There are a lot of reasons why people can't or don't lose weight. Metabolism is often a quite significant one. Your metabolic rate is the rate at which you burn calories in breaking down food for energy. Many people have metabolisms that are operating below peak rates. I hope to help you rev up yours by taking a handful of steps.
Heredity and age do play a role in metabolism. You can't change either of them, so the focus of this article is what you can do. It is important to note, though, that research suggests metabolism slows by 5% for every decade after the age of 40. If you're there already or just looking to lose weight, here are some things you can do.
The first order of business is to eat more lean protein. There is something called the thermo effect of food, which relates to how many calories that are burned from actually consuming and digesting the food that you've eaten. Your body can use up to 30% of the calories you've consumed to break down protein with the break down of fat at about 5%, perhaps less. Carbohydrates have a thermo effect above that of fat, but it is not believed to be above 10%.
I highly recommend increasing your water intake. First, it will help your kidneys better digest your increased consumption of protein from the previous step. But it also has its own metabolic kicker of its own. Dehydration can limit proper functioning of metabolism so proper hydration is necessary. Drink an ounce of H2O for every pound you weight. Add a cup of water for every fifteen minutes of exercise you do during the day. Ice water can take your water consumption up another level as it adds the thermo effect to the aforementioned benefits. Cold water needs to be warmed up to match the temperature of the rest of your body.
Meal timing and the amount of calories per meal can have a large impact on metabolism. I recommend starting the day with a high protein breakfast within an hour of waking and six meals throughout the day, all with protein is preferable. Skipping meals is to be avoided and it seems to pay to keep the number of meals per day pretty consistent. Wide ranges in meals per day can negatively impact the thermo effect of your digestion.
Eating whole foods is highly recommended as opposed to those that are processed with chemicals and heavy in fat, sodium, and sweeteners. If you do include processed foods in your daily diet, I recommend always reading your food labels so that you are aware of exactly what is in your foods. You would be surprised by some of the dangerous chemicals that are approved for use in our food supply. Some of these can inhibit your metabolism or lead to overeating. It's best to avoid highly-refined foods.
Exercise also plays a big role in increasing metabolism. I recommend weight lifting at least three times a week. Use weights that will drive you to failure at no more than twelve reps. Six to ten is an excellent range to target. Also, having more muscle means more calories burned. In terms of cardio, I recommend interval training, which flip flops between sprints and slower movements. You can get a great cardio workout in only twenty minutes instead of running five miles in an hour.
Proper sleep is important for your body to function properly. I haven't seen much research suggesting that it has a direct impact on metabolism, however, you are much more likely to eat healthy, exercise, and implement the rest of this metabolism-boosting plan if you are well rested.
Other food and drinks that can help boost metabolism are green tea, cinnamon, healthy fats like those from cold-water fish, avocados, nuts, and fish-oil supplements, caffeine (in moderation), and hot spices like cayenne. Also, be mindful of the quick-fix cures. If you could take a pill to be skinny, the American obesity rate wouldn't be 35%.
