People often say the reason i am overweight is due to my slow metabolism but ask yourself this!
What if your metabolism is slow because you are overweight?
We know that muscle burns more calories (energy) then fat does and if your metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories (energy) surely if we decrease body fat metabolism increases?
Don’t get me wrong I’m aware some people have a lightning fast metabolism were as others can put on 2 pounds looking at a piece of cake but its used as an excuse all to often and usually leaves people with a defeated mindset.
Try out these tips this week to help give your metabolism a boost.
1. Sleeping 6-8 hours so vital for our metabolic rate.
2. Exercising whether its weights or running both are proven to raise that daily calorie burn.
Top Tip: The next time you run, swim, or even walk, ramp up the intensity for 30-second intervals, returning to your normal speed afterward we have some great interval plan articles in previous entry’s.
3. Increasing protein intake making it the main focus at each meal which in turn helps repair and retain our lean muscle tissue which keeps the calorie furnace burning. Your body digests protein more slowly than fat or carbs, so you feel full longer (this is especially true when you have it for breakfast).
4. Increase good fat sources
Why does eating lots of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, herring, and tuna) help amp up metabolism? Omega-3s balance blood sugar and reduce inflammation, helping to regulate metabolism.
Top Tip: Take omega-3 fatty acid supplements.
5. Increase lean muscle tissue
Not only does muscle weigh more than fat, but it uses more energy, too. This means strength training is a must for everybody.
6. Try Green tea
Green tea has long been heralded for its antioxidant polyphenols. But new evidence shows the active ingredient, cathecin, may crank up metabolism. Start with 2 cups a day.
7. Don’t cut calories too low
It’s one of the most frustrating realities of dieting—if you cut out too many calories, your metabolism thinks times are lean and puts the breaks on fat-burning to conserve energy. Don’t starve yourself it won’t work.
8. Eat a breakfast
Make sure you eat breakfast. Eating a nutrient-rich morning meal oats with almonds and berries, or a spinach-and-feta omelet with a slice of whole-grain toast shortly after getting out of bed literally wakes up your metabolism. Eating breakfast gets the engine going and keeps it going.
9. Graze rather then gorge
Eating throughout the day is a proven strategy to help you curb hunger and eat fewer calories overall. Now, experts are promoting nibbling versus gorging as a way to keep metabolism running by holding blood sugar levels steady and preventing weight-gain-promoting insulin spikes.
These steps alone our a great way to kickstart our metabolism and remember there is plenty more ways to raise your daily calorie burn don’t use the ‘slow metabolism’ as an excuse. It’s more a frame of mind then anything else.