1. You Are What You Eat
The saying that you are what you eat is very true. If you eat more calories than you burn, the extra calories will be stored in fat cells. This sounds simple enough; however, choosing healthy meals can be a challenge when you are very busy .The best way to keep your food goals is to have good choices available for meals and snacks. If possible, keep fresh vegetables on hand to fix with a lean choice of meat. Increasing your intake of lean protein helps the thermogenic effect, where the body generates heat by increasing the metabolic rate. Choose fresh foods whenever possible and try to stay away from prepared foods as they tend to have the most calories and sodium. Do not skip meals or go on crash diets! When you skip meals, your body reacts by slowing your metabolism in order to conserve energy. It is always better to eat five to seven small meals a day.
2. Step Up
Exercise is a key ingredient to pumping up your metabolism. Many people think that as they age their metabolism will slow down automatically, however, this is not set in stone. The cause of the slowdown is not from age, but loss of muscle. Cardiovascular focused aerobics exercises cause your metabolism to stay at a higher level for a period of time after you stop exercising. Some studies have shown that this can happen for as much as 12 hours afterwards.
3. Muscle Versus Fat
Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises tend to burn more calories than weightlifting or strength training. However, one essential note to remember is that muscle burns calories, fat does not. The more muscle mass you have in comparison to fat, the more calories you will burn. Building more dense muscles as a result of strength training will keep your metabolism up. Add a balanced strength training routine into your regular workouts to build muscle and decrease fat.
4. To Supplement or Not to Supplement
Which should it be? There are many differing expert opinions that make whether or not to supplement confusing. For your metabolism to function at its peak, all body processes have to function properly. Any insufficiency in vitamins or key nutrients can interfere with its success. Supplements can correct this by providing the body with the nutrients it needs. Herbal medicines or supplements are not regulated, shouldn't be taken lightly and may be harmful to your system. It is best to confer with your health care professional before starting any supplements and keep them informed of all herbal or supplemental treatments you are taking.
5. Hydration is the Key
A whopping 70 percent of bodily functions happen with the help of water. Low hydration causes those systems to slow down and stresses the body. Hydrate your body and it will focus on increasing your metabolism instead of water retention.
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