5 Ways to Increase Your Metabolism

The key to losing weight and keeping it off is increasing your metabolism. Your metabolism dictates how many calories you will burn on a daily basis. By boosting your metabolism, you are able to burn more calories without increasing your exercise or starving yourself. Here are five ways to increase your metabolism and start burning that unwanted fat!

Eat Breakfast
Eating breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Too many people skip breakfast thinking they are doing themselves a favour but in fact it is quite the opposite. By skipping breakfast or any other meal for that matter, your body goes into starvation mode. Starvation mode is a process in which the body slows down its metabolism in order for it to preserve calories for fuel. By having a good breakfast rich in protein and essential fats, you will increase your metabolism. Some great breakfast choices would include an omelette with spinach or poached eggs on a bed of asparagus or a particular favourite, steak and eggs.

Sleep Well
Getting a good night sleep is more important than you think for fat loss. Sleep is probably one of the most undervalued aspects of health. When we sleep, our body is busy repairing physical day to day damages including stresses in all forms from work, relationships and exercise induced muscular damage. Your body also regulates your hormones while you sleep which in turn will increase your metabolism. If we deprive ourselves of sleep, it is harder for your body to function throughout the day. You will feel tired, not to mention constantly hungry and crave sugary foods. A study carried out at Columbia University in New York found that people who slept for four hours or less a night were 73% more likely to be obese. We recommend getting 8-9 hours sleep a night for optimal fat loss and increased metabolism.

Resistance Training
Studies on resistance training show dramatic metabolic boosts. Lean muscle tissue is metabolically expensive therefore it requires extra calories to maintain. One twenty six week study conducted at the University of Alabama–Birmingham, found that men and women got great results from strength training, adding 4.5 lbs of lean mass without gaining any overall body weight. Their body fat percentage significantly declined, their strength improved and they burned a higher percentage of fat calories over the day. The study concluded that one pound of lean muscle gained equates to 50 more calories burned.

Eat Oily Fish
Fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines contain high amounts of omega 3 essential fatty acids. These fats are essential for optimal brain and body functions. Many studies have shown that consuming at least 3-4 servings of oily fish per week, leads to greater fat loss and increased metabolic rate. The good fats in the fish will also keep you feeling fuller for longer compared to the carbohydrate heavy breads and pastas.

Eat Organic
Eating organic does not have to break the bank. There are many great local farmers markets that produce both local and organic produce at a reasonable price. Research from Canada found that dieters with the most pesticides in their fat tissue were more likely to experience thyroid functioning issues, which in turn can lead to a sluggish metabolism.

Follow these tips and you will be on your way to a speedy metabolism resulting in greater fat loss.

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