5 Ways to Boost a Healthy Metabolism

Every last one of us wants to look and feel our best, and we’ve all likely tried a laundry list of techniques to stay healthy, manage weight and feel great every day. If your metabolism isn’t functioning optimally, you simply won’t have the means to do this.

Maybe you’ve tried diets, exercise regimens, or even weight loss pills to no avail. There’s a reason for this: none of these will be of any benefit if the metabolic processes and hormones that are at the root of metabolism aren’t functioning as they were meant to.

As a functional practitioner, my goal is to address the root cause of issues rather than symptoms.  So rather than trying to achieve a goal being focused on the result, let’s focus on the root metabolic issues. Today I want to focus on concepts that you can incorporate into your daily routine, and compliment your other healthy habits, for long-term, sustainable solutions to improve how you look and feel.

Let’s take a look at 5 of the best ways we can all master our metabolism, without turning to quick fixes or synthetic solutions.

1. Get High-Quality Sleep

Aim for at least 8 hours per night — and make sure those 8 hours are high quality, meaning that you spend as much time as you can in REM sleep, which is what rejuvenates the brain, allows your metabolism to reset, and for your stress- and metabolic hormones to rebalance.

Chronic stress, low sleep quality (or quantity), and the disruption of metabolic hormones from a lack of sleep are all deep root causes that could keep you from losing weight and having the energized body you want! 

I’ve got lots of sleep tips that I’ve gathered from my years of firsthand experience with insomnia as well as research (and you can read some of my favorite ones in this post), but my #1 tip for all women who are desperate for more energy, a more vibrant body, better sleep, AND to shed a few pounds? Magnesium.

Magnesium is an essential mineral that most of us are deficient in, but without it, your body won’t be able to relax and the process that creates energy from the foods you eat can’t happen. It’s involved in so many facets of your health that it’s one supplement EVERY woman can benefit from taking! Since not all magnesium supplements are equally effective, I recommend Magnesium Restore (a blend of magnesium glycinate and oxide) for its easy absorption and use by your body.

2. Add in 20 Minutes of Strength Training to Build Those Muscles.

Working out harder is not always better!

Yes, high intensity workouts are helpful for many people, but especially if you’re dealing with perimenopause or menopause (or other stress-related hormone issues), it can actually be too hard on your body. This is what stumped me at age 36 when I had suddenly gained 15 pounds—even though I was exercising MORE than I had before.

But the high intensity workouts were not serving my body anymore. Instead, it was placing more stress on my already burned out cells, which made my body hold onto fat for dear life.

Switching up your exercise to targeted strength training has been proven to increase your metabolic rate for 2 hours after only 20 minutes. By doing a strength routine, you’ll build more muscle — and the more muscle you have, the better your metabolism is functioning.

Especially for women 40+, maintaining muscle health is the key to sustained energy, metabolism and so much more. This is because the health of your muscles is directly related to your insulin sensitivity, which triggers whether your body uses sugar for fuel or stores it as fat.

There are lots of great strength training or resistance training videos online so you can even do this at your own home!

3. Create a Morning Metabolism-Boosting Routine.

Work WITH your body’s natural rhythms and set yourself up for all-day success by doing a couple easy things first thing when you wake up to help your metabolism stay strong. There are lots of different ways to activate healthy energy production, but here are a few ideas (you can pick and choose what will work best with your busy schedule…you can’t go wrong!):

• Start your day with 16oz of my Belly Slim down water to help your liver, gut and belly de-bloat and function better. In a 2 liter glass jar, add in purified water, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon, add in 10-15 mint leaves and a whole sliced cucumber. You can even add a dash of cayenne pepper or ginger root if you are feeling spicy! (Cayenne contains capsaicin which research shows may help you activate your metabolism and burn up to 50 extra calories per day, effortlessly.)

• Add cinnamon to your coffee instead of sugar! Cinnamon is amazing for stabilizing blood glucose and it’s heart protective. This was a swap that I started 10 years ago and I have never looked back.

• Make sure to have protein in every meal, especially breakfast. Even if you do intermittent fasting so your breakfast isn’t until later in the morning, infusing this first meal with lots of high-quality protein is key to maintaining healthy metabolism.

  Aim for 20-25 gram of protein at each meal minimum to support your muscles and aid in stabilizing glucose and insulin levels. If you struggle to get enough protein (I know I did), adding a high-quality bone broth protein powder (or pea protein powder) is a great way to upgrade your energy while helping you feel full longer. I carry a delicious chocolate or vanilla Daily Protein Powder that makes this easy! >>

• Use apple cider vinegar. ACV has many metabolism-boosting and gut-helping benefits that make it a great addition to your morning routine to set the tone for the day. Learn more in this article!
• Take metabolism-boosting supplements. Your body needs certain nutrients to take the food you eat and convert it to energy. Especially as we get to age 40, 50, and beyond, your body is going to need an extra boost to keep doing this efficiently! Issues like estrogen dominance and insulin resistance are rampant, and these underlying hormone issues can make it hard to get the nutrients you need through food alone.

  I recommend an insulin-stabilizing supplement that includes Chromium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and methylated B Vitamins because these are essential nutrients you probably aren’t getting enough of in your diet. I created Metabolic Restore to be an easy solution for busy women to instantly upgrade metabolism, improve insulin sensitivity, and restore lasting energy and health to your body! Get Metabolic Restore here today >>

4. Try Intermittent Fasting 3-4 Times per Week.

The sweet spot for women 40+ is 13-16 hours of fasting between dinner and breakfast.

So if you stop eating at 7pm, your first meal of the day would be between 8am and 11am for the most metabolic benefit. I recommend starting at 13 hours and increasing from there if your body can handle it.

Intermittent fasting is such a great way to get your insulin and blood glucose levels back into the optimal range while really allowing your body to fully digest what you’re eating and convert it to energy. I know that once I started intermittent fasting, I felt SO much more energized all day, slept better at night, and I lost a few pounds easily because it really fit with my body’s needs!

5. Increase your NEAT (aka: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)

There’s a lot you can do at the gym to increase your metabolism, but it’s what you do outside of the gym that has even greater effects on your weight, energy levels, and overall health.

NEAT is simply the energy that is expended from general daily activities: walking from the parking lot to your office, taking the stairs, pacing during a phone call, walking to your mailbox, etc.

By focusing more on moving throughout your day, you’ll see HUGE improvements in your metabolism (and the number of calories your body burns each day).

So take that farther parking place. Skip the elevator. Walk the hallway while you talk to your girlfriend on the phone.

Look for every opportunity you have throughout the day to move, and you’ll be surprised how much it pays off!

Get a Full Reset and Kickstart Lasting Health through Menopause and Beyond!

Resetting your insulin levels, reducing inflammation, and optimizing your metabolism are all critical pieces of creating the life and body of your dreams at any age. If you want a done-for-you plan, don’t miss the comprehensive 21-Day Hormone Makeover program in my newest book, The Essential Oils Menopause Solution!

I take into account everything that I mentioned here today and go into WAY more detail to make it so easy to implement. And it blows my mind, that 21 days can produce a powerful transformation in energy levels, metabolism, stress, focus and even confidence! If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, get it today along with over $500 in exclusive bonuses (including some incredible bonus chapters)!