If your weight constantly fluctuates and is never consistent it can be very frustrating. When physical activity and proper nutrition isn’t doing you justice there might be some areas where you are cutting corners. Adopting some of the tips below can help rev up your metabolism like a brand new Mustang GT.
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Eat more spice
Eating spicy foods has been shown to have a thermogenic (fat-burning) effect which results in an increase in metabolism. Even better, capsaicin, the substance in chilli peppers which makes them hot, has also been found to curb hunger. So add some spicy foods to your meals and watch those calories will melt.
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Skip the carbs for dinner
It’s okay to eat past 7 o’clock as long as you don’t have carbs just before bed. Pairing a protein and vegetable with dinner is easier to burn off than carbohydrates. Your metabolism slows down when you sleep so any carbs are more likely to be stored as fat.
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Drink more water
You’re going to get tired of hearing this I’m sure. But drinking more water – at least 8 to 12 glasses per day can help give your metabolism that boost it needs.
Drinking water before eating your meals helps you to eat less. One study found that subjects were able to increase metabolism by 30% by drinking 16 ounces (17.5 fl oz) of water.
What if I don’t like water?
Your whole body is about 50-65% water. Your brain is about 75% water. Not only is it essential for life, it’s also essential for your health, happiness and well-being. Not to mention critical for workouts.
In other words: love it or hate it, you’ve got to get enough. Use an app to help you keep track of your water and send reminder alerts so you don’t forget. And if water seems bland and boring to you, add flavor by adding fruits like lemons, strawberries or blueberries.
Your body will thank you.
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Train in your fat burning zone
Knowing your fat burning zones helps you to be more efficient in your workouts and also takes the guess work out of your training. Training in your appropriate fat burning zone will make your body a more efficient fat-burning machine.
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Eat more protein
Not only does eating lean protein sources such as turkey, fish, chicken or low-fat cheese gives you energy, but your body burns more calories while digesting them.
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Lift weights
Almost everyone should be doing some weight-bearing exercise. Ladies, if you’re worried about getting big and bulky like Arnold Schwarzenegger… don’t. So ladies, lifting weights (assuming your healthy, etc., check with your doctor first) – it’s one of the best ways to sculpt a sexy physique.
Further, lifting weights will make you stronger and increase your bone density, meaning you will be less fragile as you age. Bonus!
The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism. Even better, when you lift weights, you keeps burning calories for up to 48 hours after your workout. This is known as the afterburn effect and it’s your new best friend.
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Consume more calories
How many calories you consume in a day matters. If you don’t eat enough calories, for an extended period of time (weeks to months) your metabolism will slow down and your body will enter into starvation mode, i.e. your body will attempt to hold onto fat, rather than lose it.
Getting enough calories is important, but what if you can never seem to keep track of them? Well, using an app like MyFitnessPal is an easy way to keep track of how many calories you need to get each day to reach your goals.
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Do more cardio
Cardio is not for everyone and that’s totally understandable. Let’s face it, the treadmill can be boring. One way to increase your metabolism is by increasing your heart rate, so cardio, especially high-intensity cardio is great for this.
Getting your heart rate up 2-3 times a week for 25-30 minutes has been shown to be very beneficial for fat-loss and health. As a bonus, you’ll also gain a stronger heart and lungs. Everyone’s a winner!
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Do more HIIT training
High intensity interval training ranked second this year for the 2015 trending workouts. HIIT involves short bursts of intense activity.
According to a study in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health tells that HIIT training stimulates production of your human growth hormone (HGH) and can result in 450% greater fat loss after your workout.
Want to try it out? Here’s a HIIT workout for you!
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Eat breakfast
Eating breakfast sets the tone for your day. When you eat breakfast it jump starts your metabolism. According to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center, eating breakfast can increase your resting metabolism by up to 10 percent.
If adding these small adjustments don’t work for you then there might be another issue going on internally that you will need to correct. For example your thyroid, hormones or cortisol levels could be off. These are all things that can slow down your metabolism. To see if his is the case speak to your doctor about getting blood work down and tackle the issue from the inside out.
Teena Cathey is a certified personal trainer who focuses on endurance and energy training. She runs two group fitness boot camp classes called Go Harder in Detroit, MI. Teena is author of the free ebook, How to Find The Right Personal Trainer. When not with clients Teena enjoys painting, playing basketball or with her dog Mister. She’s very social, follow her on... Read More
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