If you’ve been part of our community at Team Worx in Alexandria, VA, you know that exercise is just one of the many things that can boost your metabolism. Food can also put your calorie-burning fires in high gear, just as other lifestyle changes can help. Eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise should be at the top of your list for changes if you’re having problems losing weight or just want to make the process faster and keep the weight off permanently.
How does increasing your metabolism help with weight loss?
Your metabolism has to do with your body breaking down food for energy. If your metabolism is high, you’ll burn more calories than someone whose metabolism is functioning in low gear. If you have a slow metabolism, gaining weight is easy, but losing it seems almost impossible. An increased metabolism, based on resting metabolic rate, affects the calories burned 24/7. It’s a measure of the calories burned just to perform basic bodily functions, such as brain activity and pumping blood.
Aim for a high-protein meal with lots of fiber if you want to increase your metabolism.
Protein is necessary for tissue growth, tissue repair, and keeping your metabolism higher. Unlike sugary products and other simple carbs that digest quickly, protein takes far longer to digest, so means your body has to work harder. Consider both animal and plant proteins like lean meat or legumes. Don’t set aside all carbs. They can also boost your metabolism, especially those high in fiber. Fiber can help reduce inflammation, which slows metabolism. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are high in fiber content.
Don’t skip fat!
Some fat is unhealthy. Trans fats, for instance, can cause damage to your body. That shouldn’t stop you from eating fat. Your body needs fat, but it needs healthy fat, like that from avocados, fatty fish, and nuts. It not only uses fat to create many hormones, but healthy fat also helps burn fat, and increases the metabolic rate. Too often people fall for the low-fat, no-fat options in food, but those are often unhealthy. Since fat provides both taste and texture, removing it affects both. To combat the bad flavor, manufacturers often add sugar, which causes inflammation that slows metabolism.
- Add some spice to your life and indulge your taste buds with cinnamon, ginger, or hot peppers. While other spices also raise body temperature and increase metabolism, these are leaders of the pack.
- You don’t have to eat a special meal to increase your metabolism. Staying hydrated can keep you moving at peak performance, flush out toxins, and increase metabolism.
- Exercising regularly can also boost your metabolism, especially HIIT workouts. It builds muscle tissue and muscle tissue requires more calories to maintain than fat tissue does, so the more you have, the higher your metabolism.
- Have a cup of green tea or coffee. Both contain caffeine and speed up your metabolic rate. Green tea contains catechin that helps break down fat while increasing metabolic rate.
For more information, contact us today at Team Worx Fitness
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