular physical activity during the day. However, avoid strenuous exercises close to bedtime, as it may interfere with sleep.
- Maintain a balanced diet and avoid excessive caffeine or stimulant consumption, especially close to bedtime, as it can disrupt sleep quality.
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Frequently asked questions
Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the rate at which your body burns energy or calories while at rest. Dieting can slow down your BMR as your body interprets reduced calorie intake as a threat of starvation. To increase your BMR after dieting, you can:
- Increase your protein intake. Protein causes the largest rise in Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), which is the extra calories expended to digest, absorb, and process the nutrients in your meal.
- Consume more metabolism-boosting foods, such as green tea, which contains caffeine and catechin, an antioxidant.
- Engage in strength training or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to build muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest, and strength training can also help protect your metabolism following a low-calorie diet.
Protein requires 20-30% of its calories for conversion to energy, compared to 5-15% for carbohydrates and 0-3% for fats. This means that eating more protein increases the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), which is the energy required to break down food and convert it into energy.
Strength training helps to build muscle mass, and muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest. Strength training can also help protect your metabolism following a low-calorie diet.
