6 Simple ways to speed up your metabolism

Your body's metabolism declines with age, and even though you can't push 'pause' on your age, there are other ways to boost it...

Drink more water

It might sound obvious, but if your body is even slightly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day, or a glass of water before and after every meal, to stay hydrated.

Snack away

Your metabolism slows down when you eat large meals with many hours between them. Studies have shown that people who snack regularly, eat less at meal time. Have a small meal or snack every three to four hours to keep your metabolism level high.

Spice it up

By simply adding spices, such as red-pepper flakes or chillies, to your meals, you can boost your metabolic rate. This is because spicy foods contain chemical compounds that can rev your metabolism into a higher gear.

Plate more protein

Your body burns more calories digesting protein than it does digesting carbohydrates or fats. This doesn't mean that you should replace all your carbs with protein, but try and replace a few each week or daily. Healthy protein sources include tofu, beans, chicken, lean beef and fish, and dark green leafy vegetables.

Unwind with green tea

Green tea contains caffeine and catechins, two substances shown to rev up metabolism for a few hours. By drinking two to four cups of green tea a day, you could push your body to burn 17% more calories during moderately intense exercise for a short period of time.

Don't crash diet

Women who eat fewer than 1 200 calories a day are setting themselves up for disaster. Not only will your muscle mass decrease (because a high percentage of weight loss comes from muscle), but your body will burn fewer calories and gain weight faster. The lower your muscle mass, the slower your metabolism.

If you enjoyed reading this article, you might also like to read: 6 Super snacks of 100 calories or fewer

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