Metabolism refers to the rate at which your body burns calories. Your metabolic rate
is your personal "calories-per-hour" number. Your metabolism is lowest while you sleep and highest during and right after vigorous exercise. Here are a few tips for raising your metabolism:
1. Don't skip breakfast
The morning meal jump starts your metabolism and helps to prevent bingeing later in the day. A cup of coffee does not count - the caffeine and added sugar may give you a bit of energy and suppress your appetite for a little while, but generally backfires causing severe hunger and overeating later in the day. A Healthy Eating Breakfast should include a high quality protein such as eggs or a whey protein isolate in a shake or smoothie. Greek yogurt has lots of good protein too and some fats for long burning fuel to keep your energy levels even and hunger in check. Add some complex carbohydrates in the form of fruits and berries or ground flax seeds with your shake or yogurt. They add vitamins and minerals as well as good fibre to your scrumptious morning meal.
2. Eat more often
Get into the habit of eating every three to four hours or at least four times a day. Eating frequently stabilizes your blood sugar. When your blood sugar drops too low you want to eat…a lot. By keeping your blood sugar stable you can control your appetite and keep your metabolic rate high. When you go many hours without eating your body will compensate by slowing down your metabolism to conserve energy.
3. Eat protein at every meal
Protein takes more energy and time to digest, and will leave you feeling full longer than eating carbohydrates alone. Research shows that eating more protein can help you lose weight without cutting calories. Try these protein possibilities: chicken, turkey, lean beef , eggs, tuna or salmon on a salad; fruit and nuts; or protein snack bars that contain 12 or more grams of protein.
4. Hold off on snacking
Many of us grab a snack for quick energy when we are feeling tired, but do not confuse true hunger with fatigue. If you are feeling tired go for a 15-20 minute brisk walk. This will raise your heart rate and give you a boost of energy. Follow it up with a large glass of cool water. If you are truly hungry have a protein- and complex carbohydrate-rich snack like fruit and nuts or peanut/almond butter with celery or carrot sticks or cheese.
5. Consume enough for your body's needs
Eating too little slows your body's metabolism the same way eating too infrequently does. If you want to lose weight, do not slash your calories too drastically. Instead, cut out some of the extras in your diet - things like soda, juice, packaged goods or candy. Processed foods tend to be high in unhealthy trans fats and calories and low in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
In conclusion: It is important to understand that your metabolic rate is controlled by many factors. You can exert a fair amount of control over many of these factors. This article has emphasized how your diet affects your metabolism, but clearly Healthy Moving is the other major factor.
Check out our Healthy Eating recipes for the breakfast protein shake that we eat and other great healthy eating ideas.