Boosting your metabolism can help you keep your body working its best, give you more energy, clear the toxins from your system and make it easier to lose weight. So why wouldn’t you want to do everything you can to boost your metabolism? And are you doing the right things to really make a difference?
Here are 5 smart steps you can take every day to help you maintain a healthy metabolism – and get the most from your life:
- Eat your breakfast. It may sound like simple advice, but nothing gets the metabolism off to a better start than, well, getting it started. A morning meal can rev up your metabolism and help prevent binge-eating later in the day. And don’t think that you can get by with a cup of coffee with sugar. Sure, caffeine and sugar give you some short-term energy and even suppress appetite for a while, but soon you’ll be hungrier than ever, likely leading to overeating. Start the day with whole grains like oatmeal or granola as well as protein and fat, perhaps from low-fat yogurt or milk.
- Eat more often, not less. When you’re trying to lose weight and feel better, you may be inclined to eat less often. When you eat every 3 to 4 hours, your blood sugar becomes more stable – and that helps you avoid overeating because it keeps your metabolism high and your appetite in check. Your metabolism slows down when you don’t eat, dropping to a minimal level to conserve energy. And that’s almost never what you want to happen, especially if you’re trying to shed pounds and gain stamina.
- Include protein every time you eat. No matter how often you choose to eat, including protein every time is essential. Protein works to reduce appetite, taking time and energy to digest. This keeps your metabolism up while you feel fuller for longer than if you had only eaten carbohydrates. In fact, studies have shown that it’s possible to lose weight without cutting calories if you increase your protein intake. Some healthy, protein-rich foods include a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, hummus with pita, fruits with nuts or vegetarian chili – or if nothing else is around, a protein bar.
- Think twice before snacking. You may be tempted to grab a snack for some quick energy when you feel a bit tired. But fatigue and hunger aren’t the same thing. If you’re feeling tired, try taking a walk – just 15 or 20 minutes. This increases your heart rate and gives you a quick energy boost. Drink a big glass of cold water to get rid of any hunger that remains. If you’re still feeling hungry, try whole wheat crackers with peanut butter or another snack that includes protein and a complex carb. Cheese and crackers can work too – just don’t overdo it or you’ll feel sluggish.
- Get enough food overall. When you don’t eat enough, your body slows down just as when you eat too infrequently. That means to lose weight and feel better, you can’t cut very many calories at a time. Cut out some useless extras like juice, packaged foods, colas and candy to get you started. Eliminate high-fat and high-calorie processed foods as you can. If you cut back on eating too much to try to lose weight, you’ll just cut your metabolism as well – and it won’t work.
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