There are a large number of people who would do almost anything to increase their metabolism. Having a high metabolic rate enables one to maintain fat burn and lose weight rapidly with the minimum amount of physical exercise. Metabolism is the process by which the body produces and consumes energy and calories in order that the body can function.
There are several factors that affect the metabolism of a person, such as the percentage of muscle tissue, the timing of the meals one consumes, genetics, stress levels, personal diet and levels of exercise. Metabolic rate slows down due to the following: loss of muscle lack of physical exercise, the tendency of the body to absorb its own tissue as a result of not enough food energy to sustain it, and the decrease of exercise that comes naturally with old age.
Here are several ways to boost one's metabolism:
1. Build up a lean, mean body mass. It is inevitable that metabolism decreases as we get older, but it is possible to counter the effects. The percentage of muscle tissue that a person has is a prime determinant in their ability to burn calories and burn fat. So it is obvious that building muscle is essential. Strength and resistance should be built up by working out at least twice a week, preferably with weights. Do light exercises in between the full workouts. Light exercise such as walking the dog and using the stairs in place of the elevator can contribute to taking off calories. The secret is to match the input of calories to the amount of calories that you burn off.
Here are some guidelines in getting the right exercise:
For strength training -Gradually increase the amount of repetitions of a particular exercise. -Add to the level of resistance -Develop advance exercise techniques if this is possible. You may need to consult a professional trainer
For cardiovascular exercise -Insert intervals between exercises -Perform cross-training and combine the exercises - Raise resistance and speed
2. Eat breakfast. Many people are missing breakfast even though it is the most important meal of the day. Surprisingly, studies reveal that those people who eat a meal at the start of the day are thinner than the ones who do not. The bodies metabolism can slow down considerably if breakfast is taken during mid-morning or if one waits until the afternoon to eat.
3. Eat less sugar. Sugar enables the body to store fat. It is recommended that a person consumes food that helps sustain an even level of blood-sugar. Additionally, progressive exercise 2-3 times a week should be able to stabilize the body's level of blood sugar.
4. Never skip meals. Although it would appear to be self evident that skipping a meal will help you lose weight, but this is not true. The effect of skipping a meal is that it slows down your metabolism. In addition, missing a meal will make you more likely to snack between meals.
5. Eat spicy foods. It may be surprising that eating can be good for you and help lower your weight! Any hot cuisine with peppers can increase metabolism. Higher metabolism means that the body can burn fat faster.
6. Sleep more. According to research, people who miss out on their sleep are at the greatest risk of gaining weight. Also, muscle tissues are regenerated during the last couple of hours of slumber.
7. Increase water intake. Toxins are produced whenever the body burns fat. Water flushes out these toxins that are produced. is a fact that, a majority of the bodily functions involves water, and lack of water results in an imbalance of the body's functions, and produces unneeded stress as a result.
8. Reduce the size of meals. It is advisable to consume 4 to 6 small meals that are timed 2 to 3 hours apart. Eating less food is a major factor in reducing your calorie intake.
9. Eat Energy Foods. Include more high energy foods in your daily diet. These energy foods include such items as fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains.
10. Plan meals in detail. Always get ready the right amount of food to be consumed at the designated intervals. Always stick to your scheduled meal times, and don't snack in between.
11. Ditch the stress! Stress, whether it is physical or emotional stress, triggers the release of a steroid called cortisol, which decreases metabolism. Chilling out will reduce the amount of cortisol in your body and so keep up your metabolic rate. Also, people tend to eat excessively when stressed.
12. Drink green tea. Green tea can be drunk instead of coffee. Green tea has the ability to stimulate your metabolism, and unlike coffee, it has no undesirable side effects when too much is consumed.
Losing the desired amount of weight is never impossible if you have the determination and patience required to stabilize your metabolic level, which is so important in weight loss. If you can stabalise your metabolism then you can lose weight. The real key to successful weight loss is not just eating right and exercising, but changing your way of life.
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