It's no secret that many of us are looking for a way to jump start metabolism to help get rid of unwanted pounds. To decide whether a slow metabolism is your problem let's take a closer look at how metabolism works.
Fueling Metabolism
Metabolism is the process by which our bodies break down nutrients to create energy. As a result someone with a "fast" metabolism burns more calories than someone with a "slow" metabolism. A slow metabolism usually leads to weight gain and is the reason so many people look for a way to jump start metabolism on their journey to weigh loss.
Importance of Breakfast
Eating breakfast is important if you want to keep your metabolism running at peak efficiency. The reason for this is that metabolism slows down when it goes without fuel. This happens during the night while you sleep. Eating in the morning breaks this "fast". If you skip breakfast, your body perceives the lack of food as a shortage of fuel and prepares for a lack of sufficient nutrients. In an effort to optimize what fuel you do have, the body burns available fuel slower and stores more fat as reserve energy in case it is needed. This is also the reason many diets suggest eating several small meals throughout the day. It provides a steady supply of fuel and keeps your metabolism boosted.
Other Timing Issues
Along with the importance of firing up your metabolism in the morning with breakfast, it's important to know how to keep it fueled all day. The fact is that metabolism naturally slows in the late afternoon and evening. Due to this, it is best not to eat late at night.
How to Jump Start Metabolism
Once you understand the importance of breakfast and not to eat late at night, the last key to using diet to jump start metabolism is in consistency in eating healthy foods combined with exercise. Why? Because your metabolism adapts to your weight. If you eat less to lose weight, your body will know it and your metabolism slows down because it's trying to maintain your weight. The way to combat this is to add exercise to your routine.
To boost your metabolism eat a diet high in nutrient-dense foods and bring up your intake of dietary fiber. If you're trying to lose weight and jump start your metabolism, decrease your calorie intake and limit the following foods:
- High-fat food
- Sugary foods
- Alcohol
Foods to Help Boost Metabolism
Foods to help you speed your metabolism include:
- Fish
- Lean poultry
- Dark green leafy vegetables
- Tomatoes
- Fruits
- Whole grains
- 64 ounces of pure water a day
Portion Control
Learning to eat smaller amounts is part of the battle for losing weight and keeping your metabolism burning its most efficient. Portion control can help provide the nutrition your body needs in the right amounts without worrying about counting calories or carbs. Special plates are available to help you learn portion control, or you can use a salad plate rather than a dinner plate for your evening meal. Visually divide it into fourths. For dinner, half (or more) of your plate should hold vegetables, ¼ lean protein and the other ¼ whole grain.
Balance and Exercise
A balanced diet is important if you want to keep your metabolism working. When your body's cells need energy, the first thing they do is break down carbs into glucose for energy. The second thing they do is burn fat, and third they turn to protein. The problem is that if you overdo it with carbs and fat, your body stores those "extras" as body fat.
Eating a balanced diet that isn't exactly the same day after day can keep your metabolism going because it doesn't know what to expect. This is known as calorie shifting. Adding exercise to your life also helps burn fat and to keep your metabolism guessing.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet combined with regular exercise is the way to increase your metabolism. It is also the healthy lifestyle doctors recommend. It's no secret. If you're ready for more energy and a slimmer you, just do it. If you don't see results, be sure to talk to your doctor to make sure there isn't a medical problem that needs to be addressed. .
