Feeling sluggish most of the day or finding it hard to do daily tasks without getting exhausted? There are easy ways to boost your metabolism without high-calorie energy drinks or energy bars. With regular application of a few easy methods, you'll feel more energetic and improve your chances of losing weight. (Your overall health will improve, too!) After you eat, your metabolism converts food into energy. An individual's basal metabolic rate (BMR) is tied to lifestyle and genetics. Some people are able to eat a fast food meal and follow it off with candy without gaining weight (although it might cause other health problems), while others eat healthy meals, count calories and can't lose weight. Those scenarios are linked to genetics, but even if you draw an unlucky card in the genetics sweepstakes, you can still lose weight by following these 8 ways to boost your metabolism.
1. Exercise More
You're always burning calories, even when you're working on your iPad or watching TV. Each pound of muscle burns six calories; a pound of fat only burns two calories. Over time, the fat-burning capacity of muscles adds up, helping increase weight loss. As you get older, you naturally lose muscle mass, and exercise will help you retain it, raise metabolism and avoid the pesky weight gain many older people experience.
Your metabolic rate increases after strength training or weight lifting. Interval runs and or any interval training (switching between high and low intensity exercise), a strenuous hike, or other high-intensity workouts boost your metabolism ASAP. Your metabolism will stay high, long after the workout has finished, and burn more calories, too. Aerobic exercise – running, Zumba, biking or swimming-will help you burn fat and increase metabolism more than yoga or other moderate exercise.
Work out five times a week to get the most out of your exercise routine, employing a combination of aerobics and strength training. Incorporate exercise into your day by walking or biking to the store instead of driving. Exercising-or even engaging in any type of physical activity – will give you energy, not deplete you. More activity equals a higher metabolism.
2. Eat Protein
Getting enough protein can help you burn up to 200 calories more a day Protein is more difficult for your body to break down, so you'll burn more calories if you eat protein instead of piling on carbohydrates and fats. Eat chicken, lean red meat and fish. Vegetarians (and meat-eaters) can get protein from tofu, peanut butter and beans.
Remember to eat at least 1200 calories a day even if you're anxious for quick weight loss. Eating less than 1200 calories (which is the minimum amount necessary for proper body function for women ) or 1500 calories a day for men
3. Stay Hydrated
Water helps boost your metabolism by helping your body burn fat faster. Water increases the metaboloic rate in healthy people by as much as 30%, according a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Drinking water helps your digestive system function better, getting rid of excess, slow-digesting food that packs on a few extra pounds. Water fills you up so you eat less, and it helps cleanse your body of toxins. Drinking water also aids your immune system , helping increase serotonin in your brain to reduce depression and lubricating the joints to guard against arthritis. It helps your lymphatic system carry nutrients to the blood and cells to fight disease.
4. Don't Skip Breakfast
Eating breakfast speeds weight loss. Studies show women who skip breakfasts are more likely to become obese. Breakfast means you “break” your “fast”, and it will prevent your body from feeling like it's being starved. If you're determined to shed a few pounds, eating a substantial first meal of the day may help you reach your goal faster. A study cited by the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that participants who consumed between 22% and 55% of their daily calories at breakfast only gained an average of 1.7 pounds in a four year period. Eating breakfast raises your resting metabolism for the remainder of the day, according to studies.
If you don't have time for a big breakfast, eat oatmeal or yogurt topped with fresh fruit. A fruit smoothie (with wheatgrass supplement added for energy) or a whole-wheat bagel with a boiled egg are other good choices.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Stop burning the midnight oil and get to bed earlier to boost your metabolism. When you don't get enough sleep, your body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol. This does more than make you short-tempered and tired in the morning. It increases your chance of heart disease and other health problems. According to a 2006 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association consistently getting less than six hours of sleep a night leads to weight gain and possibly obesity. Getting enough sleep helps your body repair tissues and control the hormones needed for appetite regulation and metabolism. If you don't get enough sleep you'll be more likely to eat more food, especially carbohydrates.
6. Avoid or Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Drinking alcohol dehydrates you and causes you to eat more if you drink before a meal. If you drink alcohol with a meal, your body will burn off those calories first, leaving more of the calories from food to be stored as fat. Instead of drinking beer or hard liquor, drink a glass of wine (only 80 calories) or a white wine spritzer. Cutting down or eliminating alcohol from your diet will boost your metabolism and burn more fat from the food you eat.
7. Eat Small Meals Several Times a Day
Your body processes small meals faster than large steak and potatoes feasts. Eating a big lunch and an even bigger dinner will create a sluggish digestive system and stunt your metabolism. Eating small meals conserves your energy and keeps your stomach from “working overtime” to digest lots of heavy food. Smaller meals also help to stabilize blood sugar. Research has indicated that female athletes who had small meals or snacks every three hours were able to exercise longer and move faster.
After eating a big breakfast, have snacks and a few small meals throughout the day. Eat peanut butter on whole wheat bread, a tuna sandwich, veggie burger or fresh fruit. Always include one protein food in your meal or snack. Including hot peppers, dried mustard and other spicy foods in your diet will raise your metabolic rate and help your body burn even more calories.
If you need more proof that eating several small meals will boost your metabolism and aid weight loss, consider this. Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Angelina Jolie and other celebrities eat up to six small meals a day.
8. Take a Supplement with Vitamin B12
All B-complex vitamins help turn food into energy, keeping us alert and active during the day, but Vitamin B12 will boost your metabolism sky-high. If you don't get enough Vitamin B12, you'll feel fatigued, scattered and depressed. You can get adequate amounts of Vitamin B12 from lean meats, fish, turkey, Swiss cheese, eggs, lamb, milk and yogurt. Bulk up on Vitamins B6 (Pyridoxine) and B9 (folate), Vitamin B3 (niacin) ,Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 ( riboflavin) and Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) and Vitamin B7 (biotin) through a balanced diet and a wheatgrass supplement with added B complex vitamins. Eat plenty of beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, lean meat, poultry and fish to make sure you get enough B Vitamins through your food. Avocados, cauliflower, sunflower seeds, beets and spinach are excellent vegetarian sources of B-complex vitamins.
9. Drink Green Tea and Milk to Boost Metabolism
Green tea is packed with antioxidants and flavonoids to fight cancer and heart disease, but it can boost your metabolism, too. Unlike coffee, cola or black tea, the moderate amount of caffeine in green tea supplies a slow and steady uptick in your metabolism. You won't crash and burn like you do with cup after cup of coffee or energy drinks.
A study conducted by the University of Geneva, Switzerland cited green tea's fat-burning properties, noting that it increased thermogenesis, or the number of calories burned while eating and digesting food. The young males in the study who took green tea extract had a 4 per cent increase in thermogenesis. Drinking green tea helps you burn between 70 and 100 calories because they contain fat-fighting antioxidants called catechins.
Lowfat milk is another metabolism-boosting beverage. A study featured in the American Society for Nutritional Sciences Journal of Nutrition in 2003 showed that women who consumed low-fat dairy products including yogurt, cheese and milk 3 or 4 times a day lost 70% more body fat than study participants who didn't eat dairy. Calcium from low-fat dairy foods makes the body burn extra calories faster. Other calcium sources, like broccoli, kale or salmon, won't give you the same fat-burning, weight loss benefits. Only dairy products will help you burn fat at an accelerated pace.
10. Increase Magnesium Intake to Boost Your Metabolism
According to recent statistics, 68% of Americans have a magnesium deficiency. This mineral is necessary for maximum energy and over 300 biochemical processes in your body. You'll experience improved digestion, muscle development and nervous system function by consuming more magnesium. It will help you lose weight, too, by burning more fat and increasing your metabolism. Eat spinach, black beans, sunflower seeds, fish, bananas and yogurt to reach the recommended daily intake for 420 mg a day for men or 320 mg for women.
If you can't get enough magnesium through your diet, a wheatgrass supplement tablet offers an easy way to get the RDI of magnesium and supply other nutrients essential to boost your metabolism and energy. The chlorophyll in wheatgrass is packed with magnesium, and it offers other energy-boosting nutrients, including calcium and B-complex vitamins. Wheatgrass oxygenates the blood, detoxifies the liver, improves digestion and increases mental clarity and focus. When taken regularly, a wheatgrass supplement keeps your energy level high and helps you maintain a healthy weight.
Zeal O2 from Wheatgrass Love Boosts Your Metabolism for Easy Weight Loss
Wheatgrass, with its hundreds of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes, gives anyone who wants to lose weight more energy to keep calories burning throughout the day, whether you're exercising or just participating in your usual activities. Zeal O2 Natural Weight Loss Supplement and Energy Booster is formulated from high-quality wheatgrass. Wheatgrass offers calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and other minerals to energize you, keep your bones strong and stop inflammation and help wounds heal faster. We've added more B-complex vitamins to what's already in wheatgrass to boost your metabolism even more and sharpen focus and concentration. For the final touch, we've included a blend of nutritious herbs, including green tea extract, guarana extract, citrus aurantium, ginger, cayenne pepper and damiana to raise Zeal O2's fat-burning potential. Read more about Zeal O2.
REVV Natural Energy Supplement provides the health benefits of wheatgrass and B-complex vitamins in tasty, chocolate mint wafers. With caffeine, L-Taurine and perwinkle herb added to our high-value wheatgrass, you'll experience more vitality, focus and increased energy in no time with an unpleasant “buzz”. Periwinkle herb increases blood flow to the brain and L-taurine improves glucose tolerance and is used as a natural supplement to protect against congestive heart failure and liver disease. Read more about REVV.
HappyGirl Natural Mood Enhancing Supplement uses the same wheatgrass and proprietary blend formula of cayenne pepper, green tea extract and other herbs to neutralize mood swings and increase mental function during stressful times. Gotu kola aids in memory retention and gives you an overall sense of well-being. Damiana, used as a natural remedy for sexual problems, also promotes vitality. The blend is fine-tuned to treat symptoms of PMS and menopause – but HappyGirl balances mood and boosts energy for men and women anytime and for any reason. Read more.
Wheatgrass Love supplements have a 100% Satisfaction guarantee. If you're not happy with Zeal O2, REVV or HappyGirl, return the unused portion for a refund. Always ask your medical practitioner for advice before using any dietary supplement.
