CAN YOU BOOST YOUR METABOLISM : Ultimate guide
- josephplatt1979
- Jun 9, 2021
- 8 min read
Updated: Nov 3, 2022
Can you boost your metabolism
Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this complex process, calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to do day things like keep us alive and function properly. At any given time inside your body, thousands of chemical reactions are taking place to keep cells healthy, thriving and functioning.
For your body to function normally, it requires essential nutrients, including energy (kilojoules), that come from the food and drinks you consume. The amount of energy your body burns at any given time is directly affected by your metabolism and we’re always burning energy, even when we’re sleeping.
There are two chemical processes that take place for metabolism to happen,
Catabolism - The breakdown of molecules to obtain energy, where food and drink is broken down into simpler forms, which results in the release of energy. Anabolism - the synthesis of all compounds needed by the cells, where energy is used for bodily functions, including to grow and repair cells in your body.
Can you boost your metabolism - Metabolic rate
The amount of energy expended by a person over a specific period of time is called its metabolic rate. Metabolic rate may be measured in joules, calories, or kilocalories per unit time. our body’s metabolic rate (or total energy expenditure) can be divided into three components, which are:
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) – even at rest, the body needs energy (kilojoules) to keep all its systems functioning correctly (such as breathing, keeping the heart beating to circulate blood, growing and repairing cells and adjusting hormone levels). The body’s BMR accounts for the largest amount of energy expended daily (50–80 per cent of your daily energy use).
Thermic effect of food (TEF or thermogenesis) – your body uses energy to digest the foods and drinks you consume and also absorbs, transports and stores their nutrients. Thermogenesis accounts for about 5–10 per cent of your energy use.
Energy used during physical activity – this is the energy used by physical movement and it varies the most depending on how much energy you use each day. Physical activity includes planned exercise (like going for a run or playing sport) but also includes all incidental activity (such as washing, playing with the dog or even fidgeting).
Supplements can be a major metabolism enhancer that allow the body to metabolize macronutrients and deliver energy to cells, helping them better perform essential functions. Click here to get your top range supplements that will help the metabolism and also supplements for weight loss and muscle gain
Can you boost your metabolism - Impact of food
Our metabolism increases when we eat and certain foods have an impact on our metabolism. By choosing the correct food we can rev up our metabolic rate and turn our body’s in fat-burning machines. Some foods take more energy to break down than others, and this will help increase metabolism.
We must focus on foods rich in protein as protein raises our body’s thermic effect of food(TEF) by nearly 20%. Eating more protein can boost your metabolism so that you burn more calories, protein also to helps suppress appetite making you feel fuller.
Have your diet rich in lean protein sources like fish, chicken, beef, turkey, eggs, legumes, seeds and nuts. There are lots of people that have insufficient protein in their diet and this can lead to overall health problems. Some people find it difficult to eat their recommended daily protein amount and many will have a protein supplement to reach their daily goal. Protein is vital as every cell in the human body contains protein and you need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones.
We also need healthy carbohydrates in our diet and should also be sticking to whole grain foods like brown rice and oatmeal. Food that are full of fibre are more difficult for the body to break causing the body to burn more calories in the process. Whole-grain foods contain fiber which helps with the body’s digestive system. Good healthy fruits and vegetables should be on your nutrition plan too.
Keep your fats in your diet consisting of healthy nuts, seeds and healthy oils such as flaxseed. Eating 5–6 smaller meals throughout the day and having these meals consist of lean protein, whole grain carbs and healthy fats will keep you feeling full and have energy throughout the day
BECOME MORE ACTIVE
Daily exercise will raise your metabolic rate and a number one tool all personal trainers will agree on will be to do some kind of weight training at least 3 times per week. Weight training helps you build muscle and having more muscle will have you burning more calories. You will be burning calories even when you’re not working out as more muscle will raise your resting metabolic rate.
Weight training is an important tool for burning fat and helps to keep the fat levels low as well as keep bones strong, increased strength and make you feel good. Combining weight training with cardio can help with overall heart health and keep your body at a healthy weight. Cardio exercise can come from several activities like running, swimming, bike riding and even walking. If you want to build muscle, you should separate your cardio and weight workouts on separate days for best results, 3days weights and 2 days of cardio is good training split.
Apart from the health benefits of exercise and raising our metabolism, when we exercise we feel good from the release of hormones that help fight stress and anxiety. Exercise will also help lower your blood sugar which in turn controls insulin, this will regulate how the body uses and stores glucose and fat.
People tend to put on fat as they age, partly because the body slowly loses muscle. It is not clear whether muscle loss is a result of the ageing process or because many people are less active as they age. However, it probably has more to do with becoming less active. Research has shown that strength and resistance training can reduce or prevent this muscle loss and raise your metabolism rate
METABOLISM BOOSTERS
Supplements raise your metabolism rate by increasing its thermogenesis which will in turn help burn fat and reduce appetite. Fat burners also along with diet help the body burn more fat during and after a workout. The most common metabolism fat burning supplements are green tea, capsaicin, L-carnitine, caffeine and resveratrol.
Taking multivitamins B5, B6, B12 vitamin c and calcium will help the body function all around as well as help boost metabolism
The main role of the supplement will be to stimulate hormone reactions in the body which will break down fat and use it as fuel. Metabolic supplements play a huge role when burning fat along with a good diet, exercise, water and good rest. Putting all those things together in a good plan will lead to a healthy metabolism, raise your metabolism rate, also a healthy mind and body.
Evlution Nutrition Green Tea contains pure concentrated leaf extract to support metabolic rate, antioxidant and energy levels. EGCG has been shown to support higher levels of a key hormone for promoting fat breakdown. Click here to get yours and help boost your metabolism and burn fat
REST AND RECOVERY
We covered previously that exercise has a massive impact on raising our metabolism and is great for overall general health, but we must also must remember to allow our body to rest and recover from such workout routines.
Exercise is taxing on the central nervous system which will affect the metabolism so taking rest days from exercise will do wonders for our metabolism.
Once we have a routine of training and it becomes a habit then we must incorporate rest days to recover. Getting enough sleep is also vital for recovery and our metabolism, as being sleep deprived will lower our metabolic rate and also affect our exercise routine. Having rest days from training and getting around 7 hours of sleep a day would be a fine balance for our metabolism.
LOWER STRESS
When we are stressed our body releases cortisol which is the body’s stress hormone. The body then goes into fight-or-flight mode, temporarily pausing regular bodily functions and slowing your metabolism.
When people get stressed, it causes eating behaviours in the form of comfort-eating and cravings and this can damage your metabolism and weight loss.
Find ways to lower stress or find what’s causing the stress and deal with it. Yoga, meditation or even deep breathing are great stress relievers.
HYDRATION
Up to 60% of the human body is made up of water so we can understand that water is key for our body to function. We must drink enough water throughout the day to keep us hydrated and not wait until we feel thirsty to have a drink. We must also remember to take on more water before and during exercise to allow us to get through our workouts.
If we want to keep our metabolism high and have our body’s function the best we can then water is the way to go. Drinking chilled water is best as this will stimulate thermogenesis as our body will have to bring the water to body temperature burning calories also.
Water helps our metabolism by flooding out all the toxins and free radicals in the body and help keep the liver and kidneys working properly.
As well as having a huge impact on our metabolism water is the building block for all life. keeping well hydrated will improve your immune system, help maintain the body’s temperature, helps supply oxygen to the major body parts, it will satisfy hunger and keeps your skin looking healthy.
GREEN TEA
Green tea will raise your metabolism rate and helps protects against diseases through thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation. Green tea raises metabolism due to the high level of catechins, principally EGCG, which is potently antioxidant and aids weight loss through thermogenesis, a process of heat production in the body. Aim to drink between 2-4 cups daily served without milk or sugar, so it’s calorie-free and can be a good alternative to unhealthy drinks.
If drinking tea isnt your thing but you want the benefits of green tea, you could pop a green tea pill supplement, rather than drinking brews.
DRINK COFFEE
A cup of coffee contains about 95 mg of caffeine, a stimulant that provides a small boost to raise your metabolism rate. Not only will coffee boost your metabolism, but it will also shore up your liver, protecting against cirrhosis. Coffee is packed with caffeine increasing your perceived energy levels by speeding up your central nervous system. While the caffeine is affecting your body, you’re naturally burning more fat, even while at rest. Taking your coffee black, without sugar, is the best way to minimise your calorie intake while maximising the drink's weight loss and metabolism boosting benefits.
EAT SPICY FOOD
Studies have shown that a spicy meal will raise your metabolism rate about 8% greater than a person's typical metabolic rate. A spicy meal containing capsaicin is the source from which hot peppers get their heat and is found in jalapenos, habaneros, cayenne, and most other chili peppers as a colorless compound.
Capsaicin is also thought to work as an anti-inflammatory and help to control pain.
Alone, the effects of adding spices to your food may be quite small. However, it may lead to a slight advantage when combined with other metabolism-boosting strategies.
There are definitely some promising health effects, including lowered incidence of certain cancers, in places where people eat primarily spicy foods. All these positive things are all the more reason to pour on some hot sauce or add some chilis to your food and enjoy.
Can you boost your metabolism - Bottom line
Making small lifestyle changes and incorporating the tips above into your routine can help increase your metabolism. Having a higher metabolism can help you lose weight and keep it off, while also giving you more energy and keeping your body healthy.
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