Kick your metabolism up a notch or two and increase your calorie needs by conditioning your body’s energy factory with these diet and lifestyle tips. Put some TLC into your food choices and activities and you will soon see improvements in your energy, appetite, weight control and overall well being.
1) Bioactivate Your Body:
Some foods are natural metabolic boosters due to their key nutrients and unique plant chemicals which provide specialized support for a vigorous metabolism. Look to add garlic, chili, ginger, tumeric, cinnamon, horseradish, black pepper and fennel seeds for a healthy chemical profile that can include antioxidant polyphenols and carotenoids, sulfur, nitrogen and alkaloids that makes these ingredients super-metabolic. The heat they give off can give you a 20% increase in your metabolic rate for 30 minutes and they taste great!
2)Pump up with Protein:
Peak performance and endurance is impossible without nutrients from carbohydrates, fat and protein but when it comes to which nutrient can deliver a one-two punch to your metabolism, protein is a knock out! It is not only critical for muscle support and growth but protein activates the body’s metabolic furnace by firing up natural heat energy as food protein converts to muscle and other body tissues. In fact, you’ll get an overall 30% increase in your metabolism when you include high quality egg or whey protein, meat, poultry and seafood choices or starchy vegetarian proteins like beans, lentils, quinoa and buckwheat into your meal.
3) Make the Caffeine Connection:
Easily our go to source but so frequently abused. While caffeine does increase metabolism by raising heart rate and is a key ingredient in sports nutrition for proven performance enhancement and endurance, it is a therapeutic chemical so choose your sources and consumption wisely. Give it a shot pre-workout to get the same boost as athletes expect and give your palate a rest from calorie laden coffee or energy beverages by trying super savvy caffeine sources. Matcha green tea and Yerba mate contain polyphenols quercetin and catechins which put these square in your metabolic box.
4) Heat Up Your Health:
Whatever the weather, there’s an easy way to experience a metabolic boost from exposing and conditioning yourself to over the top temperatures like heat or cold. Hydrotherapy (hot-cold water therapy), polar plunges, saunas, steam rooms and outdoor activities are healthy ways to increase calorie burning by encouraging brown fat tissue activity. These techniques force your body to metabolically adapt to temperature changes. This also strengthens your body’s immune and circulatory systems improving your overall health as your body works hard to maintain its core temperature.
5) Rebalance Your Metabolic Mind
Activate your metabolism by conditioning your mind to induce positive thoughts via imagery, mediation, and physical activities that are designed to improve mental outlook as they stimulate positive physiologic improvements. Scientifically proven benefits are yours for the taking when you perform yoga or martial arts like Tai Chi, Akido and Qigong on a regular basis. These can rebalance your body’s hormonal signaling and decrease stresssed out cortisol levels which are associated with excess body fat. This also elevates adiponectin levels in your fat cells which kicks your metabolism into high gear!
Eat Healthy! Be Happy!
Nicolette Pace
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