Are you wondering how the Ben & Jerry’s you relished a couple of times last week is already showing on your body while your partner in crime looks fit as fiddle? Blame it on your metabolism, the 24×7 process that burns the calories you consume. While genetics does influence your metabolic rate, here’s a list of ten natural metabolism boosters that can help with weight loss and improve overall health.
1. Eat the breakfast
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. A good diet and nutrition plan is built around a breakfast that has generous amounts of high-fiber carbs, whole-grains, low-fat milk, egg whites etc. Furthermore, your metabolism slows down while you sleep and doesn’t go back to normal till the time you eat something. So consider the breakfast as your metabolism’s alarm clock.
2. Lift weights
Almost everyone agrees that weight training is among the top metabolism boosters out there and can drastically raise your resting metabolic rate. Also, muscle burns far more calories than fat. That is as good a reason you’ll ever need to include weight training in your fitness regimen.
3. Intensify your workouts
Adding high intensity steps to your exercise routine is a sure shot way to boost your metabolism. People who incorporate intense moves in their regular cardio program lose considerably more weight than those who stick to normal cardio only. A good example of intensifying your workout is to include a 30-second all-out sprint once every 5 minutes during your regular run.
4. Sleep
Not enough shut-eye can wreak havoc on your metabolism. This is because when you don’t get enough sleep, you are tired and lack the energy to perform your daily tasks. Your body interprets this as a sign of impending exhaustion and slows down all processes which includes your metabolism. And if you’re trying to lose excess weight, remember that sleep is an excellent metabolism booster for weight loss. That’s because with adequate sleep, you avoid overeating while also keeping your metabolism high.
5. Plenty of water
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism recently carried a study which found that the metabolism of participants shot up by a huge 30% within 10 minutes of drinking 16 oz. of water. Yes folks, drinking lots of water really does wonders for your metabolic rate.
6. Eat small, eat frequent
Smaller meals keep your digestive system active compared to a heavy meal which dials it down. Eating a spread of small meals (five to six a day) keeps your metabolic rate ticking along throughout the day. Calorie tracker to lose weight fast knows the calorie count of every meal you eat.
7. Keep moving
This applies to those who sit for extended periods of time, especially as part of their jobs. Sitting for long slows down your metabolism and leads to weight gain. You can negate the effects of extended sitting and inactivity by simply moving around. When at work, just include a 5-minute walking break for every hour of sitting.
8. Eat the right foods
Gorge on metabolism booster foods whenever you can. Examples of such foods include those that are rich in proteins, dairy, beans, sprouts, lean meats, nuts, lentils, seafood like salmon and oysters, and a variety of vegetables and fruits.
9. Don’t forget to treat yourself
To lose weight, you need to induce a calorie deficit. But if you add an extra 300-400 calories to the daily intake every now and then, the body is snapped out of its lowered-metabolism state which creates a healthy balance.
10. Beat the stress
Stress, left unchecked, leads to weight gain. A happy or stress-free you can burn calories at a much faster rate while also avoiding instances of overeating; a total win-win.
A heightened metabolic rate offers several benefits; more energy, weight loss, maintaining weight and an overall healthy body. While these metabolism boosters can certainly help you, the onus lies with you in making them part of your everyday life.