1. BMR: The Basel Engine
Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the massive majority of the calories you burn. It's the energy used to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing, and brain functioning while you lay perfectly still. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your BMR.
2. The Truth About "Starvation Mode"
Metabolic adaptation is real, but "starvation mode" is often misunderstood. As you lose weight, your body becomes more efficient and burns fewer calories to perform the same tasks. This is why weight loss often plateaus it's not that your metabolism is broken, it's that your "maintenance" has shifted lower.
3. NEAT: The Forgotten Fat Burner
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is the second-largest component of your metabolism that you can control. Simply walking more, opting for the stairs, or standing instead of sitting can burn hundreds of more calories per day than a single 30-minute gym session.
4. Boosting Metabolism Naturally
The most effective way to "boost" your metabolism is to:
- Build Muscle: Muscle tissue is metabolically active and burns calories even at rest.
- Eat Enough Protein: Leverage the thermic effect of food (TEF).
- Stay Hydrated: Even mild dehydration can slow down metabolic processes.
- Lift Weights: High-intensity resistance training creates an afterburn effect (EPOC).