Metabolism: Here's How Eating Small And Frequent Meals Can Boost Your Metabolism

Metabolism is a process by which our body converts what we eat and drink into energy. The metabolic rate figures are highly individual and they change over time. It depends on factors, such as age, sex, body fat, muscle mass, activity level, and genetics. While an individual has no control over the aspects of their metabolism, there are some ways to help speed up the rate at which the body processes calories.

So many fad diets, medications and supplements promise the dieter's about boosting your metabolism so you can burn energy faster and lose weight quicker. But, unfortunately, it's not that simple. Although, some food, fitness and daily activity modifications can help to an extent.

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Here are some key steps you can take to ensure that your metabolism is supported and working at its best:

1. Dial in protein in your diet: Eating plenty of protein is the best way to give your metabolism a diet-related bump. It not only helps you build and maintain metabolism-revving muscle tissue, but it also temporarily increases your metabolism after you eat it.

2. Drink more water: Your body needs fluids to digest and absorb nutrients in the food you eat. Poor hydrated cells and organs don't function as well as they should, leaving your metabolism lower than it could be if you're not fully hydrated. Drinking Water is much better than any sugary drinks.

3. Add High-intensity workout: As they say; "There's no gain without pain". High-intensity training (HIIT) involves quick and very intense bursts of activity. It is an alternative to steady cardio. HIIT can help one burn more fat by increasing the metabolic rate for several hours even after the workout.

HIIT workouts can help in boosting metabolism
Photo Credit: iStock

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4. Eat more often: Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day prevents hunger and may boost your metabolism. Your metabolism boosts up after you eat in an effort to digest food and turn it into energy. Skipping and under-eating meals may actually slow your metabolism and hinders your weight loss progress.

5. Reduce stress: Turn down the stress, easier said than done, of course. Keeping a healthy metabolism is also connected to our levels of stress and overwhelm. Research suggests that when you're stressed out, your metabolism stalls thereby, hindering your weight loss.

6. Spice up your meals: Foods that are spicy have natural chemicals that can kick your metabolism into a higher gear. Peppers such as (green and red) contain capsaicin which can boost your metabolism. The effect is tiny and temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add.

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7. Sleep well: Failing to get enough sleep can slow down your metabolism. It may to overeating. Try to sleep 7-8 hours each night. In turn, this will increase your leptin hormone level which communicates with the brain when your appetite is satisfied.

To be precise, there is no miracle way to boost metabolism. Yet, making small and sustainable lifestyle changes and incorporating these tips into your routine can reboot your metabolism.

(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life)

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