Okay sure, we all know that eating healthy and working out are pretty obvious ways to boost your metabolism. By exercising at least three times a week for one hour, and incorporating nutrient dense foods into your meals; you’ll quickly notice your metabolism working overtime. But what if I told you there were a few…less obvious…ways to give your metabolism a little extra kick? Here are 10 sneaky ways you might not have known, that are scientifically proven to boost your metabolism.
You should always drink water with some sort of fruit or booster in it. Lemons increase your metabolic rate while pineapple contains an ingredient that is often used to treat gastrointestinal disorders – AKA the perfect combo for your body to consume. My favorite water addition is mint and lime; refreshing and delish.
Right when you wake up you should have a glass of warm lemon water. This concoction cleanses your digestive system and immediately fires up your metabolism.
But mostly green. Green is an especially good body regulator, it helps you stay energized with caffeine (which boosts you metabolism), and its antioxidant properties improve your overall health. If you prefer coffee or any other kind of tea, that’s fine, just opt for caffeinated varieties to take advantage of its ability to rev up your metabolism.
Doing yoga in the morning or before bed helps keep your system working smoothly and encourages your metabolism to keep going strong all day. As you get older, stretching should be a key part of your day no matter what.
At lunch, go for a salad filled with rich greens that are loaded with plenty of vitamins to help your body get back into a rhythm. Top it off with a little spice like jalapeno peppers, crushed red pepper flakes, or even a dash of cayenne. Although the effects are minimal, combined with all these other tips, spicy foods are shown to give your metabolism a nice little boost.
Start your day off right. Try to avoid carbs (bagel with cream cheese) and opt for high fiber and high protein options (my personal favorite are eggs). Protein requires the most amount of energy for your body to digest, igniting your metabolism and starting your day off on the right foot.
There are plenty of people not getting enough good and healthy food in their bodies. If you are trying to starve yourself in order to lose weight, this is actually working against you. Your metabolism will begin to slow down as it goes into starvation mode. To keep your metabolism working nicely throughout the day, make sure you are getting enough food – try snacking on things like almonds, fruits and vegetables to keep you full all day long.
Big no no if you want your metabolism running like a well-oiled machine. Cocktails are basically comprised of sugars that your body stores as fat. They will just slow you down from reaching your goal and becoming healthier. If you can, try to limit your alcohol consumption to once a week.
Water is essential to your body’s functioning, including carrying nutrients to your cells, and many studies prove that those who drink more water have higher metabolic rates (more water meaning 8-12 full glasses a day). In fact, if you drop a few ice cubes into those glasses of water, you could boost your metabolism a little bit more, as your body burns a few extra calories when it heats the water as it enters your system. In addition, dehydration is often misinterpreted as hunger, causing people to eat more. By staying hydrated, you’ll probably eat less – a win, win.
A lack of Vitamin D = A slowed metabolism. An excuse to go soak up those rays? I’m in! (With skin protection of course.) Being outside and in the sun is one of the greatest things you can do for your body in general not just for your metabolism, so enjoy!
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