Are There Really Ways to Kick-start your Metabolism?

Increasing your metabolism can seem like an impossible feat. However, there are simple adjustments you can make to start revving up your metabolism to torch fat and burn more calories. This one month mini-series will give you suggestions twice a week that you can start implementing in your daily routine! 

Our bodies constantly burn calories, even when we're doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Did you know? Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself (compared to a pound of fat which only burns 2 calories daily). This seeming small difference really adds up over time. Additionally, after resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate

 Step up your workout! Aerobic exercise may not build big muscles, but it can rev up your metabolism in the hours after a workout. The key is to push yourself. High-intensity exercise delivers a bigger, longer increase in resting metabolic rate than low- or moderate-intensity workouts. Try an extra fitness challenge or do the circuit and extra time.

Kick-start your metabolism! Fuel Up with Water: the body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who only drank four. Try drinking a glass of water before every meal or snack or munching on vegetables, which are full of fluid, instead of chips.

Snacking can actually help you increase your metabolism- if you're doing it right!
When you eat a large meal with many hours in between, your metabolism slows down between meals. Having a small HEALTHY meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours keeps your metabolism cracking, so you burn more calories over the course of the day. Several studies show that those who snack eat less at meal times.

Did you know adding a little heat your your meal can boost your metabolic rate? Spicy foods contain chemical compounds that kick the metabolism into a high gear. The effect is likely temporary, but, if you eat spicy foods more regularly, the benefits add up. For a quick boost, spice up pastas, chilies, or stews with red pepper flakes.

The body burns many more calories digesting protein as it does for fat or carbs. Although you want to eat a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein rich foods can boost the metabolism at mealtime. Healthy sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu and even nuts, beans, low-fat dairy products and eggs.

Crash diets- those involving eating fewer than 1000 calories a day- are disastrous for anyone hoping to boost their metabolism. These diets drop pounds but a high percentage off loss comes from your muscles. The lower your muscle mass, the slower your metabolism. The final result is a body that burns fewer calories and gains weight faster. Essentially you are worse off than when you started the diet!

We've completed tips 1-8 for increasing your metabolism and here is our final takeaway: The impact of different foods and drinks on the metabolism is small compared to what you need for sustained weight loss. Your best bet for creating a lean, mean, calorie-burning machine is to build muscle and stay active. The more you move during the day, the more calories you burn. Eating a healthy breakfast and being active in the morning has the benefit of revving up your metabolism for hours.