Increase your basal metabolic rate today!

Increase basal metabolic rate

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If you want to lose weight, you need to increase your basal metabolic rate. Have you also heard of this and wonder how it works best? Then you are in the right place!

First of all: What you have heard is true! If you can increase your basal metabolic rate, you are guaranteed to lose weight.

Even a few small things in everyday life can make a big difference.

First and foremost, you need to boost your metabolism, which will automatically increase your basal metabolic rate.

To help you do that, here are the best tips for increasing your basal metabolic rate.

What is the basal metabolic rate

You've probably heard the term many times before. But let's clarify this question very quickly. Only then you can understand how and why the tricks for increasing the basal metabolic rate work.

By the way, the basal metabolic rate is also called basic metabolism. So don't let these two terms confuse you. They describe one and the same phenomenon.

Basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy your body needs to survive.

Suppose you have broken a leg and have to lie on the sofa. Even in such situations you consume energy. Our brain, our digestion and all other processes in the body need energy to maintain life functions.

This is exactly what the basal metabolic rate is.

Of course, the actual calorie consumption is much higher. With every activity you consume calories. Even walking slowly requires more energy than lying down. And if you exercise, you'll increase your calorie consumption even more.

Your calorie consumption per day consists of the basal metabolic rate and the actively burned calories.

Of course, it makes a lot of difference if you have an office job or do physically heavy work. But that doesn't necessarily mean that you have a lower basal metabolic rate in a sedentary job.

If you can increase your basal metabolic rate, you'll burn a lot more calories, and therefore body fat, even while sitting.

Why you should increase your basal metabolic rate

There are two reasons why it is worthwhile to deal with this topic

  1. Slimming
  2. Build muscles

Both work best when your basal metabolic rate is high.

Increase basal metabolic rate and lose weight

If you want to lose weight, a high basal metabolic rate is mega important. Then the fat burning works much better and the kilos fall quickly.

You need to keep two things in mind: A high basal metabolic rate and a calorie deficit.

The higher your basal metabolic rate, the more body fat you can burn and the less likely you are to put on new body fat. Provided you consume fewer calories than your body uses.

If you increase your basal metabolic rate, your metabolism will also improve. And that's exactly what you need to get rid of the kilos in the long term.

Many women go on rather crass and one-sided diets. The problem is that the metabolism goes into the basement. The basal metabolic rate becomes very low. After the diet, when you eat normally again, the yoyo effect is already waiting.

Because your basic metabolism is then so low, the kilos end up on your hips faster than you lost them.

In short, stay away from one-sided diets. They are very bad for your basal metabolism and ensure that you quickly gain weight again!

Increase basal metabolic rate and build muscle

If you are in the process of building muscle, a high basal metabolic rate will also help you by reducing the risk of putting on fat.

You need a certain number of calories to ensure the basic functions of the body. If you want to build muscles, you need a calorie surplus. Only then your body will start to build muscles.

If your basal metabolic rate is very low, your metabolism has fallen asleep. You feel low in energy and have little strength. The muscle-building stimulus is too low for muscles to really grow.

Active muscle tissue ensures that you burn a lot of calories even at rest. The body needs a lot of energy to maintain the muscles.

You don't even have to have big mountains of muscle. This also applies to lean muscles - a well-defined body.

Note: Muscles burn much more energy than fat tissue. They help burn body fat because they drive up the basal metabolic rate.

Increase basal metabolic rate like

How to increase your basal metabolic rate

And now for the most important part: How can I increase my basal metabolic rate? You can start at many points and get more out of your metabolism.

1. move as much as possible

Every single step counts. Whether you go for a walk after work or take the stairs instead of the elevator during the day.

Shorter distances can be covered on foot or by bicycle. You don't have to call your colleague on the second floor. You can also drop in on him on foot every now and then when things aren't so stressful.

Meeting up with a friend? Why don't you go for a walk instead of sitting down for coffee? You can still enjoy the coffee afterwards.

If you get off the subway and then it only takes you three minutes to get to your job, why not just get off one stop earlier and walk the rest?

There are so many ways to get more exercise in your daily life. Even a fitness tracker can help you keep track of your daily steps. You'll be surprised how little you move on an average day.

If you want to keep track of your calories burned and your daily steps, you should get a fitness tracker. A good tracker with a very good price-performance ratio can be found at Garmin. I am myself familiar with the Garmin 245 Forerunner* on the go. It tracks calories burned, elevation gain, distance, daily steps and many other data that can help you keep track of your performance.

Garmin Forerunner 245
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2. rethink your diet

You've put on body fat because you're eating the wrong foods. Too many calories cause a life ring to form around your belly. The remaining calories end up on your hips and thighs.

So you need to adjust your diet.

Many foods support you in keeping your metabolism active. Even if you want to lose weight, your calorie deficit should never be too large. Because then your metabolism is shut down. And with it also the basal metabolic rate.

It's mega important that you give your body all the micro and macro nutrients it needs. This includes vitamins and minerals.

A small example: Magnesium is involved in over 3000 processes in your body. If you don't get enough of it because you only eat salad, your metabolism won't find it so funny.

This applies to both weight loss and muscle building.

Very briefly, the most important rules. Keep your hands off

  • Fast Food
  • Heavily processed foods
  • Sugar
  • White flour
  • All kinds of sweets

Instead, reach for healthy foods like lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains.

3. drink a lot

If you want to increase your basal metabolic rate, then you should definitely drink a lot. Our body needs a lot of water every day so that digestion and other processes function properly.

Fluid has a great influence on metabolism. A rule of thumb says that you need about 1 liter of water per 25 kg of body weight per day.

If you play sports, the amount naturally increases.

Drink water and unsweetened teas. Infused water with fresh fruits, herbs or cucumbers is also delicious and quenches thirst.

By the way, people who drink a lot are also less hungry, can concentrate better and feel much fitter overall.

4. set on muscle building

Many women immediately think of bodybuilders when they hear the word muscle building. But don't worry, you won't suddenly become a bodybuilder overnight.

But the more muscles you have, the more calories you burn at rest. So even if you lie on the sofa for a day.

1 kg of muscle mass increases your basal metabolic rate by up to 100 calories per day on average.

After a very strenuous workout, your basal metabolic rate remains elevated for up to four days. This phenomenon is called the afterburn effect.

So you benefit from strength training during the workout, days after and overall because you get more muscle.

Muscles tone the body and make you look slim. You don't even have to go to the gym. Muscle building is also possible in the living room and even without equipment.

Muscle building diet woman

5. do not do too much endurance training

The mixture of strength and endurance sports brings you quickly to your goal. You can increase your basal metabolic rate with running, cycling, swimming, hiking and more.

Endurance training, however, does not have as great an impact on basal metabolic rate as strength training.

Example: If you exercise for an hour at 65% of your maximum heart rate, you will burn about 300 calories.

So you need to do 3 hours of endurance exercise a week to make up for a hearty meal. A pizza prosciutto will give you about 700 calories, add a Coke and you'll have to go running for 3 hours.

There is also an afterburn effect here, but it is not as strong as in muscle building training.

Very often, however, cardio training is touted as the solution for losing weight. But it should only be a supplement to strength training and proper nutrition.

However, you should not do without it. If you have more endurance, you will also have an easier time with strength training.

If you do too much endurance sports, you may lack the strength for muscle building training. The bottom line is that if you do too much cardio, you'll actually lose muscle. And we don't want that, do we? :)

6. go to the sauna regularly

If you want to increase your basal metabolic rate, then you should go to the sauna regularly. The heat and the sweating ensure that the metabolism is boosted.

It also improves your regeneration.

The reason is simple: your skin is heated to over 40°, your body only by about 2° Celsius. At a higher body temperature, the metabolism becomes faster. The body works at full speed so that the temperature does not rise further and uses a lot of energy for this.

7. sleep a lot and regularly

Try to get a regular sleep rhythm. Even on the weekends. There are countless studies that prove that sleep keeps you slim. Of course, only if you also stick to a healthy diet.

If you sleep too little and very irregularly, your metabolism becomes slow. You have less energy and drive, feel listless and knocked out.

By the way, sleeping also helps you to reduce stress. That is mega important. Because stress makes us fat!

Try to give yourself enough time off and structure your everyday life to become more relaxed.

Increase basal metabolic rate sleep

8. eat spicy

Have you ever heard that spicy food makes you slim? Of course, it's not that simple. But there is something to it in principle.

Capsaicin, which is found in chilies and other spicy foods, boosts fat burning. This is because the spiciness positively influences thermogenesis. This is the process by which the body converts energy into heat and increases body temperature.

If spicy food makes you sweat, it's a sign that your metabolism is working at full speed.

But don't overdo it. Too spicy food is no fun for your stomach.

Our conclusion

If you want to increase your basal metabolic rate, you need to make some lifestyle changes. Move a lot more, exercise and eat healthy. Then your metabolism will get a real boost.

Muscle building and weight loss will then be very easy for you. :)

Good luck!

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