How many people blame their weight gain on a slow metabolism? Or how many people claim that they can eat whatever they want and still remain slim because of their metabolisms?
These metabolism-boosting foods, in the right portions, can help you lose weight and gain muscle at the same time. Eating these foods alone will not transform your body into a wonderland, but it’s a good step towards a healthier lifestyle.
5 Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism
1. Build Muscle
Muscle burns 3-4 times more calories than fat does. Building more muscle ensures that you burn more calories even while resting. This is why weight loss programs often incorporate a weight-lifting component; it helps burn the fat off and will speed up your metabolism in the long run to keep the weight off.
2. Water Therapy
Drinking at least eight glasses of water is essential because your metabolism slows down at the first sign of dehydration. Load up on water before every meal or snack, or better yet, replace all your snacks with fruits or vegetables. Always have a glass of water alongside your metabolism boosting foods to improve digestion as well.
3. Spicy Foods
Add about a tablespoon worth of chili peppers per day to your diet to boost your metabolic rate. Spicy foods contain compounds that can kick-start the metabolism, so try to add little bits of spice to stews, chili and pasta dishes.
4. More Protein
Your body burns more calories when burning protein than it does for carbohydrates or fat. With a balanced diet in mind, you can try replacing some of those carbs with lean protein foods. Metabolism boosting foods like eggs, beans, nuts, tofu, chicken (white meat), fish, turkey, beef and some low-fat dairy products are excellent sources of protein.
5. Avoid skipping meals
Metabolism boosting foods are usually nutrient-dense and packed with good calories. When you skip meals, the body goes into survival mode and rations the fuel it has left to sustain it for an indefinite period of time. By eating small meals at more frequent intervals, you train the body to be constantly burning food stores, thereby speeding up the metabolism. By consuming healthy, complex foods, you can feel full longer.
Top Metabolism Boosting Foods
1. Blueberries
The word “antioxidant” seems to be a big hit these days. People are always on the lookout for more antioxidants. There are never enough antioxidants. Every meal must have antioxidants. People buy foods that are packed with antioxidants; but what do they do exactly? Antioxidants prevent oxidation, thus also preventing the buildup of free radicals in the body.
2. Green Tea
Green tea is nutritious and rich in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a polyphenol. Research has shown that polyphenols carry antioxidant characteristics and their potential health benefits including a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Polyphenols have been linked to the health benefits of organic produce. Green tea is a known source for EGCG, hence the inclusion in many weight loss and healthy diets. In a study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, results showed that men who were on a diet of caffeine and green tea extract with EGCG burned calories faster than a placebo or those who were only given caffeine.
3. Whey Protein
Whey Protein is the best form of protein. It’s incredible how it provides all the necessary building blocks that produce amino acids for muscle building. Everyone who has taken an interest in weight loss or weight lifting knows how important protein is. Studies show that whey protein is the perfect combination of amino acids at the right concentrations for optimum performance.
4. Almonds
Almonds should be on your go-to list for healthy foods because it’s such a great value for your money and so dense in nutrients. For just a small portion, you’re getting a generous amount of good calories and macronutrients.
5. Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
Non-Fat Greek Yogurt is one of the best dessert-type foods for losing weight and boosting the metabolism. It’s filled with protein and calcium and gives you energy to get through the day. It also improves digestion.
How To Proceed
Finding a way to boost your metabolism is like the holy grail of weight management, but the speed at which your body burns calories depends on a number of factors.
Some are lucky enough to have inherited a speedy metabolism. Men are scientifically proven to burn more calories than women, even at rest. And for the rest of us, our metabolisms gradually slow down after we turn 40.
Despite not being able to control your genetics, age and gender, you can still be creative with metabolism boosting foods combined with proper eating habits to help you achieve your goals. ')}
