Why do you want to speed up your metabolism? If you’re like most people, you want to do it for the sole purpose of shedding those pesky pounds and inches. You’re ready to slip into clothes that flatter you and you want to feel proud of the way you look.
The good news is, if you know the right actions to take, you can speed up your metabolism and start burning more calories. As you read every word of this article, I’m going to share with you seven commonly acknowledged ways you can speed up your metabolism. You’ll notice that these methods are not difficult. All it takes is some time and effort and persistence.
Please note that when you first embark on any program, it usually takes 21 days to seat a new habit. That said you will have ups and downs as you begin this program. Just stick with it and you’ll be light years ahead of the masses that give up right away.
Remember, the benefits of having a faster metabolism far outweigh the short-term cost put into it. If you truly want it bad enough — a slimmer, healthier you — then you know the next step to take. Also, it would be wise to consult a doctor or physician before starting any kind of weight loss or exercise program. You can never be too safe. With that said, here are seven ways you can start speeding up your metabolism:
1. Drink Green Tea. Green tea has gained a lot of popularity in recent years and for good reason. It’s loaded with antioxidants. The reason why that’s important is because some research suggests that antioxidants may help speed up metabolism. You may want to start drinking green tea in the morning as a substitute for coffee and maybe a small cup in the afternoon as a “pick-me-up”.
2. Eat More Spices. If you like spicy food then this next suggestion will be a welcomed addition. Some research suggests that eating spicy foods such as chilli peppers can raise your metabolism by as much as 50%, for up to three hours after you eat! Peppers and spices tend to raise the heart rate and that’s why you can see a jump in your metabolism.
3. Eat More Protein. Evidence suggests up to 25% of calories in protein foods may be burnt off. Of course, it’s important to realise that you cannot eat strictly vegetables and meat. You need to factor in some carbs, but the star of the show on your plate should be protein rich foods and vegetables with smaller portions of fat and carbs.
4. Eat More Often. Did you realise that 10% or more of the calories we eat go towards the digesting and ingesting of our food? By eating more often your body will burn more calories, plus your body won’t slip into “starvation” mode or “pacing” mode. In other words, since your body is receiving food more often, it needs to shift gears from burning calories slowly to burning them at a faster rate. But the key here is that you should A) eat smaller meals. And B) you should eat five to six times per day. It also would not be a good idea to eat after seven in the evening as most of that food content will not be burned off and may be turned into fat.
5. Exercise. Not everybody likes to exercise and admittedly it’s tough to start a program. But, after your first few attempts you may find that you like it – a lot! Exercise if done properly actually gives you more energy. Now in terms of speeding up your metabolism, you’ll want to do resistance exercises such as working out with rubber bands, resistance machines or weights. This is important because resistance exercise adds muscle and muscle requires more calories to sustain than fat does. By having more lean muscle on your frame, your metabolism will run faster. If you’re a woman, you don’t have to worry about bulking up in most cases like a man – unless you overdo it. It would also be wise to engage in aerobic exercise, which burns calories as well and strengthens your heart.
6. CLA Supplementation. You may have heard of CLA before. CLA is conjugated linoleic acid. This is a natural substance that you can take as a supplement. You can usually find it in most vitamin stores. This may be important to do because some evidence suggests CLA may help you increase muscle. Again, lean muscle burns more calories at a resting rate than does body fat.
7. Saunas. By going to a sauna, you may be able to speed up your metabolism. The rise in temperature and the activity of being in a sauna has been found by some research to raise your metabolism by as much as 20%. Of course, it’s vital that you check with your doctor or physician before going to saunas.
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