Metabolism refers to the chemical processes that take place in your body to convert food and drinks into energy. A fast metabolism means that your body burns more calories in a given timeframe, even when at rest, compared to the average for some population or set of people. Some signs of a fast metabolism include increased calorie burning, difficulty gaining weight, increased breathing, insomnia, and frequent sweating. However, a fast metabolism does not necessarily lead to thinness, and people with overweight/obesity often have fast metabolisms.

Factors like age, sex, muscle mass, and physical activity affect metabolism or basal metabolic rate (BMR) . BMR is the minimum metabolic rate needed to keep your lungs breathing, heart pumping, brain ticking, and body warm. People with a slow metabolism typically have a harder time losing weight and require a higher degree of physical activity.

While metabolism is largely influenced by genetics, other factors may contribute to how well and how quickly your metabolic processes burn through calories. Some ways to speed up your metabolism include:

• Eating protein and doing weight training
• Drinking green tea
• Getting enough sleep
• Doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
• Intermittent fasting

Maintaining a healthy metabolic rate means keeping physically active, following proper nutrition, getting adequate sleep, and avoiding stressful situations.