Metabolism is the series of chemical reactions that occur in the body to release energy. These chemical reactions break down food particles and help you maintain or even lose weight. As simple as this process sounds, a lot of factors play a role in how slow or fast you burn your meals every day.
If you have been feeling sluggish, bloated, or experiencing weight gain, it could be that your metabolism has started to slow down. Bad genes, age, and body structure might play a role in metabolic rate, however, you are ultimately in control of your metabolism.
7 Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism
Your lifestyle choices and diet make a big impact on your metabolic rate. If your metabolism needs a little boost, we have 7 easy ways to take control of your body and kickstart your metabolism today.
1. Eat more
Eating too little can cause your metabolic rate to slow down. Your body needs enough nutrients to break down food and release energy throughout the day. By eating less than your body needs, you end up with higher levels of energy and a calorie deficit. Your brain then sends signals to slow down the metabolic process due to a scarcity of nutrient intake.
Avoid skipping meals and make sure to eat enough at every meal. Having a well-balanced diet with enough calorie intake will boost your metabolism in no time!
2. Add more protein to your diet
Adding enough protein to your diet will boost digestion. Your body uses protein to build muscles and increase your metabolism. Consuming enough protein will also keep you feeling full for longer periods of time, thus squashing any cravings you usually have during the day.
Eggs, lentils, quinoa, and chicken breast are foods that are high in protein and healthy to add to your diet.
3. Sleep
Your body needs enough rest to carry out its natural functions. Exhaustion and fatigue can cause the body to slow down the metabolism because the brain will send signals to conserve energy. It is important to get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep every day in order to rejuvenate and refresh your cells and muscles.
Taking a rest day between your workouts is important too. Your muscles need time to heal and not only do you want to keep them intact, but resting them will impair the rejuvenation process and cause muscle loss instead.
4. Choose green tea
Green tea is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help to increase metabolic rate and boost memory. Green tea contains the active ingredient called catechins, which plays a part in increasing the metabolic process.
Consuming 3 – 5 cups of green tea a day increases burning of fat and releases high amounts of energy.
5. Lift weights during your workouts
Incorporating weights at the gym or during your yoga classes helps to build lean muscle mass. When you lift weights, you use more energy and, therefore, burn more calories in the process.
Lifting not only increases your strength but builds muscle that boosts metabolism. Make sure that you do not strain yourself and lift more than you can handle. You want to avoid getting hurt. Ask your trainer or a specialist for help if you are a beginner at lifting weights.
6. High-intensity workouts
High-intensity workouts or HIIT have become very popular in the fitness world. HIIT involves bursts of high-intensity activities at regular intervals during your routine. These workouts increase fat to burn more than any other training and ups your metabolic rate in the process.
HIIT continues to burn calories even after you’re done. Those little bursts of activity happen for 30 – 60 seconds and ignite the flame that is your metabolic rate.
7. Add enough Omega-3’s to your diet
Omega-3’s are known to reduce inflammation, balance blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. Along with these major health benefits, foods rich in omega-3’s help regulate the body’s metabolic functions.
Omega-3 is considered as a good fat that is required by your body to promote weight loss. You can consume Omega-3 through foods such as salmon, tuna, walnuts, fruits, or vegetables to name a few.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not as hard as you think. Adding or changing a few things to your diet will make a big impact on your metabolic rate. Not only will you be at a healthy weight, your body will be functioning much better and you will start to feel energized and fresh throughout the day.
Speeding up your metabolism will also keep you in a happy mood and help you regulate your levels of stress. Say goodbye to luck and welcome a faster metabolism in 7 easy ways.
The content of this Website is for is for informational purposes only, is general in nature and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and does not constitute professional advice. The information on this Website should not be considered as complete and does not cover all diseases, ailments, physical conditions, or their treatment. You should consult with your physician before beginning any exercise, weight loss, or health care program and/or any of the beauty treatments.
References:
10 Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism (Backed by Science). (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2018, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-ways-to-boost-metabolism#section11
How to Boost Metabolism. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2018, from http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306911,00.html#get-started-in-the-a-m–0
