There’s been a lot of talk lately in the news about losing weight, and with the summer months quickly approaching it’s no surprise. As busy moms or busy working women, it’s near impossible to find the correct information when it comes to boosting your metabolism and/or losing weight. Instead of trying the latest diet fads or worse yet, depriving your body of necessary nutrients, let’s talk about how you can boost your metabolism. As you age your metabolism naturally slows down making it difficult to lose those unwanted pounds.
Here are some tips that will help you boost your metabolism:
Become more active. Next time you’re exercising – whether running or bicycling – increase the intensity in 30 second increments. For instance, if you’re sprinting or cycling, go at your normal speed, then speed up for 30 seconds and run as fast as you can or cycle harder for that time period and go back to your normal speed. These small intervals will actually boost your metabolism and help in shedding those unwanted pounds.
Include Omega-3 foods into your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids will help to balance your blood sugar, reduce inflammation and help to regulate your metabolism. You can increase your intake of fish such as tuna and salmon that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids or you can take supplements (1-2,000 milligrams per day). You can also add flaxseed and walnuts into your daily diet.
Build muscle. Not only does muscle weigh more than fat, it also uses more energy. The average woman who is in her 30′s and strength trains 30-40 minutes, twice each week for four months can actually increase her resting metabolism by 100 calories a day. If you don’t have time to pump iron in the gym, you can do muscle strengthening exercises at home. Consider push-ups, free weights, and planking to help build muscles and increase your metabolism.
Drink green tea. It’s already known that green tea has many healthy attributes, but did you know it could help you boost your metabolism? Green tea contains the active ingredient called catechin, which has been found to increase your metabolism. Catechins are thought to improve fat oxidation, which is your body’s production of energy or heat from digestion. To increase your energy expenditure by approximately 90 calories a day, you will need to drink five 8-ounce cups of green tea day. The best part is that you don’t have to simply drink hot green tea; drinking it iced will produce the same results.
Don’t forget to eat breakfast. You’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it’s very true. In order to increase your metabolism, you must start your day with a healthy breakfast. Eating a nutrient-rich morning meal (like oatmeal with almonds and berries, or a spinach-and-feta omelet) shortly after getting out of bed literally wakes up your metabolism. Think of breakfast as the energy needed to keep your body, the ultimate machine, running at its optimum level.
Eat healthy snacks throughout the day. Some people will call this grazing but whatever you want to name it, be sure to choose healthy foods or you’ll defeat the purpose. Grazing or nibbling throughout the day will keep your metabolism running by holding blood sugars levels steady and preventing the weight-gain-promoting insulin spikes. Be sure to keep your small meals to a minimum of 300 calories each and enjoy 5 to 6 small meals per day. Note: Protein is digested slowly by your body and makes you feel fuller longer. It will actually give your metabolism a bump. Because it takes longer to digest protein than carbs or fats, your body will expend more energy with high-protein diets.
So instead of starving your body, the magnificent machine you’ve been given, boost your metabolism and you’ll see healthy results. You’ll also notice that making the right choices will help you maintain the body weight you desire.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in boosting your metabolism? Share with us below!
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