People are always curious about what metabolism really does and how it works in your body. Basically, metabolism is a complex network of hormones and enzymes that convert food into fuel and determine how efficiently that fuel is used. Metabolism is also affected by gender (men usually burn more calories than women) and proportion of muscle mass. Surprisingly, obese people do not necessarily have slower metabolism- in fact the heavier you are, the FASTER your metabolism is running!
While we're all born with a certain metabolic level, there are things we can do to naturally boost it. After spending this Memorial Day weekend with family, friends and LOTS of food, here are 6 metabolism boosters you can do today to help burn off those extra burgers.
Just as you need to start your car with fuel, you need to jump start your metabolism first thing in the morning to burn the most calories possible throughout the day. Studies show that eating breakfast can increase your resting metabolism for the rest of the day by as much as 10%. A healthy breakfast of fruit and Greek yogurt, or a piece of whole wheat toast and a couple of eggs. You just need something simple and healthy to alert your body to start working.
Vitamin B is key in turning carbs, fats and proteins into energy. When you don't get enough your metabolism slows down, leaving you fatigued, possibly depressed and at risk for diseases. Try adding more spinach, melon, broccoli, and lean proteins like beans, fish and eggs to your diet to stock up on B vitamins. You'll notice the increase in energy right away.
What mineral is needed to make your metabolism work efficiently with every muscle, nerve and heart cell in your body? Magnesium. It's also the same mineral that most Americans aren't getting enough of, according to the National Institutes of Health. The good news is that many of the same green veggies that are stocked with vitamin b are also rich in magnesium! Sprinkle a few nuts on a spinach salad or snack on some edamame to get a boost of magnesium.
No, you don't have to be Arnold Schwarzenegger! They say wisdom comes with age, but so does muscle loss. Unfortunately, muscle loss leads to a slower metabolism. After age 35, you lose .5% of muscle mass every year, and after age 60 it just gets worse. Fight this slowdown by building up lean muscle mass with strength and resistance training- your body's metabolic rate increases when you have more muscle mass to maintain. Research also suggests that resistance training may increase life expectancy - it's a win-win!
Your metabolism likes smaller meals more often and processes them more efficiently than large heavy meals. In fact, saving all of your calories and eating two heavy meals during the day is one of the surest ways to SLOW DOWN your metabolism. Try eating 5 times a day combining 3 light meals with 2 healthy snacks. How about some magnesium-rich edamame or vitamin b-filled honeydew melon?
HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training, a method of exercise that is about short, intense workouts that usually last about 20 minutes. It has been shown to burn fat more effectively than being on the treadmill for hours on end. I don't recommend doing this every day, but incorporating HIIT into your fitness regime twice a week can amp up your metabolism and shock your body to stimulate fat loss.
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