Stress, poor nutrition, fad diets and other factors affect your metabolism, leading to weight gain. A slow metabolism can stop you from losing fat and reaching your fitness goals. It may also affect your digestion, cause tiredness and fatigue, and drain your energy. Fortunately, there are ways to increase your metabolic rate without taking pills and supplements. Certain foods and exercises, proper sleep, and frequent meals can speed up your metabolism naturally.

Train at High Intensity

High-intensity training produces a bigger, longer rise in metabolic rate than steady state cardio. The same goes for weight lifting. The more intense your workout, the more calories you burn. For best results, you can either do HIIT or alternate biking, fast running, or rowing with strength exercises.

Increase Your Protein Intake

Protein requires over 25 percent more energy to digest than carbs and fats. By eating high-protein foods, you’ll burn more calories throughout the day. Your diet should include poultry, lean meat, fish, egg whites, raw nuts, and seeds. Legumes contain small amounts of protein too.

Get More Sleep

Recent studies have found that poor sleep may decrease metabolism, causing your body to store more calories from food. At the same time, it increases cortisol levels, which leads to weight gain and sugar cravings. If you want to keep your metabolism high, sleep at least eight hours a night.

Lift Weights

The amount of muscle you carry has a direct impact on your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body needs. Weight training is the best way to build lean muscle, so don’t be afraid to pump iron. Start with lighter weights and increase the load gradually. Do multi-joint exercises that work your whole body, such as pull-ups, squats, shoulder press, chest press, lunges, and rows. Use barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells to stimulate muscle growth and burn fat.