How to Raise Your Metabolism
Conventional wisdom tells us that the best way to keep our bodies in shape is to keep our metabolism rate up. But what is metabolism? Metabolism is simply our body’s chemical process of breaking down what we eat and drink to produce the energy that our body needs to function efficiently.
Your metabolic rate, meaning the speed at which your body burns calories, depends on your age and how much muscle you have. As we age, this burning machine begins to slow down. If you eat the same amount of food, excess weight will begin to creep into you. While we can't turn back the clock, we can speed up our metabolic rate through muscle mass and exercise.
The equation goes something like: more muscle equals higher metabolic rate. Less muscle equals lower metabolic rate. This tells you why men generally have a higher metabolic rate than women. So, how do you gain muscle and boost your metabolic rate?
Burn That Fat!
There are various ways you can actually boost your body’s potential for fat-burning and build muscle without feeling you need a gym membership.
- Shy away from stress: Stress doesn't just wear you down, it actually slows down your metabolism. The guilty party is CORTISOL, a stress hormone. When it reaches high levels it constrains your body’s ability to burn fat. Get into some deep-breathing activity to calm and soothe your nerves.
- Exercise every day: It’s amazing how awesome exercise is. Not only does it give you an energy boost, it actually "learns" to raise your metabolic rate right in your DNA. This is because, if you sit all day, your body realizes you have no need for all that muscle, and will actually break it down. Once you exercise again, your body thinks you must be in some dangerous area with lions and tigers, and learns to bulk up and increase the metabolism to "save" you from danger. Spend about an hour in your exercise, even if it's just a walk. You’ll see the benefits almost immediately.
- Eat your breakfast: Our moms have been telling us this since time immemorial. After that long 12-hour night fasting your body goes through, it’s going to be crying out for fuel to start off your metabolic engine. Without a proper breakfast, your body has nothing to burn.
- Stand up for your health: Getting up on your feet and moving around doesn’t just help you digest the food you’ve eaten, it also aids in boosting your fat-burning capability. Studies show that sitting for an hour or more in the sofa cuts down the fat-burning enzymes in your body by 90%. So, even if you’re in the office, start developing a habit of getting up and walking every chance you get.
- When thinking snacks, think sweet potatoes: Not only are they nutritious. They’ve got lots of nutrients! These include Vitamin A, anti-inflammatory antioxidants and blood-sugar-regulating hormone, adiponectin that can help up your metabolism.
- The good, old reliable fruits and veggies: Chewing those little green apples or pears takes energy. It’s one enjoyable way of raising your metabolism so eat more of them. Take them whole though rather than in small slices.
The above-described tips are all doables on a daily basis. But if your mind is all set on upping your metabolic rate now. Then, now is the best time.
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