Eating certain foods and following specific guidelines can help increase the body’s metabolic activity significantly. A revved up metabolism improves the processes of digestion and assimilation, assists in optimal fat burning, prevents deposition of excessive fat, and consequently aids in significant weight loss.
Tips to Boost Metabolism: Weight Loss Tips
Here are a few easy-to follow techniques that help keep metabolic activity high:
- Have a wholesome breakfast: Eating breakfast peps up the body’s metabolism and provides sustained amounts of energy that maintains the metabolism at its optimum level. Opt for good quality protein, such as eggs or soy, complex carbohydrates like whole wheat and skimmed milk.
- Eat the majority of the food in the first half of the day: Dinner should be a light meal, and avoid eating after 8 p.m. This prevents indigestion and associated complains like gassy stomach and abdominal distension.
- Do not starve: Not eating or drastically cutting down on the calorie intake signals the body to go in to the starvation mode; and this slows down the metabolism.
- Eat small, frequent meals: Small and frequent meals keep the blood glucose level stable and prevent spiking. This generates a balanced source of energy to fuel the metabolic activity.
- Exercise: Exercise enhances cardio-vascular health and competence by pumps more blood, and consequently larger quantity of oxygen in to the cells, and thereby increases metabolic efficiency.
- Consume 12 glasses of water per day: The energy-burning process of metabolism requires adequate water to work effectively.
Foods to Improve Metabolism: Lose Weight Quickly
Certain specific foods are metabolism boosters and weight loss boosters. They keep one feeling full for longer; and importantly, contain negligible calories.
Fresh fruits, vegetables and soups are loaded with water, and allow one to eat more without raising the calorie intake.
High fiber foods increase satiety, prevent fluctuations in the insulin level, keep the digestive tract functioning optimally and prevent fat deposition.
Bell peppers are highly nutrient dense foods. They are a wonderful source of innumerable nutrients and dietary fiber. Bell peppers speed up metabolic activity and help in quick burning of fat. The bell pepper contains capsaicin that has the ability to increase the metabolic rate and encourage burning of fat for energy.
Apples are extremely low in calories, high in fiber; and keep one feeling fuller for longer. The fruit fights hunger pangs and satisfies cravings for sugar. It is packed with pectin, a soluble fiber that exerts a powerful force on the intestinal muscles’ ability to expel toxic wastes and built-up noxious matter. Apple helps in detoxification of the body and aids in colon cleansing and thereby boosts metabolism and burns fat.
Oats provide liberal amounts of dietary fiber. Oats have a favorable effect on blood cholesterol levels of the body, and help maintain an optimum weight easily and naturally.
Enhance Metabolism and Losing Weight Fast
Once the metabolic rate increases, the body’s processes and functions get enhanced. Not only do digestion, absorption and assimilation improve, but also, the process of elimination gets perked up. As a result, the body throws out unwanted accumulated toxic wastes; and this assists in quick fat loss. What’s more, excessive deposition of fat does not take place. An enhanced metabolism burns fat faster; facilitates weight loss, and helps attain an ideal body weight.
Thus, weight loss and high metabolic activity are closely linked. Furthermore, increasing the body’s metabolism proffers several remarkable health benefits as well: retaining an ideal body weight, optimal functioning of the organ systems, better absorption of nutrients, expulsion of lethal wastes, high energy levels, anti-aging and an uplifted mood.
Reference:
Chandra, R. K., 1997 "Nutrition and the Immune System: An Introduction," The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 66.
Shweta Shah - A practicing homeopath using aromatherapy, yoga, acupressure and diet in patient management
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