How to Support a Healthy Metabolism: Six Things You Can Start Doing Today!

"Reset and supercharge your metabolism in 3 days!"

"Do this 60-second quiz and lose a bit of belly fat each day."

"Hack your metabolism!"

When I Googled how to fix my metabolism, those are just a few results that popped up on my main page. As I drilled down into the search results, these are the things I found:

A metabolism booster device starting at $249.

A membership program with a metabolism test that began at $24.99 a month.

And a 5-day "Cleanse and Reset" kit for $219.

This stuff makes me crazy because the "health and wellness" industry makes billions of dollars off of people's desperation and lack of knowledge. Below, I am going to give you six ways you can support your metabolism for free starting today.

Tip #1 - Drink a Ton of Water

Forget the ACV, forget the pills, forget the fancy powders. All you need is water. Take your body weight, divide in half, and that's how much water you should be drinking per day in ounces. If you're 150lbs, you should be drinking 75oz a day. Want to get extra about it? Go for a gallon. Need a bit more help? Set alarms on your phone every few hours to remind yourself it's time to fill up!

Tip #2 - Get More Sleep

We know that sleep deprivation leads to metabolic dysregulation. Sleep also alters hormones that regulate hunger and fullness. And lack of sleep may diminish the body's ability to convert fat to energy. Feeling sleepy yet? You should be aiming for 7-8 hours per night.

Tip #3 - Lift Weights

Among the 5,933,610 reasons you should lift weights, supporting your metabolism is one of them. Strength training is a key component of metabolism because it is directly linked to muscle mass. The more active muscle tissue you have, the higher your metabolic rate.

"Lifting weights not only helps to increase your metabolism during and post-workout, it affects your resting metabolism, giving it a continual boost as well. Unlike fat which stores energy, muscle is always in an active state of burning energy." -Health365.com

Tip #4 - Eat a Balanced, High Protein Diet

Protein has a high thermic effect, meaning your body requires more energy to digest it than it does for carbs or fats. Protein also has a higher level of satiety meaning it can keep you fuller longer. High protein foods have a significant impact on your hunger and satiety hormones, such as GLP-1, peptide YY and cholecystokinin, and reduces levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. Need a place to start? Try egg whites in the morning with turkey sausage, keep some rotisserie chicken or tofu on hand, snack on Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beef jerky, edamame, protein bars, or sip on a protein shake. They make so many kinds of shakes these days to accommodate many different dietary preferences.

Tip #5 - Walk More

Walking is the most underrated exercise you can do and has so many benefits! It can prevent or manage many conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes. It also improves cardiovascular fitness. Walking is also a low-impact exercise that most people feel comfortable doing as opposed to running or jogging. The current recommendation is to get 7-10K steps per day.

Tip #6 - Manage Your Stress

Easier said than done, right? But it's true. Managing your stress is critical, not just in a health journey, but in life. Stress is chaos on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It decreases your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life. Cortisol creates a surge of energy in your body. While this process is essential for survival situations, it also increases your appetite. Additionally, elevated cortisol levels can cause cravings for sweet, fatty, and salty foods. So practice good stress management in a way that will work for you; meditation, massage, deep breathing, listening to peaceful music, journaling, bubble baths, and my favorite--hugging the dog.

Fixing your metabolism doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.

By implementing new healthy behaviors, you can help to improve your metabolism a little every day!