5 Goals (Beyond Weight Loss) That Will Improve Your Metabolism

While setting health goals doesn't have to coincide with a new year, a calendar refresh always seems to inspire feelings of change. Time and time again, lose weight tops people's lists in bold, highlighted, and underlined letters. 

We can definitely point fingers at toxic diet culture for the prevalence of this resolution. But many people also want to lose weight in the name of health. But weight loss isn't a health outcome in itself—because thinness doesn't equal healthy. So it's time to rethink what you want to address by losing weight. 

We encourage you to shift your focus away from weight loss and toward improving your overall metabolic health.

Metabolic health captures how smoothly and efficiently energy-producing processes are running in the body. Blood sugar and cholesterol levels, blood pressure, triglycerides, and waist circumference (a proxy for belly fat) are all measurable ways to evaluate your metabolic health.

Eating more plants can improve your metabolic health in multiple ways. These foods, especially nonstarchy veggies, provide an array of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients and are a good source of fiber. 

Getting the recommended 21-38 grams1 of fiber daily should be a breeze if you adopt this approach. Fiber plays an important role in maintaining stable blood sugar levels and lowering cholesterol (or keeping it in a healthy range). 

The American Gut Project also shows that eating 30+ plants a week is the magic number for improving the health of the gut microbiome. Gastroenterologist Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., MSCI, previously told us that, "Each individual plant [we eat] is feeding different families of microbes, and a variety of microbes within an ecosystem, including the gut ecosystem, is a measure of health. Variety on our plates translates into variety within our gut microbiomes, and that ends up becoming a win."

Eating enough protein is absolutely crucial for satiety and for body recomposition (think fat loss and muscle gain or preservation). And most people—especially women—have been woefully underconsuming protein. 

So a general baseline for metabolic health and longevity, you should aim to get at least 100 grams of protein daily. If you want to get more into the nitty-gritty, moderately active adults need between 1.2 and 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily (use the higher end of that range if you're more active). 

Clinical nutritionist Kelly LeVeque has been working with clients for over a decade, and she previously told us that, "When you eat enough protein, you really don't care what the other stuff you're eating is. You're so satisfied that the cravings hit the floor."

Strength (or resistance) training means that you're working your muscles against a force. That force could be your own body weight, dumbbells, weight machines, a heavy load of laundry, or even young children. 

This type of exercise is essential for maintaining and especially building muscle mass. And every aspect of your health improves by having stronger muscles. 

Muscles are very efficient at using energy and helping blood sugar levels stay in the optimal range. Having low levels of muscle mass is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome4, Type 2 diabetes5, and heart complications.

The American College of Sports Medicine 6recommends including at least two days of strength training a week that work all major muscle groups (like your glutes, hamstrings, back, shoulders, abdomen, etc.).

Walking is such a straightforward way to up your physical activity. And looking at step count encourages prioritizing movement throughout the day—not just an hourlong gym session. 

Not getting enough quality sleep messes with your metabolic health. Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep but in general, falling short of seven to nine hours (even if it's just for a week or two) impacts blood sugar levels8, increases your appetite, and leads you to make less healthy food selections.

Not to mention, working out does not sound appealing if you're sleep-deprived. 

Many mindbodygreen editors rely on their Oura Ring to track their sleep and identify problem areas interfering with getting the best shut-eye they can. 

Overall, it's important to practice good sleep hygiene by avoiding screens an hour or more before bed, cooling the temperature in your room, and blocking out lights.