Igniting The Fire Inside - How To Speed Up Your Metabolism

World Wide Web | Igniting The Fire Inside - How To Speed Up Your Metabolism | There is a "fire" burning inside each of us that runs our bodily functions. It's called metabolism. Today we'll explore the functions of the metabolism and benefits of speeding up your metabolic rate. What is metabolism? In essence the metabolism is the chemical process of your body used to create energy. It is the breakdown of the sugars (complex carbohydrates), fats (glycerol and fatty acids) and proteins (amino acids) the body needs this to function at the speed that it does, this is called the metabolic rate. This determines how quickly you turn food into energy and how fast you burn fat and calories. One pound of muscle burns 30-50 more calories a day than the same amount of fat. With more muscle you'll naturally have a higher metabolism and burn calories without even trying. What are the benefits to a higher metabolic rate? Raising your metabolism is the best way to lose fat. Why? Basically your body cranks at a higher gear, even when you're resting. This burns fat more quickly and that's what we're going for after all, right? There are ways to boost your metabolism. As with everything in fitness, some are tough but others are as simple as adding new drinks options to your diet.

We'll start with the simplest method; eating! Eat a good breakfast. A lot of people believe that skipping breakfast will help them lose weight but the opposite is true! The metabolism slows down during our sleep cycle and eating a good breakfast can start your day by cranking it back up. Studies have shown those that eat a good breakfast, consisting of whole grain carbohydrates like wheat toast or oatmeal, skim milk or yogurt, egg whites and fruit, lose more weight than those that skip it all together. Drinking room temperature water, black coffee and green or oolong tea can also have some great short-term effects on metabolism and though they may be slight, drinking 4 cups of green tea a day can help the body burn 17 percent more calories than normal. Eat lean meat; protein is broken down more slowly than carbohydrates or fat so it cranks up the metabolism as the body breaks it down. Try fish, turkey, chicken, nuts, beans. Also, the capsaicin in hot peppers can boost the metabolic rate briefly by prompting the release of stress hormones like adrenaline, burning more calories. So your food doesn't have to be bland!

Eat more often. You'll notice that I didn't say eat more! Know the proper amount of calories for your body to get the best results. A good rule of thumb, multiply your weight by 11 to get the amount you should eat per day, (12 if you have an above average level of physical activity). Snack throughout the day to keep your body from going into "starvation mode". This happens when you go several hours between meals. Your body doesn't know when it will be getting more sustenance and will store the calories it gets as fat much more quickly. This tactic will keep you from being hungry and keep the metabolic rate cranking. 5-8 SMALL meals a day are recommended, fruit, nuts, yogurt, granola bars are good snack foods. Skip alcohol of any kind, especially before or after meals. The body processes it before food which can trigger higher fat stores. Lifting weights is the best way to raise your metabolism, from 6 to nearly 8 percent! Also cardiovascular exercise is a must. Break that up with high intensity interval training; all out, heart pumping exercise like sprints or stair climbing for at least 15-30 seconds in between your regular cardiovascular workouts. This burns more calories and raises the metabolism for hours after you're done. 20 minutes a session is recommended. Give your body time to recover, a day off during the week is essential for the muscles to heal and grow. Last of all don't underestimate the power of sleep. This is when the metabolism slows down automatically and your body repairs itself and when all the great work you've been doing is put to use.

Article Source: EzineArticles