Foods to increase metabolism

If your metabolism is high (or fast), you will burn more calories at rest and during activity. A high metabolism means you will need to take in more calories to maintain your weight. That is one reason why some people can eat more than others without gaining weight. In simple terms, your metabolism is the way your body utilises calories from your diet to produce the energy it takes to keep all the necessary bodily functions (breathing, digestion, etc) running seamlessly. Your metabolism regulates how many calories you need per day to accomplish these (and other) process.

Ways you can increase your metabolism for optimum health:

Ø Use a standing desk — Sitting continuously is the new smoking and the number one cause for obesity. Due to increasing work pressure and office deadlines, people forget to get up from their seat regularly and keep on sitting whole day to finish their work.

Hence, standing desk makes you avoid this and is good for your health to avoid obesity and other health related issues.

Ø Drink green tea — Stronger in antioxidants and better than black tea. Even Oolong tea is equally effective. Contains a catechin called EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) which are natural antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and provide other benefits.

Green tea can increase your energy expenditure — so the number of calories you burn — and to increase the amount of fat you are burning.

Ø Antioxidants — Antioxidants are chemicals that lessen or prevent the effects of free radicals. They donate an electron to free radicals thereby reducing the reactivity. May boost metabolism and heart health by increasing the flexibility of arteries says a new study.

Ø Daily protein intake — eat foods such as poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, legumes and dairyA high protein intake has been shown to boost metabolism and increase the number of calories burned. It keeps you fuller for longer thus also preventing you to overeat.

Ø Iron, Zinc and Selenium rich foodsare required for the proper functioning of your thyroid gland which regulates your metabolism

Ø Chilli peppers — capsaicin in cayenne peppers has metabolism boosting properties. It helps increase the amount of heat your body produces making you burn more calories and does this through a process called diet -induced thermogenesis which causes an increase in your metabolism.

Ø Coffee–Caffeine can boost the metabolic rate and increase fat burning. Even if coffee makes you expend more calories in the long term, it blunts your appetite and makes you eat less.

Ø Keep your immune system strong — immune cell function and metabolism are closely linked as metabolism influence immune cell function and conversely immune cell function determines the cellular metabolic state.

Ø Detoxify regularly– Cleansing and detoxing regularly can help your body reboot and reset and get your metabolism running back up to speed quickly.

Ø High Intensity training workouts — the calories burned through these workouts helps boost your metabolism.

Ø Avoid simple sugars and trans-fats– It decreases metabolic efficiency which can lead to more fat being stored. Hence better avoid it.

Ø Not getting enough sound sleep — Sleep plays a vital role in regulating metabolism and appetite. Your metabolism never stops even when you are sleeping but is slower at night. Sleep deprivation can however alter the glucose metabolism and hormones involved in regulating metabolism.

Ø Leading a sedentary lifestyle — Lack of exercise means no calories burned thus accumulation of fats is certain. Hence even though you hit the gym in the morning does not mean you are done with the

Ø Eating too few calories can be the start of a vicious cycle that causes diet distress. When you cut your calories so low that your metabolism slows and you stop losing weight, you probably will become frustrated that your efforts are not paying off. This can lead you to overeat and ultimately gain weight.

Ø Eat probiotic supplements — probiotics aim to boost the ‘friendly’ bacteria in our gut. Studies show that the gut microbiome plays a role in host metabolism, and modulation of its composition could be a promising strategy for weight management and improving metabolic health. It plays a role in the body’s hormone levels, further affecting metabolism and reducing the risk of obesity.

Ø Meditation–Meditation calms your mind and balances you. Hence you can reduce stress, get good sleep and eat well. If your appetite and mind both are good, then your metabolism automatically works better.

Ø Strength training(lift weights as muscle mass burns more calories at rest than fat mass).

Whether you fall under the good or bad category when it comes to metabolism, there is only a certain degree of control you have over body’s fat burning centre. The best you can do is to engage in regular exercise and a healthy diet. Who knows, you may trick your friends into thinking you are that genetically blessed person.