Metabolism may be partly ruled by genetics, but everyone can make the most of what they’ve got to be their slimmest and fittest self. Metabolism can play a huge part in losing weight. Here are a few tips gathered from real people on how they boosted their metabolism levels to shed their excess weight.
1. Consume the right number of calories
Learn a bit of science! Metabolism refers to the chemical process in the body that converts the food that you consume into energy. When this happens, you get to have energy that can fuel you for the day. Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the amount of calories per day that your body naturally burns while resting Knowing your BMR is the key because it can tell you exactly how many calories you need to consume to maintain, lose or gain weight.
2. Calculate the amount of calories you burn
Of course, to burn calories, you need to move. So in order to attain a more accurate number, you need to factor in how active you are on a daily basis. If you need to lose more weight, you’ll need to lessen your caloric intake, and if your need to gain weight, you’ll need to eat more.
3. Ensure that workouts are a regular activity
Doing cardio exercises several times a week can definitely up your resting metabolic rate. Meaning, even when you’re out of the gym and not really exercising, your body tends to burn calories way above and beyond what it would have had you not pushed yourself to exercise more and be active. And there’s new research which proved that your basal metabolic rates can be increased too even when you are currently exercising. Tabata is a kind of workout which makes you alternate 20 seconds of all-out, sweat-
inducing effort with 10 seconds of resting period, and this goes on for 4 minutes. It is said that the more intense your workout is, the higher the amount of calories you burn, and the better it is going to be for your overall health.
4. Don’t skip the lifting
Muscles burn more calories than fat. Lifting weights is the fastest way to gain muscles and defer age-related metabolic drops.
5. Never go on a yo-yo diet
Going on a yo-yo diet is makes your weight go on a perpetual imbalance. Not only will it affect your weight, it will also put your metabolism in jeopardy. When people lose weight, they lose both fats and muscles, but once they gain it back, it tends to be mostly fats, which burns a lot less calories.
6. Grab a bedtime snack
Yes, you’ve read that right, having a bedtime snack can be good for your metabolism. Two recent studies conducted at the Florida State University have found out that consuming around 150 calories at roughly 30 minutes prior to bedtime can boost your
metabolism in the next morning.
7. Kick it up a notch
The next time you swim, run or walk, increase the intensity of your chosen activity for 30-second intervals the returning to your normal speed after. Doing this strategy will make you consume more oxygen and make you burn more energy. How you can accomplish this: Try exercising for 5 minutes at a starting point of 3.5 mph. Then increase your speed to 4 mph for about a minute. Go back to 3.5 mph for about 1 ½ minutes then repeat the entire sequence 5 times, two times a week. For an even more challenging workout, you may increase the incline or your pace.
8. Get your omega-3s
Eating foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help increase your metabolism. It helps to balance your sugar levels and lessens inflammation. Omega 3s also help in reducing the body’s resistance to the hormone leptin—the hormone researchers have linked to how fast is being burned.
