4 Surprising Metabolism Boosters for Women, From Napping to Cold Showers
Experts reveal surprising tricks, from ‘tapping’ to naps, to speed your metabolism
We’ve all heard of the connection between boosting metabolism and losing weight. Some people swear by drinking green tea and lemon water to give their metabolism a boost, but it turns out there’s a lot more you can do. We searched the internet for surprising hacks to boost metabolism, then consulted experts to determine whether these tricks actually work. Keep reading to get expert takes on the best metabolism boosters for women. Hint: You officially have permission to nap more.
What is metabolism?
“Metabolism is how fast your body burns calories to use for energy and daily activities,” says Uma Darji, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician. “The speed of metabolism varies from person to person. Some people burn through this faster and they have a high metabolism, which typically means they can lose weight easier than people with a slower metabolism.”
4 surprising metabolism boosters
From tapping away stress to chilling out (literally), these science-backed tricks may rev calorie burn in ways you never expected.
Woman's World Answers
Emotional Freedom Tapping
“EFT, or Emotional Freedom Tapping, is a psychological acupressure technique developed in the 1990s,” says Phyllis Pobee, MD, a triple-board-certified physician and founder of GeneLean360°. “It combines principles of traditional Chinese meridian therapy with modern psychology. By tapping specific acupressure points while voicing stress-related thoughts, EFT helps calm the nervous system and lower cortisol — one of the hormones most directly tied to stubborn weight gain.”
TikTok is filled with videos of people saying EFT tapping was key to reducing stress, easing anxiety and even supporting weight loss. And whie the idea of simply tapping your way to your goal weight might sound impossible, experts say it could be the trick you’re missing!
“EFT may support weight loss by reducing stress-driven eating,” explains Dr. Pobee. “High cortisol promotes fat storage, especially around the midsection, and it amplifies cravings.” For people who are sensitive to cortisol spikes, EFT can regulate the nervous system, helping them to make better food choices, she explains.
What’s more, by calming the nervous system and lowering cortisol, EFT helps protect metabolism. Indeed, research published in Diseases found prolonged high cortisol levels are connected to insulin resistance, obesity and slowed metabolic functioning. Lowering cortisol with strategies like tapping keeps your metabolism running smoothly.
The key with EFT is being intentional about how often you do it. “Consistency matters more than duration,” says Dr. Pobee. “Daily practice, even for five minutes, can help regulate cortisol and emotional triggers around food.”
Not sure where to start? You can find several free YouTube videos with easy step-by-step instructions.
Catching up on naps
It may sound too good to be true, but incorporating naps into your life could be the weight-loss tool you’ve been missing — but only if you time your snoozes correctly.
An Obesity study looked at the nap habits of more than 3,200 adults in Spain, and found that taking long naps was linked with poorer health: subjects who did so those several times a week had a higher BMI and waist size and their blood sugar and blood pressure levels were increased. But people who napped for 30 minutes or less 4 to 5 times a week had a 21% lower chance of having high blood pressure.
These short naps can also rev metabolism, says Dr. Pobee, noting that naps that last less than 30 minutes can boost alertness, steady blood pressure and relax the nervous system without throwing off the body’s sleep clock.
“Lowering blood pressure through restorative habits like short naps can absolutely support overall metabolic health,” says Dr. Darji. “High blood pressure, poor sleep and weight gain often go hand-in-hand. Even modest improvements in blood pressure can reduce strain on the cardiovascular system and make it easier for the body to regulate weight and metabolism.”
Cold exposure
“Brief exposure to cold, such as a cold shower or ice bath, can activate brown fat, which is a type of fat that burns energy to generate heat,” says Dr. Darji. “This may slightly increase calorie burning.”
The proof: A study published in Frontiers in Physiology exposed participants to cold, either by sitting in a room cooled to 16 to 19°C (60.8 to 66.2°F) or by wearing a cooling vest that circulated water, with exposure ranging from 30 minutes to 48 total hours across studies. The result? Subjects’ metabolism-revving brown fat became more active and, on average, participants burned about 188 extra calories a day compared to those not exposed to the cold.
To get the metabolism-revving perks, consider taking a cold plunge, stepping into a cold shower or even ending your shower with a burst of chilly water.
A protein-rich breakfast
The impact of protein for a faster metabolism and weight loss is probably not new to you, but it turns out timing that protein intake properly can affect your results.
“Starting the day with protein (eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, or a protein shake) helps stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings, and it provides a slight metabolic boost because protein requires more energy to digest compared to carbs or fats,” says Dr. Darji.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
