Although genetics play a role in your body composition, an inherited slow metabolism is rarely the cause of weight gain, according to MayoClinic.com. Instead, the foods you eat and your activity level are to blame. If you thought you'd have to surrender to a certain size or weight -- think again. It is possible to increase your metabolism and lose weight through healthy eating and exercise.
Healthy Breakfast
Although your alarm clock might wake you without fail each morning, it does not wake your metabolism. Instead, your metabolism stays in resting mode and requires food to awaken and begin burning at a higher rate. For this reason, a healthy breakfast is essential to increasing your metabolism. If you shun breakfast, however, your metabolism will hibernate for hours prior to your waking it up. Smart breakfast foods include egg white omelets, whole wheat toast topped with low-fat cream cheese, or a high-fiber breakfast cereal. Fruit makes an easy take-along food, as do cheese sticks and fiber bars.
Spicy Foods
Spicy foods promote greater thernogeneisis, or food processing. Foods that contain black pepper, ginger, capsaicin and mixed spices are among those shown to speed metabolic functioning and promote satiety. In light of these effects, a 2006 study published in the journal "Physiology and Behavior" says these agents could aid in the prevention of obesity.
Protein
Eating any food, whether a slice of cake or garden salad, causes the metabolism to speed up slightly as the body's heat increases and digestion begins. High-protein foods, however, have a greater effect on the metabolism. In comparison to lower protein foods, a high-protein meal increases thermogenesis and satiety. Foods like lean meats and eggs that are both high in protein and low in calories are ideal.
Additional Tips
Aside from consuming foods that give you a greater metabolic edge, you might try other practices to promote thermogenesis. Exercise, particularly strength training, is one method to ensure your metabolism is at its peak. By increasing your muscle mass through exercise, you simultaneously increase your metabolic rate and tone your body for a more svelte appearance. Drinking caffeinated beverages and herbal teas are other ways to slightly increase your resting metabolic rate. Avoid the ones that contain sugar.
References
- TeensHealth; Expert Answers On; Mary L. Gavin, MD; March 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories
- "Physiology and Behavior" Metabolic Effects of Spices, Teas, and Caffeine; Westerterp-Plantenga M., et al.; August 2006
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" The Effects of High Protein Diets on Thermogenesis, Satiety and Weight Loss: A Critical Review; Halton TL, et al.; October 2004
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