Metabolism. It's a complicated subject. Most people I know would like a faster one. What is it? Your metabolism is the process your body goes through to break down nutrients to provide energy for your body. It works around the clock, but sometimes not so well. The purpose of this article is to offer a number of different ways for you to boost your metabolism if you would like to lose weight or just eat more (for energy of course).
Heredity and age do play a role in metabolism. You can't change either of them, so the focus of this article is what you can do. It is important to note, though, that research suggests metabolism slows by 5% for every decade after the age of 40. If you're there already or just looking to lose weight, here are some things you can do.
Lean protein is a huge piece of the puzzle when looking to boost metabolism. The body uses more calories to break down and use the energy from protein more than fat or carbohydrates, by a wide margin. This rate can be as high as 30% while carbohydrates are between 5% and 10% and fates are below 5%. I recommend eating one gram of protein per pound of body weight in order to really rev up your metabolic rate.
I highly recommend increasing your water intake. First, it will help your kidneys better digest your increased consumption of protein from the previous step. But it also has its own metabolic kicker of its own. Dehydration can limit proper functioning of metabolism so proper hydration is necessary. Drink an ounce of H2O for every pound you weight. Add a cup of water for every fifteen minutes of exercise you do during the day. Ice water can take your water consumption up another level as it adds the thermo effect to the aforementioned benefits. Cold water needs to be warmed up to match the temperature of the rest of your body.
Meal timing and the amount of calories per meal can have a large impact on metabolism. I recommend starting the day with a high protein breakfast within an hour of waking and six meals throughout the day, all with protein is preferable. Skipping meals is to be avoided and it seems to pay to keep the number of meals per day pretty consistent. Wide ranges in meals per day can negatively impact the thermo effect of your digestion.
Eating whole foods is highly recommended as opposed to those that are processed with chemicals and heavy in fat, sodium, and sweeteners. If you do include processed foods in your daily diet, I recommend always reading your food labels so that you are aware of exactly what is in your foods. You would be surprised by some of the dangerous chemicals that are approved for use in our food supply. Some of these can inhibit your metabolism or lead to overeating. It's best to avoid highly-refined foods.
In terms of exercise, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for cardio is much better for metabolism than long, slow and low-intensity training. Implementing a program that cycles through frequent bursts of sprinting followed by moderate jogging or walking can give you a great metabolic workout in just twenty minutes. Weight lifting can also have a huge impact. Not only does more muscle on your body mean more calories burned, but each individual workout can boost your metabolism for up to two days, assuming you work out until failure while targeting no more than twelve reps per exercise, but preferably eight.
Proper sleep is important for your body to function properly. I haven't seen much research suggesting that it has a direct impact on metabolism, however, you are much more likely to eat healthy, exercise, and implement the rest of this metabolism-boosting plan if you are well rested.
There are other things you can add to your diet that can aid in boosting your metabolism. In addition to protein intake, unsaturated (healthy) fats help, as do spicy foods, green tea, and caffeine. Quick fixes rarely work.
Heredity and age do play a role in metabolism. You can't change either of them, so the focus of this article is what you can do. It is important to note, though, that research suggests metabolism slows by 5% for every decade after the age of 40. If you're there already or just looking to lose weight, here are some things you can do.
Lean protein is a huge piece of the puzzle when looking to boost metabolism. The body uses more calories to break down and use the energy from protein more than fat or carbohydrates, by a wide margin. This rate can be as high as 30% while carbohydrates are between 5% and 10% and fates are below 5%. I recommend eating one gram of protein per pound of body weight in order to really rev up your metabolic rate.
I highly recommend increasing your water intake. First, it will help your kidneys better digest your increased consumption of protein from the previous step. But it also has its own metabolic kicker of its own. Dehydration can limit proper functioning of metabolism so proper hydration is necessary. Drink an ounce of H2O for every pound you weight. Add a cup of water for every fifteen minutes of exercise you do during the day. Ice water can take your water consumption up another level as it adds the thermo effect to the aforementioned benefits. Cold water needs to be warmed up to match the temperature of the rest of your body.
Meal timing and the amount of calories per meal can have a large impact on metabolism. I recommend starting the day with a high protein breakfast within an hour of waking and six meals throughout the day, all with protein is preferable. Skipping meals is to be avoided and it seems to pay to keep the number of meals per day pretty consistent. Wide ranges in meals per day can negatively impact the thermo effect of your digestion.
Eating whole foods is highly recommended as opposed to those that are processed with chemicals and heavy in fat, sodium, and sweeteners. If you do include processed foods in your daily diet, I recommend always reading your food labels so that you are aware of exactly what is in your foods. You would be surprised by some of the dangerous chemicals that are approved for use in our food supply. Some of these can inhibit your metabolism or lead to overeating. It's best to avoid highly-refined foods.
In terms of exercise, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for cardio is much better for metabolism than long, slow and low-intensity training. Implementing a program that cycles through frequent bursts of sprinting followed by moderate jogging or walking can give you a great metabolic workout in just twenty minutes. Weight lifting can also have a huge impact. Not only does more muscle on your body mean more calories burned, but each individual workout can boost your metabolism for up to two days, assuming you work out until failure while targeting no more than twelve reps per exercise, but preferably eight.
Proper sleep is important for your body to function properly. I haven't seen much research suggesting that it has a direct impact on metabolism, however, you are much more likely to eat healthy, exercise, and implement the rest of this metabolism-boosting plan if you are well rested.
There are other things you can add to your diet that can aid in boosting your metabolism. In addition to protein intake, unsaturated (healthy) fats help, as do spicy foods, green tea, and caffeine. Quick fixes rarely work.
About the Author:
Please see my website for more information at food labels or my blog at reading food labels
