Some people lose weight faster than others while some others never seem to put on weight even with sedentary lifestyle and overeating. The reason – high metabolic rate. Read on to learn how you can boost your metabolic rate and not only lose weight quickly but also stay thin.
What is metabolism?
In simple layman terms, metabolism is the process by which the energy obtained from food is utilized by the body in performing day-to-day
activities. The metabolic rate or the speed at which this process takes place is the key reason why thin people stay thin effortlessly and fat
people can’t seem to lose weight despite starving. Higher the metabolic rate, lesser the weight gain. Hence, focus should be on boosting metabolism. The rest gets automatically taken care of.
| | Genes and Metabolism. Genes have a major influence on the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – the rate at which energy is burnt by the body at rest. So, it’s the genes that |
Starvation and Metabolism.
Believe it or not, starvation only slows down your metabolism. Your body goes into the hoarding mode and stores whatever little food you eat since it doesn’t know when next it’s going to get fed. This means less energy is spent resulting in no significant weight loss. Also you end up getting frustrated coz you don’t see results even after putting yourself through torture (c’mon, nobody likes to starve!). Starvation also weakens your body, affects your immune system and any weight loss is going to make you look sick and unhealthy. This also explains why breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For more details read Break your fast – The 1st step to a healthy living
Steps to boost your Metabolism:
1. Start your day with a heavy breakfast. You are essentially providing the much needed fuel to your body and this is going to kick start your metabolism.
2. Eat smaller, more frequent meals during the day. This gives the body the assurance of constant source of food and keeps metabolism high.
3. Stick to a light and early dinner. This ensures that the energy obtained from your dinner has been utilized for the most part while you are awake and active which in turn results in lesser calories being stored in the body. For more details read Light dinner – The quickest way to lose weight
4. Drink plenty of water. At least 2 liters per day. This not only improves metabolism but also gets rid of constipation and keeps your skin glowing. For more details read Water – The Universal ‘Fat’ Solvent
5. Never starve. As you have seen, starvation only slows down metabolism and in turn your weight loss. So make sure you never deprive yourself of food. In fact eating can boost the metabolism and help the body digest the food. So remember, if you are hungry, you must eat.
6. Cardiovascular workout. Get at least 45 min of cardio workout 6 days a week. This burns a lot of calories and is the only way to get rid of the excess fat.
7. Weight training. Incorporate weight training at least thrice a week in your workout. This builds lean muscles. Muscles burn more calories than fat and do so even when your body is resting. For more details read Cardio + Weight Training = Fast Pass to Weight Loss
8. Get enough rest. Your body needs 7-8 hours of sound sleep every day in order to work properly. Depriving your body of sleep is going to result in slower metabolism and weight gain.
Follow these steps and see your metabolism spike up!
You might also like:
Exercising – When’s the right time?
Cravings – Your biggest motivator
Reached the dreaded weight loss plateau? Give the much needed extra push
Shedding pounds and losing inches – Celebration time!!
Wanna lose weight? Miracles don’t work
Speak Your Mind