One of the best pieces of advice that anyone looking to lose weight can get is on how to boost the metabolism. It is the metabolism that dictates how much weight is lost at any one time, how many calories are burned. Therefore boosting the metabolism is a great way of upping the amount of calories burned when you are doing anything from swimming to sunbathing.
And of course as we all know, calories burned = weight loss. Which is why the metabolism is so key for those that are looking to lose weight – it is the key to doing so more efficiently and quickly.
Which then leaves the important question; how does one go about boosting the metabolism to speed up the weight loss process?
There are a number of ways, including exercise, the right drinks and of course food. It is food that we are especially interested in. Food is the major reason many of us gain weight in the first place, so it is especially satisfying to ‘gain mastery’ over food and have it work for you for a change, rather than the other way around.
It is important to remember, however, that just using metabolism boosting foods alone isn’t enough, you are also going to need to put together an exercise and diet regime if you are serious about losing weight.
As with most weight loss, half measures simply aren’t enough.
Foods That Boost Your Metabolism
- Grapefruit
The odds are you have heard of one of those God awful fad diets that do the rounds, the grapefruit diet. Now this one has at least some sort of foot in science. Simply put the grapefruit contains the right nutrients and acids to give your metabolism a boost. So by having part of a grapefruit with every meal, or more likely simply including it in your lunch, you can help give your metabolism the kick it needs. Other fruits such as apples and oranges also work, to a lesser extent.
- Hot peppers – Capsaicin
Want a food that will not only give your metabolism a much needed boost but will also help to suppress your appetite? Then hot pepper is the right call! The extra spice kick starts your metabolism whilst sending signals to your brain that you are full, not needing to eat as much. - Green tea
You see its health benefits marketed everywhere – and because of that you have probably dismissed it as hype. The thing is that multiple scientific research centres have all come to the conclusion that there is a lot of health benefits to be gained from drinking green tea – including giving your metabolism a major boost. Make sure you choose a brand you like the taste of though! - Fish
And any other foods high in omega 3. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for breaking down a hormone called leptin. Leptin is a naturally occurring chemical in our body that lowers our metabolism. By eating fish and other omega 3 foods we are able to stop that reduction from taking place by harmlessly destroying the leptin.
So in short, to boost your metabolism you need to include 4 things. Hot, spicy foods, foods that are high in omega 3, fruits with a high vitamin C content, and drink green tea a couple of times a day.
Posted in: Diet
