Speed Up Your Metabolism To Lose Weight Faster

Way too often we have heard the same lousy excuse: She has a faster metabolism and so she is naturally thinner than I can be. Well, guess what? Metabolism rates are not like a stone set in concrete and can be easily changed. Our body's base metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of calories burned for essential activities like breathing, blood circulation, cell growth and brain function, per unit of time. This rate crucially affects a person's weight and whether s/he is more likely to gain or lose it in future.

Our BMR is affected by several factors like age, muscle mass, genetics, body size and even gender. But the most actionable of them all, that is, the two factors that we can easily control are our level of physical activity and diet. A fast metabolic rate means that your body is converting food into the fuel required to stay alive optimally. Or in simple words, it is burning calories fast.

If you have cut those extra calories and even started exercising but to no weight loss avail, here are some tricks to boost your metabolism. This will help you lose your weight faster and prevent it from coming back again.

1. Pack in some protein

The food we eat has a thermal effect on our body. It occurs before eating uses up a lot of calories, required to digest and process the nutrients. And food that have protein require the largest burn of calories. Eating proteins also mean that you are full for longer. Eat eggs, fish and oats for a good dose of protein.
 

2. Increase the intensity and intervals of your workout

Short periods of quick activity can fasten your metabolism rate not just for the period of workout but even long after it. High intensity training regimes are also very effective in losing fat. Mix some fast paced sprints in your workout, followed by low pace exercises to lose weight faster.

3. Drink your water cold

Researchers at the Weight Management Center of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have found that drinking 500 ml of water increases your metabolism rate by 10-30% for an hour. But the effect is more pronounced when you drink cold water. This is because your body burns up extra calories in heating up the water to bring it to your natural body temperature.

4. Sleep better

Sleeping less than 7.5 hours, according to research at Stanford University, can distort your metabolism. It leads to lower production of leptin, the hormone responsible for the feeling of fullness and higher production of ghrelin, the hormone that increases our appetite. So hit the sack early if you want to lose weight faster.

5. Turn up the Spice

Capiscain, the ingredient in chillies and peppers that heats up your mouth is found to increase your metabolism rate by more than 23%. This is because our body's fight or flight response or the sympathetic nervous system becomes more active, requiring more energy. So it's a good idea to add half a tablespoon of chopped chillies to your food.

 Don't Do This

Cutting down calories drastically to lose weight can slow down your metabolism rate because of the loss of muscle. It is definitely a far better option to prevent yourself from overeating and increase intake of iron rich, protein rich and other super foods that will boost your metabolism.

Also read: 10 amazing tips to boost your metabolism.