Many of us, would kill to have a faster metabolism, having a fast metabolism allows our bodies to burn fat, lose weight quicker with smaller amounts of activity and maintain fat easier. Metabolism is defined as the rate at which the body creates and consumes energy and calories to maintain life.
There are many attributes and factors that affect and influence the metabolism of a person, such things as: activity levels, the frequency of the meals one consumes, stress levels, muscle mass, genetics and personal diet.
Your metabolism can slow down dues to following reasons: aging, less muscle mass due to less physical activity, the body going into a catabolic state through not eating enough.
We’ll now go over a few quick tips to help boost your metabolism.
1. INCREASE YOUR WATER INTAKE
One of the biggest benefits of water is the assistance in flushing out toxins whenever the body is burning fat. The body is dependent on water, nearly all bodily functions involves water; an insufficient amount of water causes the body system operations to reduce in speed and will also create un warranted stress as a result.
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2. BUILDING LEAN MUSCLE
Unfortunately with age, your metabolism will inevitably slow down but fortunately there was ways to counter these effects. The more muscle mass a person has, the better the ability that person has to burn calories and in turn, burn fat. Try to work out at least two times a week, be it resistance training or weight training, to improve muscle mass.
Even changing little things in your daily life can help, i.e. taking the dog for regular walks, using the stairs instead of escalators. The main thing you should strive to achieve is matching the amount of calories taken in to the amount of activity partaken.
Below are some good guidelines to follow:
Strength training:
• Increasing the amount of repetitions per exercise.
• Increase the level of resistance.
• Perform more advance techniques with your exercises.
Cardiovascular Training:
• Increase the resistance and speed
• Add exercises/intervals in-between other exercises.
• Utilize cross-training whilst combining the exercises.
3. AVOID SUGAR
Sugar intake allows the body to store fat. It has always been highly recommended that a person consumes food that helps them maintain even blood sugar levels. Along with this, regular exercises, 2 to 3 times a week, should help stabilize blood sugar.
4. SLEEP MORE
Latest research shows that people who don’t get an adequate amount of sleep a more prone to gain weight.
In addition to this, it is known that muscles are regenerated within the last hours of sleep.
5. EAT BREAKFAST
Unfortunately there are many people who skip breakfast, ignoring the fact that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It Is no surprise that the people who regular eat breakfast are in general better shape and seem to have more energy. Your metabolism can slow down if breakfast is skipped or pushed back until mid-morning, especially if skipped altogether and the person’s first meal is in the afternoon.
6. SPICY FOODS
It has been discovered that some spicy foods can improve your metabolism, foods such as peppers.
7. EATING SMALLER MEALS
Most people who are into fitness and bodybuilding, general consume their food at 2-3 hour intervals per day, equalling up to 4-6 smaller size portioned meals a day, as opposed to 3 big meals a day.
8. MEAL PLANNING
Try to prepare the right amount of food, that will be consumed at assigned times and intervals. Don’t fall in the mistakes of eating your meals at sporadic times and patterns.
9. NEVER SKIP MEALS
One of the biggest mistakes some people make when trying to lose fat. Skipping meals will not also slow down your metabolism but put you at risk of being in a catabolic state.
10. DITCH THE STRESS
This one will be easy for some but harder for others but it is a big help if you can wash away your stresses, be it physical or emotional. The steroid cortisol is released whilst someone is under big amounts of stress, which decreases your metabolism, people who are under stress tend to binge eat.
11. TRY GREEN TEA
One of the best hot drinks that’s a perfect replacement for coffee, is Green Tea. Green Tea has great characteristics that help stimulate and improve your metabolism, unlike coffee, there isn’t side effects when too much is consumed.
12. INTRODUCING ENERGY FOODS INTO YOUR DIET
• Foods which are known to improve the metabolism; whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fish.
Achieving your desired body weight or body shape is never going to be an “easy” path, if it was, we’d all be fitness models, but with the right attitude and determination you can make your goal a very realistic achievement. Eating the right foods and working out isn’t just a phase but a way of life.