When starting a weight loss or new fitness routine, understanding how your metabolism works is really important. The reason is because your metabolism technically refers to the all of the physical and chemical processes in your body that use or convert energy, and by learning how to boost your energy conversion (metabolism) you’re more likely to burn a lot more calories as well as lose weight loss at a quicker pace.
While everyone’s metabolism is different, how fast your body burns its calorie intake depends on several factors. Some lucky people out there just have a faster metabolism in general. And take gender, for instance, men tend to burn more calories than women, which is why it’s a lot easier for men to shed weight faster than their female counterparts. And most people’s metabolism slows down pretty steadily after they hit 40.
Genes, gender, and age are all things that we can’t control, but there are plenty of things you can do to in order to increase your metabolism. Keep reading to find out what tips the Whittier boot camp has on ways to kick up your metabolism.
Chug Water, Sip Coffee and Green Tea
Keeping hydrated should be a top priority when trying to boost your metabolism, the reason for this is because your body needs water to process calories, so much so that even being a little dehydrated will cause your metabolism to slow down. To keep hydrated, drink one 8 oz. glass of water before a meal or snack, you can also trade your pretzels and chips for fruits and veggie as they are full of fluids.
If you’re a coffee drinker, switch to a strong black brew as creamers and milk adds calories to your mug. Researchers have found that the average metabolic rate of those who drank caffeinated coffee increased about 16% over those who only drank decaf.
If you’re more of a green tea drinker, then you’re definitely in luck because green tea is probably the best drink to boost metabolism (besides water, of course). Green tea contains a plant compound called ECGC, which helps to promote fat burning. For the maximum effect, let your green tea steep for about three minutes and drink it while it’s nice and hot.
Sleep, Eat, Snack
You’ve probably heard how important sleep is when losing weight by now, but it’s important to understand why. When you lack sleep, you end up throwing off the hormones that help your body to regulate energy use and your appetite, leptin and ghrelin. A study published by Stanford University found that those who got less than 7.5 hours of sleep saw an increase in their BMI (body mass index). So make sure that you’re getting at least eight hours of sleep each night.
When it comes to eating, it’s best to eat smaller meals more frequently because your metabolism tends to slow down between large meals. Instead, try to eat smaller meals and snack every three to four hours to keep your metabolism in check. Research has also found that spicy foods contain a chemical compounds that may contribute to an increase in your metabolism, so kick up the heat.
Build Those Muscles
Your body is constantly burning calories, even when you’re not doing anything, and those of us with more muscle tend to burn more calories, especially when at rest. Think about it like this, every pound of muscle burns up to about 6 calories a day, and a pound of fat burns only about two. So, the more muscle you have, the better your resting metabolic rate.
The boot camp in Whittier recommends that you switch up your workout, especially if you’re not including high intensity interval training. Short bursts of intense exercise, followed by small resting times, help to boost your metabolism better than low or moderate intensity long workouts.
Start slow, as these changes aren’t made to be done all at once. Make a small change day by day and you’ll soon notice more energy and weight loss.
This blog was submitted by the Whittier personal trainer from Fit Body Boot Camp Whittier.
