5 Ways To Boost Metabolism
Having a naturally fast metabolism is a blessing to some. I have a friend who eats ice cream daily and if you didn't know her you might think the girl doesn't eat at all. I was not blessed to be one of these people. If you are not like my friend, don't worry! There are certainly things that can be done to help to boost your metabolism.
5 Ways to Naturally Speed Up Rour Metabolism
1. Eat Breakfast
Eating breakfast allows your body to kick into gear. You have not eaten throughout the night while asleep and without that AM kick-start, your body goes into starvation mode and immediately slows your metabolism to save energy. When deciding what to eat for breakfast choose foods that are substantial. Meaning they will fill you up for a long time and give you plenty of energy for the day ahead. The best choices are protein such as eggs and healthy fats like avocados. Add some veggies for a bit more fiber and overall taste. If this is not your thing try rolled oats topped with raw nuts. I am also a big fan of protein smoothie bowls or pretty much any type of egg with a bit of avocado.
2. Pick Protein
Protein is primarily made of amino acids, which are harder for the body to break down, compared to carbs and fat. As a general rule, your body expends more energy (calories) to process proteins, than it does carbohydrates and fats. To get a little technical for those of you interested, protein has a high thermogenetic effect, allowing your body to burn up to 30 percent of the calories in lean-protein foods just to process/digest them.
No, you do NOT have to solely eat a protein-based diet, but you should aim to incorporate it in each meal. It will keep you feeling fuller for longer and give you body good energy. I personally love fish, but if I don't meal prep it is not always readily available. So then go for chicken breast, legumes, lean meat and nuts.
3. Eat Regular Meals
People often think that skipping a meal will help them lose weight, but it can simultaneously slow your metabolism. If you eat five to six smaller meals compared to three larger ones, your metabolism will have to constantly work not allowing it to slow down. It often helps to prevent overeating because you won’t get super hungry in between meals, then go crazy when you do sit down to eat.
Hint: pack health snacks
4. Brew Green Tea or Matcha Green Tea
Green tea is one of the best drinks you can have to boost your metabolism. It is full of anti-oxidants and fat burning properties that also help to improve your blood flow. It is best to drink 2-3 cups of green tea a day. On these hot summer days try iced green tea. Brew a big pot to keep in the fridge and drink up!
5. Try Interval Training
This type of training is by far my favorite! It's a quick and easy way to burn a lot of calories in a short time. The idea is to step up your intensity in short bursts as opposed to a steady pass for a longer time.
SPRINT! Sprinting increases your body’s ability to take up oxygen for several hours after you have worked out which helps body boost metabolism. The body is able to replenish and recover, leading to metabolism of fat as oxygen uptake is increased.
How to do it: For 30 seconds go as fast and hard as your can (on a treadmill, bike or rowing machine) followed by a 30 second rest. Do this for 12-15 minutes increasing speed if needed. I also do it with weights but it is a bit more complicated so check out my Instagram for some tips @FlexxAndTheCity
