10 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

February 23, 2013 / Health & Fitness / Source: Health & Fitness

Boosting Metabolism (Boosting Metabolism)If you are like most people, you want to know what you can do to help boost your metabolism.  However, if you have tried to do a web search on ways to boost your metabolism you probably noticed that there are way too many articles on this topic.  So, in an effort to make it simpler, I have compiled a list of all of the top tips (that included evidence-based results) for increasing your metabolism.  Here are 10 of the most common metabolism boosting tips that I found:

1.  EXERCISE – I am sure you are not surprised by this one, but did you know that you can jump start your metabolism by working out in the morning?  It’s true!  Studies have shown that morning workouts can help increase the amount of calories your body burns throughout the day.  In addition, the following types of exercises will help to increase your fat-burning potential:

  • High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – HIIT workouts are not meant to be done every day, but these short bursts of intense intervals help you to burn more calories throughout your day due to the “afterburn” effect. 
  • Strength Training – Muscle burns more calories than fat, so by adding both resistance and weight training exercises to your workout routine will help increase your chances of burning more calories.

2.  INCREASE AMOUNT OF WEIGHTS & SLOW DOWN – In order for muscle growth to occur you have to increase the amount of weights that you are lifting so that you have to fight to finish the last few reps.  Plus, you need to slow down your reps to allow the muscle tissue to break down.  This may sound strange, but this is a normal process and the muscle repair process actually increases your metabolism for up to 72 hours after your workout.

3.  DRINK WATER – You should drink at least ½ your body weight in ounces every day to help your metabolic system function properly.  In addition, they say that drinking cold water helps to increase your metabolism slightly due to the body’s response in needing to warm it up.

4.  EAT BREAKFAST – Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day when it comes to increasing your metabolism.  Not only does it give your body an extra kick start for the day, but the fuel that it provides your body will give you more energy.  It is recommended that you eat within an hour of waking up because your body has gone several hours without food and you don’t want it to go into starvation mode.  In addition, research has shown that people who ate a higher amount of calories for breakfast gained less weight than those who ate smaller portions or skipped breakfast.

5.  EAT EVERY 2-3 HOURS (and don’t skip meals) – Eating smaller portions every 2-3 hours helps to keep your metabolism from slowing down because it prevents your blood sugar from dropping and gives you a consistent source of energy to keep your metabolism well fueled.  The typical day usually includes three meals and two healthy snacks and eating dinner before 8 p.m. (or at least three to four hours before bed).

  • Don’t starve yourself – skipping meals/snacks or eating too few calories a day will trick your body into thinking that it is starving and it will slow down your metabolism (survival mode).

6.  EAT PROTEIN AT EVERY MEAL/SNACK – Protein is important because it helps to build muscle (and maintain lean muscle mass) and, as stated previously, muscle burns more calories than fat.  It was also stated that you burn twice the amount of calories by digesting proteins versus carbohydrates.

7.  EAT ORGANIC – The chemicals found in pesticides have been shown to mess with thyroid function…and your thyroid controls your metabolism.  So, it is suggested that you buy organic as much as possible.  If you are unable to make a full switch, make sure you check out the list of foods that are most contaminated by clicking on “Dirty Dozen/Clean 15” on the following link:  http://www.swfitnut.com/healthy-eating-tips.

8.  EAT FOODS RICH IN VITAMINS & MINERALS – Diets rich in B vitamins, calcium, and iron help to fuel your body with energy, so if you are not feeding your body with these vital nutrients then your energy might be flagging.  So, make sure to include these vitamins and minerals in your diet to help keep your metabolism going.

9.  EAT FISH – Or, more importantly, make sure to supply your body with plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids to increase fat-burning.  Omega-3 is a healthy fat that assists in sending a message to your brain to indicate “I’m full.” Fish such as salmon and tuna are high in Omega-3, but the fatty acids can also be found in flaxseed, walnuts, and other fatty fish/seafood.

10.  EAT SPICY FOODS – I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of spicy foods, but apparently they can help boost your metabolism.  So, if you can handle it go ahead and add those chili peppers to help speed up your metabolism. :)

For more information: How to Increase Metabolism