How’s your metabolism doing? Coping through COVID can be a bit of a challenge. While we may not have control over some things that lower the rate at which we burn calories, we can control some factors that have an impact. Metabolism is a complicated bodily process that often gets blamed when people put on weight or have trouble losing it. Speeding up your metabolism can help burn calories, replace fat with muscle, and provide more energy. But there isn’t a simple solution for how to speed up your metabolism. The first step to increasing your metabolism is to understand how it works.
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the chemical processes that go on continuously inside your body to keep you alive and the organs functioning normally. The basic function of metabolism is the same for everyone but every individual’s body metabolizes differently. A body’s reaction to food isn’t the same for two people. That’s why your skinny friend can eat a burger and fries for five nights a week without gaining weight, while just one meal like that can throw your body off. Mastering your metabolism requires a complex interplay of many factors. Listed below are a few ways to speed up your metabolism.
Drink up
One of the best ways to give your metabolism a jolt is to drink water immediately after waking up. Why? During sleep, your body’s metabolic function slows down, and unless you wake up in the middle of the night to swig some water, you’re not taking in any fluids.
Mindful eating
While people promote the idea of a ‘magic weight loss pill,’ the truth is that there is no substitute for a balanced lifestyle. No magic food will speed up metabolism. Eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day to prevent extreme swings in hunger and fullness. If you’re eating later in the evening, do so mindfully.
Exercise
Science suggests that your basic metabolic rate accounts for about 70 percent of the calories you burn every day. The biggest way we can influence how many calories we burn and how well we manage our weight is through physical activity. Hitting the gym helps you build muscle. Metabolism doesn’t change over time; it depends on the lifestyle you keep. Different types of exercise enhance your metabolism in different ways.
Limit alcohol consumption
While drinking in moderation every so often won’t do too much harm to your waistline but making it a habit can slow down your metabolic rate. When your body has alcohol to break down, it takes precedence over any food that you’ve already eaten that’s waiting to be digested. This slows down the entire metabolic process.
Use interval training to rev-up your workout
If you walk for the same amount of time at the same intensity every day, then your body will get as bored with your workout as you do. Mix it up with some variety with interval training, which involves changing the intensity of your workout throughout your exercise session.
Incorporate strength training
While it’s true that genetics help determine our metabolic rates, we can boost metabolism by increasing lean muscle mass. Our muscle mass decreases as we age which in turn contributes to a slower metabolic rate. But you can counteract this process by picking up the weights to help lessen this decline.
Eat clean, wholesome food
Crash diets can slow down your metabolism. Resist the urge to go on crash diets and instead prioritize healthy foods, including whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Eat more protein. The human body takes more time to break down protein than fat or carbs, so you feel fuller for longer. Eating protein keeps your gains from breaking down and slowing your metabolic rate as a result.
De-stress
Research suggests that when you’re stressed out, your metabolism stalls. One of the reasons is that chronic stress stimulates the production of betatrophin, a protein that inhibits an enzyme needed to break down fat. High levels of the primary stress hormone, cortisol, has been shown to lead to carbohydrate and sugar cravings, which can lead to weight gain.
Get a good night’s sleep
Better sleep means better metabolism. Sleep deprivation can certainly lower your metabolism by triggering a set of undesirable changes in the body. When you don’t get enough sleep (chronically less than about 8 hours per night), your body sustains increased blood sugar levels, insulin resistance and causes you to feel hungrier and less full – even when you should feel full. Most adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
Commit to fitness with the best fitness trainers in Australia
Wondering how to pull this off? We, at Stronglife, have put together a FREE 5-Day Metabolism Jumpstart! Within just a few days, you’ll not only learn how to fire up your metabolism to boost calorie burn and accelerate your results. You’ll likely feel a lot better, have more energy, and get better sleep.
In the FREE 5-Day Course you’ll get:
- Daily coaching to show you exactly how to fire up your metabolism
- Daily action items and worksheets to help keep you on track
- Accountability & Support
- Access to our private FB group to connect and share your successes
By day 5, you’ll start to see and feel the results with our online fitness programs! We can also help you work out a customized metabolism-boosting fitness program. Our expert personal trainers at Point Cook provide the best fitness coaching to get you into the best shape. Get in touch if you are looking for advice on the metabolism jumpstart and need that extra push to keep you on track.
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