10 Sep 6 ways to boost your metabolism

6 Ways to Boost your Metabolism

Unsure about how to boost your metabolism or even what it is??
The metabolism refers to the physical and chemical processes that occur in the body which
are vital for keeping us alive and well.
Metabolism is the process at which it converts food into energy used to provide fuel. The
metabolic rate (or speed of process) is influenced by such things as age, gender, weight and
physical activity.There are chemicals in our digestive system which break down food into fuel,
which the body either uses immediately or it is stored in the many body’s tissues.The energy
(or kilojoules) your body uses in a day in order to survive is called our basal or resting
metabolic rate which with great food and exercises can be stimulated.

1. Drink Green tea or Coffee
Caffeine is the most popular stimulant in the world, found in almost every thermogenic
supplement on the market. Studies have found that caffeine can speed your metabolism by
about 10 percent in man and about 20 to 30 percent in women. Taken at the right dosage,
caffeine can increase your metabolic rate for several hours and helps increase fat oxidation,
both of which increase fat loss. Taken before cardio training, caffeine increases aerobic
performance and endurance which results in a greater increase in metabolic rate post cardio.
Drink a cup of coffee or green tea in the morning and before cardio and feel the power surge.

2. Eat Frequently
Every time you eat, the body’s metabolic engine slightly increases. Consequently if you eat
six times a day, you’ll experience six metabolic surges a day, rather than just three if you eat
only three times a day. This is a very effective strategy to get leaner without having to
drastically reduce calories, as the calories you eat are more likely to get used for fuel and
bodily processes like muscle recovery and growth. For a great boost in metabolism through
your day, eat 6-8 small meals per day, spaced by 2-3 hours apart.

3. Resistance Training
When we exercise, we have this great post-exercise period called EPOC: Excessive Post-
Exercise Oxygen Consumption, which refers to the period in which your metabolic rate is
raised after the workout. Weight training will not only help you burn more calories than cardio
sessions done at a constant slow-to-moderate intensity, weight training will also increase your
metabolism at a higher rate for a longer period after exercise. Following weight training, your
resting metabolic rate remains elevated anywhere from 60 minutes to about 12 hours,
depending on the intensity and duration of the exercise session. You will also build stronger
bones, joints and tone up muscle tissue.

4. Eat Protein
Eating protein directly raises your metabolism. That’s because the body burns more calories
processing protein than it burns to process carbs or fat. This means that every high-protein
meal you eat gives you a boost in calorie burning. Protein also builds lean muscle mass, a
key in boosting and maintaining a high metabolic rate. Every 500g of muscle burns about 6
calories a day to sustain itself. So be sure that in most meals you get in at least 30 grams of
protein and total at least 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. Your major
protein sources should be lean meats (chicken, steak, turkey breast, tuna), egg whites ,
protein powder (whey or casein) and low-fat cottage cheese.

5. Stay Hydrated
The energy-burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively in order to process
calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. A German study
found that when subjects drank about 2 cups of cold water, their metabolic rate increased by
30% for more than an hour. Water also fills you up, curbs your appetite, flushes out your
system and rids the body of bloat. To stay hydrated, Drink 2 cups of cold water between
meals to keep your metabolism high. Drink water regularly and make sure you consume at
least a 3L of water a day minimum.

6. Sleep and Recover
Sleep deprivation increases hunger and affects the body’s metabolism. It triggers your
appetite-stimulating hormones and leads to a sluggish metabolism. This is because when you
sleep less than you should, you throw off the amounts of leptin and ghrelin, hormones that
help regulate energy use and appetite, that your body produces. Lack of sleep also zaps your
energy, which means you’re less likely to move therefore less likely to experience an increase
in metabolic rate. Make sure you get in your eight hours or more of shut-eye every night.

By Roxane White, White Therapies.
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