Key takeaways
- Your body burns calories in three ways: at rest, digesting food and moving.
- Resting metabolism usually makes up 60–70% of daily calorie burn.
- Research published in Science shows metabolism holds steady from about age 20 to 60.
- Building muscle, moving more, eating protein and sleeping well support a healthy metabolism.
Yes, you can support your metabolism, mostly by changing how much muscle you carry and how much you move. Metabolism is simply the energy your body uses to stay alive and active. While genetics play a role, daily habits influence a surprisingly large share of it.
Where Your Daily Calories Go
Every calorie you burn falls into one of three buckets.
- Resting energy (BMR): powering your heart, lungs, brain and cell repair. This is the largest bucket, typically 60% to 70% of the total.
- Digestion (thermic effect of food): breaking down and absorbing meals uses around 10% of your daily calories. Protein costs the most energy to digest, fat the least.
- Movement: workouts plus all the everyday motion scientists call NEAT, from walking the dog to taking the stairs. This bucket varies the most from person to person.
Does Metabolism Really Slow Down With Age?
Much less than most people believe. An international team led by Duke University anthropologist Herman Pontzer analyzed energy expenditure in more than 6,400 people across 29 countries. Published in Science in 2021, the study found that size-adjusted metabolism is stable from roughly 20 to 60 and declines only gradually after that, at about 0.7% per year.
In other words, midlife weight gain is driven less by an "aging metabolism" and more by losing muscle, sitting more, sleeping less and eating differently. The encouraging part is that all of these can change.
Muscle burns more energy at rest than fat. Keeping your muscle through strength training is one of the most effective ways to protect your resting metabolism.
Natural Ways to Support Your Metabolism
Build and keep muscle
Do resistance exercises such as squats, push-ups, rows or weights at least twice a week to preserve lean tissue.
Move more all day
Set a step goal, take walking meetings and park farther away. NEAT can add up to hundreds of extra calories burned daily.
Eat enough protein
Include eggs, fish, poultry, dairy, beans or tofu at every meal to boost the thermic effect of food and stay fuller.
Prioritize sleep
Seven or more hours of sleep supports balanced hunger hormones and gives you the energy to stay active.
Where Supplements Fit
A supplement can add a helpful layer on top of these habits. Green tea catechins and caffeine have been researched for supporting energy expenditure, and chromium supports normal carbohydrate metabolism. If you take medication or are caffeine-sensitive, ask your doctor first.
Want simple daily support to go with these habits?
Learn About ChocotideSources
- Pontzer et al., “Daily energy expenditure through the human life course,” Science, 2021.
- Mayo Clinic, “Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories.”
- Hursel et al., “The effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance: a meta-analysis,” International Journal of Obesity, 2009.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition.
This article is for general educational purposes and summarizes publicly available information. It is not medical advice and does not describe the effects of any specific product.