How do I build my metabolism up? Is two miles of walking a day a good start?

sourbutsweetxx

The discussion title pretty much sums it up.

Carlos_421

Walking will burn calories while you're walking. It won't "build up" your metabolism in the sense that you burn more all the time.

Adding muscle will cause your metabolism to increase because muscle requires more energy to maintain. To get more muscle, ya gotta lift.

jpaulie

It is a great start. Anything really is a great start. From there you will want to do more. After a little while and you need to decide what you really want. To get stronger? Run faster? Start to lift? either way great start but like many of us you will want more once you get going.

MichelleLea122

Carlos_421 wrote: »

Walking will burn calories while you're walking. It won't "build up" your metabolism in the sense that you burn more all the time.

Adding muscle will cause your metabolism to increase because muscle requires more energy to maintain. To get more muscle, ya gotta lift.

But for each pound of muscle gained, you’ll burn only about 6-10 calories more. Don't get me wrong, strength training has many amazing benefits and OP should definitely look into strength training. I just didn't want her to think that she can dramatically change her metabolic rate by strength training.

OP Walking two miles a day will increase your daily expenditure calories, but it won't affect your overall metabolic rate.

JeromeBarry1

There just isn't a knob to turn to burn calories like a gym rat without being a gym rat.

Carlos_421

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

Carlos_421 wrote: »

Walking will burn calories while you're walking. It won't "build up" your metabolism in the sense that you burn more all the time.

Adding muscle will cause your metabolism to increase because muscle requires more energy to maintain. To get more muscle, ya gotta lift.

But for each pound of muscle gained, you’ll burn only about 6-10 calories more. Don't get me wrong, strength training has many amazing benefits and OP should definitely look into strength training. I just didn't want her to think that she can dramatically change her metabolic rate by strength training.

OP Walking two miles a day will increase your daily expenditure calories, but it won't affect your overall metabolic rate.

That is correct. I didn't mean to overstate the increase she could expect. Just meant that adding muscle is the only way to increase your resting metabolic rate (albeit minimally).

heybales

Considering the way the term metabolism has been thrown around in commercials and weight loss shows, ect, and applied to everything you burn in a day - along with the myths - you might be thinking it's an all day thing.

The reason so many are saying no real increase - is because really metabolism normally is in reference to the most basic systems using energy. Called BMR (Basal or basic Metabolic Rate) or slightly higher because awake RMR (Resting MR).

You won't find much to increase it very much - but do several things wrong and you sure could lower it a tad - as well as that over all day burn - despite the walking.

People in the hospital just out of surgery walk around, we've been walking since toddlers - it's very efficient for our bodies, and not really a strain for most people that would cause body improvements from it alone, nor much in the way of extra calorie burn.
Hence the nice recommendation to include resistance training.
Certainly a good start though, unless you've already been walking for things.