Clients and just about everyone I meet seem to ask me one main question all the time: How can I boost my metabolism?
Metabolism is simply the total of all body processes that burn calories – your basal metabolic rate plus your activity factor. When it comes to improving your metabolism, there’s good news and bad news.
First the bad news:
Some of what controls your metabolism isn’t completely under your control. Some people are genetically blessed with a high-burning metabolism. They didn’t ask for it, they were just born with it. On average, men have a metabolism that is 10 to 15 percent higher than women, mainly because of their larger size and greater muscle mass. Whether you’re a man or a woman, your metabolism naturally decreases with age. Scientists have estimated that the average person’s metabolism slows about 5 percent per decade, beginning at age 40, as we lose muscle mass our body fat increases.
Now the good news:
Your metabolism doesn’t have to remain stagnant or take a nosedive. You can burn more calories, lose more weight, just by changing the way you think about eating and moving.
Food Fixes for Metabolism:
Remember, our basal metabolic rate includes the energy we need for body processes, including digestion. About 10 percent of our calories are used to process the food we eat. As the calories are burned, our bodies generate heat. This phenomenon, known as the thermic effect of food, is influenced by how much, how often, and what we eat. In addition, food can directly affect metabolism by altering the way the body functions which changes the amount of energy it needs.
Here are 3 ways to help stoke your metabolism:
Eat at least 1,200 calories per day:
Although it is generally true that eating a low-calorie diet will help you take-off weight, if you eat too few calories, your metabolism will get slower and slower as your body tries to conserve energy. As your metabolism crashes, the weight you take off will most likely creep back on over time. Plus, you’ll be more likely to binge on junk food if you reduce your calories by too much.
Eat every three to four hours:
A regular meal schedule helps keep your body working to digest and absorb foods. Between breakfast and bed, aim to eat a meal or snack every three to four hours. And try to eat breakfast within 90 minutes of rising. People who regularly eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to control their weight. If you wait to eat until you’re really ravenous, you’re more likely to overeat later in the day. Also breakfast helps fire up your metabolism after a full night of fasting (so break the fast).
Eat protein with every meal:
All foods contribute to the thermic effect, which means that all foods — carbohydrates, fats, and proteins — help to give the metabolism a gentle nudge higher when we eat them. But protein has the greatest thermic effect of all. In addition, muscle is the physical place where fat and calories are burned for energy, protein can increase metabolism by helping to maintain and build muscle mass.
