Five ways to Fire Up your Metabolism
Get a few pointers on how to boost up your metabolism to stay lean and shredded
Best Ways to Boost You Metabolism!
Chelsea Cruz Team Sci Fit
"Metabolism" has been the diamond in the rough for fitness freaks and dieters all over, but what really is your metabolism? Webster's defines it as, "the sum of the processes in the buildup and destruction of protoplasm; specifically: the chemical changes in living cells by which energy is provided for vital processes and activities and new material is assimilated" .... but in simpler terms, and in the fitness and health community, the word "metabolism" refers to how fast your cells burn through the energy (calories) it needs to perform basic functions and maintain life.
While the rate at which your metabolism function depends heavily upon genetics, age, and gender,there are several things you can do to take control of your metabolism to make your body a lean, mean, calorie burning machine.
1. BUILD MUSCLE:
Our bodies constantly burn calories, even when you think you are doing nothing. Your body needs calories to burn in order to breath, make your heart beat, maintain vital organ and muscle tissue etc. The resting metabolic rate is significantly higher in people with more muscle mass.Each pound of muscle in your body uses about 6 calories per day just to stay alive! But, every pound of fat in your body uses only 2 calories per day to maintain itself. That seemingly small difference adds up over time. Plus, after a tough resistance training workout, all your muscles are activated and burning even more calories throughout the day!
2. INTENSIFY:
Kick up your cardio workouts a notch. Although aerobic exercise doesn't build huge muscles, you can scorch hundreds, even thousands of calories in just one workout by challenging your body in new ways and pushing yourself to exert more. In addition, the extra intensity in your workout will keep your metabolism working harder several hours after you've left the gym!
3. H20:
In the chemical break down of carbs, fat and protein, you body needs water to transform food into energy. So that means you must stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water so your body always has the tools it needs to keep you metabolism pumping! Being even slightly dehydrated can slow down your metabolism.
4. EAT MORE:
No, not more fast food and donuts... Eat more OFTEN! If you eat a huge meal for breakfast, then don't eat again until your late night dinner, you are training your body for starvation, storing fat, and slowing down your metabolism. It's best to enjoy small meals or snacks every 3 to 4 hours to keep your metabolism . This way, you will burn more calories over the course of a day, and avoid that uncomfortable bloat after scarfing down a big meal. Plus, many studies show that people who eat healthy nutritious snacks regularly throughout the day, eat less at meal time.
5. PROTEIN:
Your body uses twice as much energy (calories) to break down and digest protein, as it does to process the calories in fat and carbohydrates. Of course, having a balanced diet of carbs, fat and protein is essential, but replacing a few carbs and/or fat with lean, nutritious protein can give your metabolism a jump-start. (Also, eating more protein will help fuel tired muscles, which is the metabolism booster in #1). You want your source of protein to be lean so you are not sabotaging the metabolism boosting powers with fatty or greasy meals. Some of my favorite, healthy sources of protein are lean beef, fish, chicken, nuts, beans, eggs, low-fat dairy products, and Sci-Fit Whey Protein. Although a delicious steak is great for dinner, when I'm out and about, working, training, running errands etc. I can't just whip out a fresh cooked steak. That's why I always carry some Sci-Fit Protein powder with me for on the go.
