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Do you feel that your metabolism is only running on the back burner? Then it would help if you quickly banished these metabolism stoppers from your everyday life.

When it comes to body weight and the figure you want, it's not always just about how much you eat. It is primarily about how your body utilizes what you eat. The metabolism is decisive for this. Simply put, it metabolizes the components of the food you eat, such as fats and carbohydrates, which serve as energy suppliers for the body.

Metabolism varies from person to person. One could also say Unfair. Because while the so-called "good feed converters" can eat whatever they want, the "bad feed converters" gain weight very easily. But: You can do something yourself to boost your metabolism. We'll tell you how.

One very important point is, of course, exercise.

Why is metabolism important when losing weight?

A fast metabolism is an advantage if you want to lose weight or at least keep it off. But age, gender, and also diet determine how effectively the metabolic processes in your body run.

One thing is clear: the more you metabolize, i.e., burn, the sooner the pounds will fall off. And the less this process is hindered, the less strenuous the weight loss project. Here, we have compiled the best-known "brakes" in the metabolism game. Often it's about eating a little too much or a little too little, but the time you eat plays a role. See for yourself.

How can I boost my metabolism?

If you have a slow metabolism, you don't have to resign yourself to your fate. You can blame it on certain foods or habits that unconsciously slow down your metabolism. The easiest way to eat the right foods is to include them in a regular diet.

In order to boost your metabolism, you should avoid unnecessary metabolic slowdowns in your daily life and rather act like this:

1. Incorporate more protein into your diet.

Protein-rich foods are THE metabolism boosters par excellence. Why? Your body has to expend a lot of energy to break down proteins into their component amino acids. When metabolizing carbohydrates and fats, the effort is much less. Protein also satiates for a long time since it has a high retention time in the stomach and thus prevents cravings.

It also regulates your blood sugar levels, so they don't go on a roller coaster ride due to fluctuating insulin levels. Another plus, the hormone insulin can cripple your fat burning. Studies show that a high-protein diet helps you lose weight. Here you'll find 40 healthy protein bombs.

Your metabolism is effectively stimulated by eating eggs, fish and meat, tofu, and legumes.

2. Eat less sugar (it slows down your metabolism).

Everyone knows that sugar is unhealthy and does not help you lose weight. The reason: sugar bombs like soft drinks and candy slow down your metabolism. After eating a pack of gummy bears, your body is literally flooded with sugar, and your blood sugar level rises rapidly.

The pancreas then releases insulin. The hormone ensures that the sugar from the blood reaches the cells where it is needed. In the process, the pancreas may "overshoot the mark" a bit and end up with too little sugar remaining in the blood. The result: hypoglycemia. Concentration and performance drop and ravenous appetite attacks are the results.

Tip: For those who don't want to give up the sweet taste, you can use erythritol, for example, from Xucker, instead of sugar. Erythritol contains no calories and no sugar and does not affect your blood sugar level. This makes the natural product made from renewable raw materials perfect for diabetics and anyone who is health-conscious and wants to do without sugar.

3. Do not eat too irregularly

If you rely on "dinner canceling" to lose weight, you're more likely to achieve the opposite: If you skip entire meals or eat very irregularly, you slow down your metabolism.

Your body depends on a regular supply of nutrients such as carbohydrates and proteins to keep vital metabolic processes running. If you deny this "refill" and supply it with too few calories every day, it switches to economy mode.

Especially in the morning, it is important to supply the body with new energy because your stores have been emptied overnight. A healthy breakfast is needed now, preferably a combination of high-quality proteins (for example, from eggs, yogurt, or cottage cheese) and complex carbohydrates in the form of whole-grain bread or oatmeal.

Breakfast should be eaten at least 2 hours after getting up to boost your metabolism.

4. Always drink enough water

Incredible but true: Your body consists of about 70 percent water. Almost nothing works in your body without this liquid fuel because water is needed for numerous vital metabolic processes.

But if you don't drink enough water, you automatically slow down your metabolism because the lack of water causes it to run at a low speed. Just think about your digestion: water boosts it, and without water, there is a risk of constipation. A study also shows that drinking water instead of calorie-containing drinks with food helps you lose weight.

How much water should you drink every day? 30 to 40 ml of water per kilogram of body weight. Example: You weigh 60 kilos? Then an average of 2.1 liters of water per day (1.8-2.4 l) is ideal for you. In summer and when you do a lot of sports, your fluid requirement increases even more. How do you manage this? The best way is to fill up an extra large glass bottle with a capacity of 2 liters or a nice glass carafe with fresh water tomorrow and place it right at your desk. Here are 5 more ways to drink more water.

5. Drink less alcohol

If you want to lose a few pounds, it's best to avoid alcohol. There are several reasons for this: Alcohol is a real calorie bomb. Is the example pleasing? A glass (0.2 l) of red wine contains around 170 kcal, and a glass (0.2 l) of sparkling wine is 160 kcal. Even worse are cocktails and long drinks, such as Caipirinha or Cuba Libre.

In addition, alcohol really paralyzes your metabolism. After a glass of wine, your body is primarily busy breaking down alcohol. Carbohydrate and fat metabolism come to an almost complete standstill. The sugar in sparkling wine & co. also causes your insulin level to rise rapidly and drop again even faster. In other words: your metabolism is slowed down by alcohol, and fat burning is inhibited. But don't worry: In the meantime, many spirits are available in an alcohol-free version.

6. Give up junk food

Not only do burgers and fries have a lot of calories, but your body can also hardly get any useful nutrients from junk food. It looks in vain for essential vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients. What it finds are additives of all kinds, as well as many unhealthy, saturated fatty acids. Fat inhibits your metabolism and makes digestion sluggish and slow.

Even worse are the so-called trans fats, which are produced, for example, during deep-frying. They increase fat blood levels, raise cholesterol, and even increase cancer risk.

7. Do more sports regularly

As we said at the beginning, exercise is essential for recovery. The worst metabolic breaks are long sitting and generally too little movement in everyday life. The body shuts down its activity mode during such breaks, and the metabolism slows down. As a result, your muscles burn fewer calories, and you gain weight faster. The solution: exercise!

Exercise is, after all, the best and most effective way to stimulate a slow metabolism. A mix of strength and endurance training is ideal. Not only can you burn fat, but you can also build muscle at the same time. Muscles have the advantage that they consume energy even when at rest. More muscles increase your basal metabolic rate.

Without these 7 metabolic breaks, you can easily get your metabolism going. The secret: plenty of exercise, little sugar and alcohol, lots of protein, no fast food, and always enough water to ensure a fast metabolism.