Some people are born with fast metabolisms, and athletes get them from pursuing activities they love. Others need to use discipline and certain guidelines to keep their metabolisms from slowing down so much that weight loss is difficult. Through making some changes in your diet and fitting in some exercise, you can boost your metabolism and shed weight.
Step 1
Eat breakfast. Dr. James Rouse says that your body needs something in the morning to signal your metabolism to speed up after a night of non-activity during sleep. He suggests options such as a vegetable omelet, two slices of French toast or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with almonds and blueberries.
Step 2
Eat two to three snacks throughout the day, Rouse advises. Possible snacks include a protein smoothie, one or two pieces of string cheese or 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds. Rouse says that eating the right foods at the right times will boost your metabolism and manage cravings. Dr. Pamela Peeke suggests snacks such as soy cheese and a pear, a smoothie or low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit, saying that people need to eat every three hours.
Step 3
Eat lean protein, such as a veggie burger, for lunch. Make dinner with vegetable-based carbohydrates and protein, such as grilled salmon or a portabello mushroom with brown rice. For more food suggestions and recipes from Rouse, see the Resources section below.
Step 4
Avoid overeating while trying to fit in all of these small meals. Keep your portions small and your overall number of calories consumed to less than what you were eating before, or you may counteract all the good you're doing for your metabolism. Eat at least 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day, but not much more unless you are pregnant or an athlete or if your doctor tells you to.
Step 5
Hop on the treadmill or head down to the basketball court. Find some activity you enjoy and makes you sweat. "In order to burn more than you take in, you need to exercise," says Andrea Wenger Hess, a nutritionist at the University of Maryland's Joslin Diabetes Center. "It increases your metabolism so even when you're at rest, you'll be burning more calories."
Step 6
Keep track of your workouts and make sure you're doing at least 20 minutes of exercise three days a week. Work up to 40 minutes five days a week, as recommended by Peeke.
Member Comments