If there’s one health concern that all weight watchers care about, it’s having a healthy metabolism. However, your metabolism wellness is dependent on a number of factors. Some people are just lucky, and having a fast metabolism is just part of their genetic wellbeing. Men tend to burn more calories than women, even while resting – the lucky devils – and those under the age of 40 have faster metabolisms too, until they get older, that is. Still, even though these factors are out of your control, there are things you can do to give your metabolism a boost:
1. Build your muscles: Even when you’re sitting on the sofa watching Strictly, your body is always burning calories. Granted, you would be burning more calories if you were doing the samba yourself, but everyone has something what’s known as a resting metabolic rate. However, not all resting metabolic rates are created equal, as people who have more muscle consequently have a higher resting metabolic rate, meaning they burn more calories even when they’re not doing anything. For every pound of muscle you have, it will burn six calories to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only two calories daily. This may seem like a small difference, but it can really add up over time.
2. Push yourself: While you need to do strength training to build your muscles, stepping up your aerobic workout can help rev up your metabolism in the hours after you’ve exercised. The key principle involved here is that you need to push yourself. The higher the intensity of your workout, the bigger and longer your post-workout resting metabolic rate will be. Try incorporating short bursts of faster running into your regular walk or jog, or else you might like to attempt a more intense class at the gym.
3. Fuel up with water: There are so many reasons why you need to hydrate, and revving your metabolism is just one of them. Your body needs water in order to process and burn calories, and so even mild dehydration can slow your metabolism down. One study has found that drinking eight or more glasses of water a day makes you burn more calories than if you only drink four. So, stay hydrated by drinking a glass of water before every meal and snack, and make sure those snacks are comprised of fluid-filled fresh fruits and vegetables, rather than pretzels or chips.
4. Try energy drinks: Although water should be your primary beverage of choice, some ingredients in energy drinks can give your metabolism a boost. The caffeine content in energy drinks increases the amount of energy your body uses. If your favourite energy drink contains the amino acid taurine, it can speed up your metabolism and may help to burn fat. However, you should be aware that using these drinks can cause problems like high blood pressure, anxiety, and sleep issues for some people. Moreover, the American Academy of Paediatrics doesn’t recommend energy drinks for kids and teens, so keep them out of sight if you have children.
5. Snack without the sin: Eating more often can really help you to lose weight, so long as you do it in the right way. Eating large meals with many hours in between causes your metabolism to slow down. However, if you have a small meal or snack every three to four hours, you can keep your metabolism cranking and, as a result, will burn more calories over the course of a day. Plenty of research has also shown that people who snack regularly eat less at meal time.
Comments are closed.