How To Increase Your Metabolism To Lose Weight
January 19, 2010 by admin
Filed under Weight Loss Articles
by Michali S. HuizingaLet’s look at how metabolism works . . .
What role does Metabolism play in your body? Metabolism is the body’s way of turning food into fuel or energy. Having a slow metabolism, means that you have a low Basal Metabolic Rate. BMR means the amount of energy the body needs to live on and run it’s basic survival functions, like breathing and pumping blood. The metabolic rate is determined by your body composition, age, gender and genetics.
To figure out an approximate estimate of your Basal Metabolic Rate, multiply your weight in pounds by 10. This is the minimum number of calories your body needs to function at rest. You will need more calories than that in order to live a normal active, healthy life.
What are some causes of slow metabolism?
Eating less calories than your body requires to maintain your basal metabolic rate will cause your metabolism to slow. This is the bodies natural defense against starvation. After age 30 there is a big drop in growth hormone as the body has completed all major growth. This causes a loss of muscle and your basal metabolic rate slows down.
Other factors that can slow metabolism are stress, not drinking enough water, and a problem with your thyroid, which can be diagnosed with your doctor.
What you can do to speed up your metabolism . . .
Exercising is by far the best way to increase your metabolism. Some sort of weight lifting exercises can counter the natural loss of muscle mass that happens to your body with age.
Avoiding certain foods that cause your body to become inflammed, such as, saturated and partially hydrogenated fats found in chips, fried foods, cooking oils made from corn, sunflower or soy and of course sugary foods. You can increase foods that are anti-inflammatory in your diets, such as, broccoli, brussels sprouts, garlic, green beans, spinach, sweet potatoes, Use oils like extra virgin olive oil, herbs such as, mint, oregano, tumeric, parsley and drink green tea.
Give your metabolism a boost to avoid reaching for the wrong energy foods . . .
For breakfast eat foods that will help speed up your metabolism and generate a full day of energy such as longer burning complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and fruits.
For lunch, vegetable based carbohydrates would be a good option, they are easier on your blood sugar levels and require a smaller amount of insulin from your body to manage.
Most importantly, if you put something in your body at frequent intervals, like eating three meals plus two or three snacks a day you will avoid the peaks and valleys and those mid-afternoon sugar cravings. Something like this: Breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack and dinner, maybe even a small snack before bedtime to get you through a good night’s sleep.
Avoid sugar, which will slow metabolism and create a fat-storing machine. Eat complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, low-fat dairy products or a protein-balanced smoothie. This is a big step you can take towards losing weight, controlling it and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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