Shake That Weight ^™ • 2nd August 2015 • 11 years ago

Boost Your Metabolism!

You have cut down on your calorie intake and exercise regularly, yet you still haven’t lost any weight. Sound familiar? It is often the case that people trying to lose weight will blame it on a slow metabolism, but is this really the case?

Whilst having a fast metabolism will help you lose weight faster, studies have shown that people are actually consuming more calories than they think. More often than not, the reason that a person is putting on weight is not because of a slow metabolism but instead it is down to eating too much.

Staying on top of the calories you eat is key to losing weight.

Weight, age, gender and genes all play a role in determining a person’s metabolic rate. Muscle cells require more energy than fat cells do, so people with a high muscle to fat ratio will find that their basal metabolic rate or BMR is higher.

As we get older, we tend to lose muscle and gain fat hence why our metabolism slows down. Exercising regularly and eating healthily is important for increasing BMR. The higher your muscle mass, the faster your metabolism.

There has been much research behind the foods and drinks which many claim to speed up metabolism. Whilst everyone will respond to products differently, below are the most effective ways to speed up metabolism:

Stay Active

Partaking in regular exercise is essential to losing weight, burning fat and increasing muscle mass will increase metabolism speeds. Movement requires energy but it also stimulates hormones and breaks down protein which in turn will increase your metabolic rate.

Burn Fat, Build Muscle

Your body needs more energy to maintain muscle than it does to store fat. Anyone with a higher muscle to fat ratio will have a faster BMR. Lifting weights and taking part in high intensity exercise will strengthen muscles and thus, speed up your metabolism.

Intense Exercise

High intensity training, otherwise known as HIT, will increase metabolism. Short bursts of exercise, for example: spinning or sprinting, jolts the metabolism more than moderate intensity exercise will.

Increase Protein Intake

High protein foods promote muscle growth. Protein foods require more energy to digest than any other food but it is important to ensure that you’re eating enough prtein to achieve a balanced diet. High protein foods include lean feat, skinless white meat, poultry, fish, tofu, nuts, beans and eggs, as well as low-fat dairy products.

Stay Cool

This one may come as a surprise but it has been proven than turning down the heating or wearing fewer clothes can aid in burning calories. It is thought that colder temperatures can activate the body’s brown fat deposits to help keep the body warm.

Whilst genetics, age and gender remain the major determinants of metabolism, there are still things that can be done to shift the balance in your favour. Monitor calorie intake, exercise regularly and eating healthily to increase metabolism and keep that weight off.