Speed up your metabolism by combining the right foods and eating them at the right times of day. Eat protein-rich foods and eat them often to boost your metabolism and burn plenty of calories. Foods high in caffeine and rich in iron increase the amount of energy your cells make, improving your capacity to exercise longer and harder, raising your metabolism.
Step 1
Consume a protein shake one hour before a resistance training workout to ensure you have plenty of energy for your session, increasing your metabolism. Blend two scoops of powder, 1 cup of skim milk and a medium, cored apple. The apple is slowly digested, providing you with lasting energy. This means you can exercise harder and longer compared to training on an empty stomach or training after eating a blueberry bagel made from refined white flour.
Step 2
Drink a protein shake made with fresh pineapple or eat white rice with a small chicken breast immediately after a workout. Eating fast-digesting carbs with some protein permits your muscles to optimally absorb glucose and replenish energy. This further ensures you have plenty of amino acids in your body to repair and remodel your tissues after your workout, increasing your metabolism, according to a 2010 article by Tim Ziegenfuss, Ph.D., and colleagues, published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal."
Step 3
Ensure 25 to 30 percent of your calories in every meal are from protein. It takes more calories to digest protein than carbohydrates or fat, according to the authors of the book "Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance." Eat every two to three hours, keep a food log, and use measuring utensils to accurately track your calories, protein, carbs and fats.
Step 4
Consume a highly caffeinated food or beverage about an hour before a workout. You need 5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight to increase your capacity to exercise for up to five hours, raising your metabolism, according to a 2004 article by Jose Antonio, Ph.D., published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal." Use 1.5 scoops more coffee grounds than the label calls for to make a very strong, 8-oz. cup of coffee for about 150 mg of caffeine.
Step 5
Eat foods rich in iron and magnesium for maximal energy production and muscle function, enhancing your metabolism. Lean red meat, salmon, tuna and oysters are excellent sources of iron. Chicken, turkey, sardines and almonds are rich in magnesium.
Tips and Warnings
- Drink orange juice or eat fruits with plenty of vitamin C with your iron-rich foods to increase the amount of iron your cells absorb.
References
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Protein for Sports-New Data and New Recommendations; Tim Ziegenfuss, Ph.D., et al; February 2010
- "Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance"; William McArdle, Frank Katch and Victor Katch; 2007
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Caffeine: The Forgotten Ergogenic Aid; Jose Antonio, Ph.D.; December 2004
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal;" Iron Deficiency in Physically Active Adults; Pamela Hinton, Ph.D.; September/October 2006
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Magnesium and Implications on Muscle Function; Phil Carvil and John Cronin, Ph.D.; February 2010
- USDA: Nutrient Data Laboratory: Coffee
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