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Tips for boosting metabolism

Posted by on 18 February 2011 | 0 Comments

Our body gets the energy it needs from food through metabolism, the chemical reactions in the body's cells that convert the fuel from food into the energy needed to do everything from moving to thinking to growing.

Energy needs for your body's basic functions stay fairly consistent and your basal metabolic rate accounts for about 60 to 75 percent of the calories you burn every day.

So how do you ensure that your metabolic rate is functioning properly?

1. Build lean muscle mass. Resistance work will help build muscle which will raise the rate that you burn fat.

2. Get active. Aerobic activities help with keeping your metabolism active and are great for your energy levels and general health.

3. Remain active. Include incremental exercise such as taking the stairs, parking the car further away, and walking somewhere instead of driving.

4. Eat regularly. Don't skip meals or your body goes into fasting mode. You need regular meals to stimulate your metabolism.

5. Go for low Glycaemic Index foods. Slower digested carbohydrates keep your metabolism relatively steady.

6. Eat your breakfast. This is the single most important thing to do to start the day and it will kick start your metabolism.

7. Sleep. Get quality sleep and lots of it. Sleep is an important time for the body to rest and re-energise.

8. Avoid stress. Learn to deal with stress or try and avoid it altogether by removing yourself from stressful situations. Take up yoga or learn meditation techniques.

9. Limit or reduce alcohol intake. When you drink alcohol, it interferes with some of your metabolic processes. Alcohol affects mainly fat in the body by having an effect on the amount of fat that the body can use for energy production.

10. Drink at least two litres of water each day. It is important to stay hydrated even when not exercising. Your metabolism will slow when you are dehydrated.

11. Enjoy spicy foods. The capsaicin in chili helps to rev up your metabolism and is known to help with the thermo genesis process. This means it warms you and your metabolism.

 

12. Enjoy green tea. Green tea extract can result in a significant increase in energy expenditure plus has an effect on fat oxidation.