The Best Foods and Exercise for Increasing Metabolism

Feb 14, 2012
Sandra Markcrow

The Struggle With Weight Gain - FreeImagesLive.co.uk

Metabolic rate is different for each individual. Metabolic rate can be changed if one adheres to scientifically proven facts.

Metabolism is the body’s natural calorie burning furnace. As we age our metabolic rate decreases causing us to gain weight. After the age of 20, metabolism begins to slow down due to loss of muscle mass in the body. Stress also has an effect on metabolism; the adrenaline released during stressful moments causes the body to store fat. Calorie deprivation also tricks the body into thinking vital nutrients are in short supply causing the body to store fat. Skipping meals has the same effect. Eating regularly can boost metabolic rates and there are certain foods that you can add to your diet to achieve this. Some forms of exercise are better than others at increasing the metabolic rate. This article provides information about metabolic boosting foods and exercise.

Foods and Exercise that Increase Metabolic Rate

Water: Drinking chilled water has been scientifically proven to boost metabolic rate. The body burns more calories digesting chilled water than room temperature water. Many people mistake thirst for hunger. Drinking a glass of chilled water when you think you are hungry may ward off overeating.
Breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. People who skip breakfast usually are more overweight than those who don’t. The reason for this is that the metabolic rate naturally slows down during sleep. Eating after waking up stimulates the metabolism into action, allowing you to burn more calories over a 24 hour period. Waiting to lunchtime for your first meal stops you from burning calories in the morning period, often leading to overeating at lunchtime. You should try to eat a breakfast each day of 300–400 calories to jumpstart your metabolism. High fibre carbohydrates are best consumed in the morning due to the fact that they take longer to digest, do not spike insulin levels in the blood and leave you feeling fuller for longer. Examples of high fibre carbohydrates are wholemeal and wholegrain toast, bran-rich breakfast cereals, egg whites served in the form of an omelet and fruit.
Protein: Protein-rich foods boost metabolic rate because the body takes longer to break down amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. The body has to burn more calories than it would to burn carbohydrates or fats. Including low fat protein in your daily diet such as lean meat, fish such as salmon and tuna, low fat cheese, yoghurt, nuts and legumes boosts metabolism. Snacking on protein is a good substitute to curb hunger rather than salty, fatty sugar-rich snacks.
Mini meals: It has been scientifically proven that if you eat 6 mini meals a day rather than 3 large meals it has a dramatic effect on boosting metabolism. Eating regularly causes the body’s metabolic processes to be in action all the time. Try to avoid eating salty, fatty, sugar rich foods in your mini meals. Substitute for nuts, yoghurt, low fat cheese, steamed vegetables, salmon, tuna, turkey and green leafy salads.
Avoid bad carbohydrates: Eating bad carbs such as white bread, bagels, potato, rich sugary foods causes an increase in fat storage. These foods cause a surge of insulin levels in the blood, slowing down metabolic rates and promoting weight gain. Eating good carbs such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrains which do not cause a surge of insulin release into the blood stream.
Alcohol: Consuming alcohol before a meal or during a meal often stimulates us to eat more and consume more calories. The body normally burns off the alcohol before the nutrients in foods. Excess calories that are not metabolized are stored in the body as fat. Alcohol is often high in calories which can quickly push you well over the edge of your body’s daily caloric needs for healthy function. White and Red wine is the lowest on the calorie count at just 80 calories per glass.
Add hot spices: Adding spices such as cayenne, hot curries and chilli boosts your resting metabolic rate whilst eating them. They cause the body to burn more calories whilst you are digesting them.
Exercise: There are combinations of exercises that cause an increase in metabolic rate that often lasts for hours after exercising. One of the best exercises is to pump iron. By building muscle the body’s normal resting metabolic rate increases allowing you to burn more of the calories you consume. It has been proven to be beneficial to exercise with weights for only two 15 minute sessions a week. But to achieve results, you need to exercise the muscle until it is fatigued.
Sleep: Lack of sleep causes the body’s natural metabolic process to slow down and not function effectively. Try to get more than 4 hours per night sleep to maintain healthy function. The body cannot burn carbohydrates effectively when metabolism is sluggish which leads to fat storage and weight gain.

In conclusion, your metabolic rate can be increased if you follow a few simple rules. Many diets cause the body to lose water weight rather than fat. Most people gain all of the weight back if not more after coming off their diets. It is a committed dedication to a lifestyle change that achieves lifelong results. Understanding the body’s natural processes, arms us with powerful insight into making healthy choices.