We all want to eat everything we like and still lose weight. Experts now believe that this is very much possible! Let us find out ways to love food, lose weight and boost metabolism easily.
1. Understand what metabolism is all about
Metabolism is divided into three parts
- Basal metabolism determines the way your body efficiently burns calories and meets your bodily needs to stay alive, breathe, grow, repair, adjust hormone levels etc.
- Physical metabolism- Nearly 20-25% of our calorie intake is used up for movement and physical activity.
- Food processing and digestion-10% of or total calorie intake is used up in processing and digesting food. This is the thermic effect that takes up energy from food and uses it up for digesting the food we eat.
Understanding these three components of metabolism will greatly help you in determining sustainable ways to increase metabolism rate permanently.
2. Avoid starvation
An important way to increase metabolism men and women is to avoid crash diets and eat adequate quantity of food. By skimping on calories, your body is going to slow down the rate at which it burns calories as it tries to conserve the calories it has got.
3. Eat foods that increase metabolism
You read that right-there are many foods that are beneficial to metabolism and they contain metabolism stoking nutrients.
- Egg yolks-The high choline content of yolks attacks the processes that tend to store fat in the body. So do not worry about cholesterol-eat a couple of eggs daily.
- Extra virgin olive oil- Olive oil is the best foods that increase metabolism. They contain healthy monosaturated fats that burn calories and also boost serotonin levels which give a feeling of satiety.
- Green tea– One of the major metabolism boosters, green tea triggers release of fat from the fat cells and also boosts the body’s capacity of utilizing fat for energy.
- Chili peppers-Capsacin, the compound that makes your tongue hurt after eating red chilies also puts a fire in your metabolism. Research has shown that 1 tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies can spike your metabolism by 23%.
- Others– Fatty fish, cinnamon, oatmeal, grapefruit, apples, beans, avocado, dark chocolate, blueberries, coconut oil, chia seeds etc are some of the top super foods that increase metabolism.
Also understand that proteins are important but so are carbs. Avoiding carbohydrates will not do anything to improve your metabolism; in fact you need them for energy. Therefore, focus on eating complex carbs found in whole grains, brown rice, quinoa, barley, oats etc.
4. Avoid inorganic foods
The organophosphates (chemicals found in pesticides) tend to interfere with the body’s fat burning ability. Research has shown that dieters who had more toxins in the body had a greater than normal dip in metabolism. So eat fresh, local, seasonal and organic produce.
5. Increase your fiber intake
Fiber rich food helps increase your basal metabolic rate. The body can easily break down fiber as compared to breaking down of refined grains. Fiber rich foods also prevent constipation and bloating and naturally detoxify the organs to perform better. So eat your veggies, bran, cereals, sprouts and fruits every day.
6. Drink ice water
Research conducted at University of Utah has shown that people who drank more than 8 glasses of water had higher metabolic rates than those who drank only about 4 glasses. Icing the water increases the metabolic rate even further as the body spends more energy to heat the cold water to core temperature.
7. Stand for 3 hours daily
Sometimes, simple things like standing instead of sitting at work are all it takes to boost metabolism men and women. In one study, researchers found that total inactivity for more than 4 hours shutdown enzymes which are needed for fat burning. So break those long periods of downtime and stand more!
8. Soak up some sunshine
Research has shown that when you spend long time indoors, your body tends to feel lethargic and requires more sleep. This slows down metabolism and causes weight gain. Take advantage of the daylight hours between 10 am and 3 pm. This is the time when metabolic rate is higher and a brisk walk outdoors or sitting by the window can do wonders to the body during this period.
9. Take saunas and sweat baths
Sweating through exercise is great but if you want to increase metabolism without exercise, you can take saunas and steam baths. These throw out toxins, promote relaxation and also encourage weight loss. An average sauna session can burn up to 300 calories per session.
10. Listen to music
An easy way to boost metabolism without exercise is through music. Recent findings show that music helps faster recovery from stress which negatively affects metabolic rate. Music also improves blood flow to organs during and after exercise when the body is recovering from exertion.
11. Practice deep breathing
By breathing in deeply, we give more oxygen to each cell, which then produces more energy to increase our metabolism. The secret is to practice deep breathing daily, patiently and gradually.
12. Sleep more
Without adequate sleep, the levels of leptin and ghrelin, two hormones that regulate energy use and appetite are thrown off. So aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night. Avoid caffeine before bed, clock your alcohol consumption to before 3 hours prior to bedtime, and create a bedroom sanctuary. Here are some other easy ways to sleep better.
13. Manage stress
Stress can throw hormones out of whack and lead to metabolism issues. Here are a few tips to manage stress:
- Laugh a little more- watch a funny video, meet friends!
- Pent up emotions-Write them down in a journal.
- Listen to music.
- Look at old photos.
- Think of good stuff-be more grateful.
14. Cut back on alcohol and caffeine
Both of these impact our metabolic rate negatively; so limit or avoid consumption in excess.
15. Other quick tips
- Set an intention – Positive visualization of your ideal body shape can also help.
- Feng shui your home to let in positive energy.
- Substitute brown rice in place of white rice
- Drink full fat milk – Studies show that calcium in full fat milk can help speed up metabolism.
- Forgive your shortcomings- nobody is perfect.
- Chew your food with awareness-mindful eating will help you avoid unwanted calories and also set stage for faster metabolism.
Use these 15 easy ways to boost your metabolism.