Weight loss can be a very difficult process for some people - and a big part of that is the persons metabolism. Whilst other factors such as determination/will power, effort etc play a big part it is the metabolism that decides at what rate the body burns calories for each activity and, as such, a good case can be made for it being the most important factor in weight loss.
But despite its importance it also never seems to get the recognition it deserves. This is because to a lot of people the human metabolism is a mystery, and because they don't understand it they tend just to skip over it. But if you are trying to lose weight that would be a mistake.
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Instead of skipping passed it you can look at what can effect the metabolism, what can cause it to speed up - leading to more calorie burn and therefore greater weight loss, or what can cause it to slow down - and therefore learn what to avoid.
What can increase your metabolism
The good news is there are a number of factors that are known to effect the metabolism, both positively and negatively. Whilst it would be pointless to cover every factor the important ones in relation to weight loss are laid out below.
o Eat breakfast. An old tip and a powerful one. Whilst your body won't enter 'starvation mode' (decreased metabolic speed) from not eating breakfast as some might claim it does pay to eat earlier in the day whilst the body is fresh up from rest and conversion is working more effectively. For those with sluggish metabolisms it can also help kick start the function.
o Eat little and often. By constantly grazing you are encouraging the metabolism to constantly tick over in converting calories to energy (rather than fat) as opposed to resting between meals and then expecting it to rush the digestion process of a large meal.
o Weight lift. Weight lifting can provide a huge boost that lasts hours after cardiovascular exercise would. The harder the exercise the better the boost. Muscle also increases the rate at which calories are burnt when resting so using weight lifting to increase muscle mass will help weight loss in a number of ways.
o Watch what you eat. Certain foods can help boost the metabolism even further. High protein and complex carbohydrates are great for this, stay away from simple carbs though.
o Eat spicy. Spicy foods are also great for speeding up the processes, so look into using spices in your cooking. Curries, chillies, fajitas etc can be spicy and high in protein.
o Exercise. Whilst cardiovascular exercise doesn't give the boost of weight lifting it still boosts the body far more than resting, and also helps weight loss in other ways. Our bodies are designed to be exercised, so do what it demands.
oSleep. It may sound counter productive but having a regular sleeping pattern helps your body establish when it should have the metabolism working and when it can allow it to rest.
Improving your metabolism can not replace a proper weight loss campaign, but managing it correctly can provide a huge boost to your energy levels and help you lose weight.
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