September 2022 - #106 - How to Increase Metabolism

Hello Everyone Hope you are all doing well.

Many people are asking for tips on how to increase their metabolism.

Increasing metabolism, helps your body burn more calories, which leaves less fat for the body to store.

A slow metabolism can hinder your weight loss efforts and can leave a person feeling stressed out.

We all know that the faster our metabolism the more calories we burn. But how fast your body burns up calories depends on many things such as age, sex and genetics and we clearly have no control over these.

There are also less fortunate people that may have developed certain medical conditions that can have a negative effect on their metabolic rate.

Factors that slow down metabolism that we have no control over:

Age:

As we get older our metabolism slows down, especially after 40.

Sex:

According to multiple studies men burn more calories than women. This is because men have more muscle than women and you burn more calories to maintain muscle as it is an active tissue.

Medical conditions:

Ones such as hypothyroidism, diabetes and Prader-Willi Syndrome.

So how can we increase our metabolic rate?

1) Food has got to be the biggest area that can help us with metabolism as eating nutritious foods accomplish two important things. They help us burn more calories than junk foods (especially ones high in antioxidants) and healthy foods help control our daily calorie intake.

It’s a clear fact that avoiding junk food and having a well balanced diet has always been a key factor to successful weight loss.

2) Exercise can help us burn more calories and the best part is we have full control of what type of exercise and how intense a work out we want to achieve.

More intense workouts do burn more calories but if you’re just getting back into the swing of things start off slow. There are lots of exercise choices to choose from such as walking that are low impact but can help you get active.

3) Drink lots of water or herbal teas to burn extra calories. Lack of hydration can slow down your metabolism. Herbal teas can give you a nice change from constantly drinking water. They come in a plethora of flavors and as long as you don’t add sugar to them they are calorie free.

Other beverages that can help are coffee and certain teas such as green, black, white and oolong teas, as they contain caffeine and the teas also provide some antioxidants.

4) Certain spices (the hotter ones) can increase your metabolic rate, so if you enjoy a little extra heat, add some chili peppers to a meal. My favorite is adding a little cayenne pepper to a warm glass of lemon water with a little honey to sweeten the taste (works like a charm).

5) Eating lots of protein also increases metabolism, that’s why protein diets are so popular. Protein diets, such as the holiday diet do work well but are not recommended for more than 2 weeks at a time. If you choose to take this route try to stick to healthy lean meat choices.

What to Eat and Drink to Help Increase Metabolism?

Water

One of the greatest ways to speed up metabolism is by drinking water. It is the easiest and healthiest thing we can do daily.

It helps cleanse your body, fills your tummy (for a little while) and is great for weight loss.

Lack of hydration can slow down your metabolism. As we all know, drinking plenty of water every day is necessary to maintain good health.

Coffee

Coffee not only increases your metabolism, but it contains next to no calories, but we must keep in mind that coffee is a diuretic, which means it eliminates water from your body and increases urine production. Too much coffee can actually cause dehydration which defeats the purpose.

Green Tea

Not only is Green tea a metabolism drink, it has powerful antioxidants which help protect the body from harmful free radicals which help with disease prevention. Green tea also contains almost zero calories.

All Herbal Teas

Herbal teas are pretty much flavor enhanced water. If you wish to make herbal teas a little more exciting, try adding a little honey (or low calorie sweetener) and a little freshly squeezed lemon juice. There is a plethora of flavors available today to make tea time much more exciting.

Lemon Water

Lemon water can be enjoyed hot, warm or cold depending on your preference. You can also spruce it up with a little honey, low cal sweeteners, lemon juice and a dash of cayeene pepper too.

Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

It's a very simple drink to make. Take 6 oz of distilled water and add 2 teaspoons (or a little more) of Bragg apple cider vinegar and a couple of dashes of sea salt. Stir and enjoy. It's one of my favorite drinks to enjoy either first thing in the morning or in the evening before bedtime. Love this vinegar!

Vegetables

All Dark Leafy Green Vegetables, such as:

Spinach Kale Swiss Chard Mustard Greens Romaine Lettuce Collards

Spinach (my favorite) is loaded and I mean loaded full of good stuff. It offers high levels of antioxidants and is a rich source of vitamins and minerals.

To name some of them spinach offers vitamins A, C, E, K, manganese, magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, folate, folic acid, zinc, niacin and more. Spinach is so low in calories that it contains less than 10 calories per every raw cup of spinach.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous veggies include cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, and cauliflower have many benefits. Not only are they a plus for maintaining a healthy metabolism but they are very low in calories, high in fiber and contain compounds that exhibit anticancer properties.

Asparagus

Asparagus is loaded with vitamins and minerals. And can you believe that 1/2 a cup of cooked and drained asparagus is only 20 calories. This is one of those perfect sides to any lean cuts of meat for a calorie wise meal. The trick is not to add too much butter or sauce on top of them to keep them calorie friendly.

Celery

Celery is a great metabolism booster and is another healthy choice. This vegetable contains lots of water, balanced minerals, vitamins, nutrients and essential oils. These oils help regulate the nervous system and have a calming influence. They are super low in calories, high in fiber and they help with digestion and stimulation of the liver. If you find them a little too dull for snacking, then try dipping them in peanut butter or a veggie dip to make them more exciting.

Cucumbers

Though cucumbers may not offer a ton of nutrition they are low in calories, abundant in water and do offer some fiber for the body.

Fruits

In my eyes fruits are the most perfect foods to consume. They take the least amount of time and energy to digest and offer healthy nutrition in return.

Fruits are always at their best when in season and there are too many to list. Some of the more common fruits include:

Bananas

Apples

Oranges

Grapefruits

Pears

Peaches

Cherries

Blueberries/Raspberries/Strawberries

Melons/Cantaloupe/Watermelon/Honeydew

Lemons

Adding freshly squeezed lemon juice to water, herbal teas and even your salads can also help boost metabolism. Another plus is that lemon juice contains antioxidants, which help cleanse the liver and aids in weight loss.

Herbs & Spices

Cinnamon Most hot peppers, such as cayenne pepper or chili peppers Black pepper Curry Mustard Ginger

Lean meats

Lean meats are great metabolism boosting foods because they contain lots of protein. Eating lots of protein also increases metabolism, that’s why protein diets are so popular. Protein diets, such as the Holiday Diet work well, but are not recommended for more than 2 weeks at a time. Meats such as chicken, turkey, beef and fish that offer omega 3 fatty acids are all good choices.

Soups

I must admit that a large section of our website is homemade soup recipes. Studies do show that soups are great at increasing one's metabolism. Soups have been a staple in my family for generations and is a great weight loss tool that provides lots of nutrition.

Beans

Beans are a fantastic metabolism boosting food. Beans are not only filling, but are fairly low in calories and packed with nutrition. They contain loads of fiber too, helping aid in digestion and preventing constipation.

Nuts

Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashews etc. contain a good amount of essential fatty acids and can be filling. But they do contain a fair amount of calories, so eat in small amounts.

Oatmeal

If you're looking for a warm breakfast that is a metabolism boosting food look no further because oatmeal can be a great way to start the day. It fills you up for a considerable amount of time and offers plenty of fiber per serving. Some studies show that it may help lower cholesterol levels.

My personal favorite - try a bowl or organic steel cut oats topped with banana slices, almonds and a drizzle of real maple syrup.

Foods and Drinks to Avoid when Trying to Increase Metabolism for Weight Loss

Alcohol

All sugary drinks including processed fruit juices

Diet sodas should be avoided as they are not a cleansing drink and tax the body

Junk foods

Processed foods

Fatty foods

Tips:

Avoid late night snacks. The longer periods of time your digestive system can rest the better it is for metabolism and this time also gives the body a chance to cleanse.

Include exercise in your everyday routine. Even the smallest amount of exercise is better than no exercise at all.

If you have an opinion or would like to share a story with us we would love to hear from you.

Use our Contact Us page - or our Weight Loss News page (Your Story Counts).