Improve your metabolism by making a few simple changes to your lifestyle
We are all programmed to think that the key to losing weight is to exercise more and eat a balanced diet. But even before you step into your running shoes or reach for the low-fat option on the supermarket shelf, there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of fat on your body.
Top of the list is learning how to send your metabolic rate into hyperdrive.
Increasing the speed of your metabolism - the amount of energy (calories) your body burns through - is essential for maintaining a healthy weight. Many men struggle with a slowing metabolism as they get older, which is why, no matter how hard they work out, shifting excess blubber becomes a near-impossible task.
Turning your metabolic rate up to 11 is all about eating the right foods and making a few simple changes to your lifestyle. Here's our guide on how to do it.
Eat the right foods: Most of us have at some point in our lives experienced that sinking feeling when, confronted by our chubby reflection in the mirror, we realize it's time to go on a diet.
And while it's understandable that this leads some men to drastically reduce the amount of food they eat or to even starve themselves, this spells disaster for your metabolism.
Fasting forces your body to slow its metabolic rate right down, allowing it to hold on to calories, protect your fat reserves and burn muscle. It's not about eating less, it's about eating the right foods - so light a fire under your metabolism by chowing down on nutritionally sound snacks when you feel hungry.
Get plenty of sleep: Getting a good night's sleep has multiple health benefits, including boosting mental health and cognitive function and reducing stress. But did you know it can also help control your metabolism, and therefore help you to lose weight?
Researchers at the University of Chicago found that chronic sleep loss reduces the body's ability to perform basic metabolic functions, including processing calories.
The team of experts believe those of us who are well-rested lose 56 per cent more fat when dieting compared to the sleep-deprived. A sluggish metabolism is also thought to drive appetite, meaning you are more likely to snack during the day.
Don't skip breakfast: Why is a fast metabolism so important? Because it means you burn more calories, even when you are at rest. But your metabolic rate needs a helping hand at the start of the day, which is why you should always, always eat a healthy breakfast. As well as giving you the energy you need to get through the day, a breakfast that - ideally - gives you around 25 per cent of your daily calorie intake and is part protein, fat and carbohydrate (porridge with fruit is best) will keep your metabolism ticking over nicely until lunch.
Drink cold water: Hydration is essential for good health, especially if you spend long hours in the gym, but researchers now think you can turn up your metabolism even higher by ensuring the water is ice cold. Research carried out in Germany found that drinking six cups of cold water daily can help you burn an extra 50 calories a day (the experts believe more energy is required to heat the cold water to your core temperature), which adds up to five pounds of weight lost in the course of a year. Finally, that excuse to buy that mini fridge we've all been waiting for.
Add spice: It's not just about cooling down the body - turning up the heat can also have a positive impact on your metabolism. Fire it up by adding spice to your food; fiery chillies contain capsaicin, a compound which increases your body's internal furnaces which in turn boosts your metabolic rate. Try adding chillies, red peppers or even salsa (fantastic on scrambled eggs) to your meals and reap the nutritional rewards.
Do interval training: That slow, tedious run you do three or four times a week no longer helping you to lose weight? That's because you've plateaued; your body has caught on to your feeble exercise regime and your metabolic rate has flatlined as a result. To boost metabolism, the intensity of your workouts - and therefore your heart rate - needs to go up, which makes interval training the perfect antidote to plods around the park. One study carried out at
East Tennessee State University found that high intensity interval training increases the resting metabolic rate for the following 24 hours. In other words, you are rewarded with a whole day of benefits.
Embrace protein: Protein - is there anything it can't do? It builds lean muscle, keeps you feeling fuller for longer (which makes you less likely to snack) and now it seems it can also help increase your metabolism. It is thought that, because protein is so complex compared with carbs or fat, the body expends more energy breaking it down, which means you can increase calorie burn by as much as 35 per cent after your protein-packed meal. Make sure your diet contains lots of eggs, lean cuts of meat, fish and poultry.
Get your caffeine kick: The debate over whether coffee is good or bad for us looks set to run and run, but there is no doubt that caffeine does offer the body several health benefits, including giving your metabolism a jolt by stimulating the central nervous system. Researchers also believe that the antioxidant catechins - high levels of which are found in tea - can raise your metabolic rate by as much as 10 per cent. Green tea has been shown to be particularly adept at promoting weight loss: five cups daily can rev up your metabolism to the tune of burning off an extra 90 calories a day.
Build up muscle: Basic rule - the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate.
This is because muscle tissue is active, whereas fat is as inactive as the sofa-bound slobs it likes to cling to. While your muscles are constantly on the move, your fat cells are stationary. This means that more muscle allows your body to burn calories, even when you put your feet up.
Exercises such as resistance training combined with a protein-rich diet will increase your muscle tone - and subsequently give your metabolism a lift.
Become an iron man: Your muscles need a constant supply of oxygen to help them burn fat, and it is the iron in your diet that helps carry this vital supply of O2 directly to them.
An iron deficiency means your muscles can't burn as much energy, signalling a slowing down of your metabolic rate.Make sure your diet is full of iron-rich foods like shellfish, spinach, steak and beans to replenish your supply and avoid running the risk of a poor metabolism and sapped energy levels.
No comments:
Post a Comment