10 Tips on how to turbo-charge your metabolism

Posted under female workout

Don’t blame on your sluggish calorie-churning metabolism for your weight. Metabolism is the sum of everything your body does. Every time you feed your body, enzymes in your body’s cells break down the food and convert it into energy that keeps your heart beating, your mind working, and your body moving. You burn more calories the faster your metabolism runs. The more calories you burn, the easier it is to lose pounds. The nicest part of metabolism is that you can make it work harder 24 hours a day.

Our bodies hum along at a preset speed determined by genetics and gender but there’s plenty of room to boost it. An author of The Metabolism Advantage, John Berardi, confirms that metabolic rate can be controlled. “You can’t affect how many calories it takes to keep your heart beating, but you can burn an extra 500 to 600 calories daily by exercising properly and eating right.” Most of all, keep you body guessing on what exercise routine you do to help keep it at its optimal level.

Make simple changes on your routine. Get to know tips from the help of leading experts who came up with the round-the clock, turn-up-the-burn strategy along with new moves that will propel your metabolism into high gear.

1. Eat a hearty breakfast.

Aim to have breakfast every single day. When your body is in starvation mode the whole night when you are sleeping, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. Those who ate zero to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gained nearly three pounds. A similar study published in the same journal had volunteers who reported regularly skipping breakfast. It placed the volunteers at the risk of obesity 4.5 times compared to those who took the time to eat.

Food choices for breakfast should be slow to digest and make you feel fuller longer. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. You can have an omelet made from one egg and two egg whites and a half cup of mixed peppers and onions, plus a half cup of cooked steel cut oats mixed with a quarter cup of frozen berries and a teaspoon of omega 3-loaded fish oil.

2. Java power

Who can say no to a hot cup of java? A study published in the Physiology & Behavior journal found that the average metabolic rate of people who drank caffeinated coffee increased 16 percent over that of those who drank decaf. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing. A soothing cup of coffee is more than a drink. It is a natural metabolism booster.

3. Guzzle your water cold

University of Utah conducted a study where volunteers drank eight to 12-ounces glasses of water per day. Results showed that the volunteers had higher metabolic rates than those who limit water intake to only 4 glasses per day. It is believed that your body may burn a few calories heating the cold water to your core temperature. The extra calories burn from drinking a single glass may not count too much but the habit of drinking enough water will add up to pounds lost with practically zero additional effort.

4. Lunch high in protein

Protein helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. Incorporating protein in every meal, along with a muscle building program, helps burn more calories than fat does, even at rest. Target to have about 30 grams of protein at each meal to realistically boost building of muscles.

5. Sip green tea

Brewed green tea contains a plant compound called ECGC promoting fat burning. People who consumed the equivalent of three or five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent. Other studies confirm that consuming two to four cups of green tea per day maximizes burning of an extra 50 calories. It translates into about five pounds per year. Green tea is by far a close thing to a metabolism potion.

Tip

Let tea leaves steep for a good three minutes and drink it while it’s still hot to achieve a maximum effect.

6. Healthy dairy versus processed food for snack

Overcome the seductive power of French fries and other sinful processed foods with dairy products such as healthy yogurt. Calcium helps your body metabolize fat more efficiently by increasing the rate at which removes fat as waste. Supplements do not render the same effect unlike dairy products.

7. Mix things up with intervals

Who does not want a short but intense workout. Step up your intensity and burn the same number of calories in less time. A study in Australia had female volunteers rode stationary bicycles for 40 minutes at a steady pace for 20 minutes of intervals. They alternated eight seconds of sprints and 12 seconds of easy pedaling. By the end of the 15-week study, those who incorporated the sprints into their cardio work out had lost three times as much as body fat, compared with those who exercised at a steady pace. Bursts of speed may stimulate a fat-burning response within the muscles. Try to ramp things up to rev up your metabolism. Start by doing three sets of eight-second sprints, with 12 seconds at an easy pace between each effort. Work your way up until you can do 10 sprints over 20 minutes.

8. Take it slow

It does not look easy but it is definitely worth doing. When you strength train, count to 3 as you lower the weight back to the start position. Slowing things down increases the breakdown of muscle tissue. The repair process pumps up your metabolism for as long as 72 hours after your session, according to researchers at Wayne State University. But pass on those featherweight dumbbells-you need to use weights that are heavy enough that you struggle to complete the final few reps.

9. Pop the good ‘ol pills

The combination of regular exercise with fish-oil supplements increases the activity of your fat-burning enzymes. A report on a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had volunteers took six grams of fish oil daily and worked out three times a week. After 12 weeks, all volunteers lost an average of 3.4 pounds, while those who exercised exclusively saw minimal shrinkage. Look for brands containing at least 300 milligrams of the fatty acid EPA and 200 milligrams of the fatty acid DHA per capsule. Pop two of these two hours before your workout.

10. Hit the sack early.

The less hours you sleep, the more likely you will retain stubborn fat. The lesser number hours of sleep can throw off amounts of leptin and ghrelin hormones that help regulate energy use and appetite-that your body produces. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who slept less than 7.5 hours per night experienced an increase in their body mass index. Sleep more to make sure you get at least eight hours of rest.

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