How to "easily" boost your metabolism is a really juicy subject for most folks, especially for those over the age of forty. So I thought I'd tackle the topic by writing an informative on the five best actions anyone can take to rev up their metabolism … beyond having to workout!
The suggestions I have for you are pure, natural ways to improve your body's ability to efficiently burn calories and fat even while resting.
And there's a bonus. These little secrets can support your health exponentially, too! That's important because the better you take care of your overall health, the better your metabolism will function.
First … You need to be eating meals rich in protein!
All foods produce what's called a THERMIC EFFECT when eaten. That's because digesting food requires your body to put forth an effort. And that "effort" requires your body to burn calories!
You must remember that protein is a food that demands more effort from your body to digest it than carbohydrates or fats!
When you eat protein, you raise your metabolic rate by as much as 30%! And this happens while your body is just sitting there, digesting! Meantime, the consumption of carbs only increases your metabolism by 5-10%. Fat metabolism ranges even less; 0-3%.
To improve upon protein's thermogenic benefit, try spreading your protein intake over an entire day instead of eating it in only one or two meals.
Proteins are the building blocks for our entire body. So, to repair, build, or maintain muscle, you must consume enough of it. This is doubly true if we want to continue living a healthy and active lifestyle as we continue to age!
Second … DO NOT starve yourself!
This is a massive revelation for those of us trying to lose weight. For example, you've chosen to start a new diet, and so you dramatically slash your daily calorie intake because you want to lose the weight as fast as possible.
In this case, evolutionary instinct kicks in as your body is built for survival! So when you suddenly cut your calories, your body instinctively assumes there is a food shortage or famine beginning. This triggers a hormonal shift that begins a SLOW down of your metabolism to help you outlast the "perceived" scarcity of food.
Sure! You WILL lose weight when you dramatically cut down on your calorie intake, but most of it will be a loss of water and muscle. What remains will be mostly fat. Instead, you should adjust your calorie intake slowly ... dropping only 300-500 calories from your usual daily intake so that your metabolism remains stoked, and continues to preserve muscle while burning body fat for fuel.
The precise calorie deficit appropriate for you will depend upon your age, physical size, and current level of physical activity. There are formulas to help you calculate exactly what that number is. For some FREE help, make sure you sign up for my 5-Day Metabolic Boost Challenge! In it, I help break down the formula for you, and you get set up with a quick-fire plan to help you improve your body's fat-burning efficiency.
THIRD … Stay active and refrain from living a sedentary life.
Yes, cranking out a workout is definitely a great idea, and doing so will most definitely boost your body's ability to burn calories. This is especially true if you regularly lift weights, or do an interval styled (HIIT: High-Intensity Interval Training) designed fitness program.
But if you want a metabolic burn that lasts ALL DAY, you must be a PHYSICALLY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT in life.
There's no need for equipment or a gym membership. What I'm talking about here is making your daily, quality of life decisions carefully ... Rather than sitting most of the day, opt for standing instead. If you're able to take the stairs, do so! Avoid the elevator whenever possible. Park further away ... Find any excuse and any reason for you to MOVE your body more.
Do this type of activity in place of formal exercise, and 20 or 30 calories burned here and there throughout the day will compound over time. Potentially, it can account for hundreds of extra calories burned in less than a week. Imagine if you maintained that course over a year!
There is no doubt that your body burns more calories while you're participating in life than when you've chosen to sit on the sidelines watching TV. The reverse applies, too. If you've ever suddenly gone from a physically active job to having a desk job, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Actively participating in your life is remarkably beneficial to your health because sedentary living has been linked with an ever-lengthening list of health risks and diseases, from obesity and diabetes to cancer and osteoarthritis.
FOURTH … Get enough quality sleep!
Sleep hygiene is vital. Sleeping roughly 7 to 8 hours per night and doing whatever you can to ensure your sleep quality is essential! (I went into this deeper on my previous post, "Sleep and The Mid-life Metabolism." … if you haven't seen it, make sure to check that out.)
On the health side of things, consistently getting enough sleep can reduce the risks of developing diabetes, heart disease, and bouts of depression.
But on the metabolic side of things, studies reveal that not getting sufficient sleep can decrease your metabolism by 2-8 %!
Lack of quality sleep can also interfere with your hunger hormones, which can help lead to overeating. So, defend your bedtime rigorously to ensure you get the sleep you need!
Fifth … Hydrate Often
This is another less-known way to improve your metabolism without the need for formal exercise. The truth is: It WORKS!
Studies show that drinking half a liter (roughly 17 ounces) of water can boost your RMR (resting metabolic rate) from 10 to 30%. And that benefit lasts for up to an hour AFTER you've finished that drink. That's an AWESOME rate of return for investing in drinking a little more than two cups of pure H2O.
While I'm not convinced that it's true, some say you might get even more of a boost if that water is cold. That's because, in theory, your body must work to raise it up to average body temperature. Pretty cool, huh? No pun intended. :-)
Water also helps you feel full. Especially if you drink a glass of it just before a meal.
In a study of overweight people in which some were asked to drink half a liter of water before every meal. The results indicated that those participants lost on average 44% more weight than the remaining test subjects that didn't drink water before their meals.
Additional benefits of adequate hydration include feeling more energized, better digestion, radiant skin, and a general feeling of better health!
Here's a Pro-Tip: A good rule of thumb for calculating your amount of daily water intake is to take your body weight, then divide it in half. The resulting number should indicate your daily water intake in ounces. Here's an example; if someone weighs 150 pounds, they need to drink about 75 ounces of water daily (150 lbs / 2 = 75).
In closing … Here's a shortlist of all five top natural ways to boost your metabolism: without the workouts!
1. Eat enough protein.
2. Make sure you get enough calories.
3. Stay active during the day.
4. Get a minimum of 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night.
5. Drink at least half your body weight (in ounces) of water daily!
These tips, done regularly, should help energize and rev up your metabolism. But, to fine-tune your metabolism to its fullest, you should include some form of exercise program.
If you'd like to talk about what type of exercise program would work best for you, I'd be happy to lend my professional advice!
You may already have some notion of how fit you are. But exploring the specifics can help you set realistic goals, monitor your progress, and maintain your motivation. When you know where you're starting from, you can efficiently plan what you want to do and where you want to go. And it's easier than you might think.