5 Food Groups that can slow down your Metabolism…@Wellness Junction

Hey Everyone. Just letting you know that my second guest blog post is now live at Wellness Junction (well actually it went live on 9th May but I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to mention it). This post is entitled ‘5 Food Groups that can slow down your Metabolism’ and I have included a brief exert below (the full version is available from Wellness Junction). If you have any comments, feedback or know of any additional foods that can slow down your metabolism please let me know by leaving a comment on either this page or the full article.

5 food groups that can slow down your Meabolism

“In my last Wellness Junction article I discussed four food groups that can help you boost your metabolic rate. Diet is a very important aspect of keeping your metabolism high and eating the right food is a big step in the right direction. However, you also have to make sure that you are avoiding foods which may hinder your success. In this article I will be discussing five food groups that can seriously slow down your metabolic rate.

1) SUGAR:- Eating too much sugar overloads your body and causes your blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. This in turn makes your body go into conservation mode meaning that you will store extra fat and burn less calories. To make sure this does not happen you need to reduce your intake of refined sugars as much as possible. That means cutting down on the candy, chocolate, cakes and cookies as much as possible. If you still want something sweet try eating some fruit. Unlike refined sugars, most fruits contain fructose which does not cause your blood sugar levels to rise…”

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4 food groups that can boost your metabolism…@Wellness Junction

Hey Everyone. Hope you are enjoying all the information on the blog so far. I’m just making a quick post to let you know about a guest blogging spot that I have been offered by Kavit Haria of Wellness Junction. He got in touch with me a couple of weeks ago and asked me if I would be interested in contributing to his blog on a regular basis. I jumped at the chance and we came to the agreement that I would write a guest post at Wellness Junction every couple of weeks. Hopefully, this will give more exposure to the Free Fitness Tips Blog, improve my writing skills and turn Wellness Junction into another fantastic free fitness resource that everyone can enjoy.

Anyway, the reason I am posting about this now is because I wanted to wait for my first guest article to go live before I told you guys. My first article is now live and it is entitled ‘4 food groups that can boost your metabolism’. I have published an exert below (the full version is available from Wellness Junction). As always any comments, suggestions or descriptions of other foods which can boost your metabolism are welcome. If you want to leave any feedback at all please leave a post either on this page or the actual article itself.

4 food groups that can boost your metabolism

“Many people claim that they struggle to lose weight because they have a slow metabolism. Others are always looking for ways to boost their metabolic rate. But what do these people mean when they refer to metabolism and their metabolic rate?

In simple terms your metabolism or metabolic rate is the number of calories required by your body to maintain itself. The general calculation for working out your metabolism is to multiply your weight in pounds by 10 or your weight in kilograms by 22. So if you weigh 250 pounds then your metabolic rate will be around 2500 calories per day. However, this figure can be affected by a number of factors including age, genetics and lifestyle.

In this article I will be discussing how you can increase your metabolic rate by incorporating four different food groups into your diet...”

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4 Food Substitutes to improve your Metabolism

One effective way to boost your metabolism is by making smart and creative food substitutes. If you think about all the food you eat you will find plenty of areas where you can make some changes. For example, if you enjoy your mayonnaise maybe you could substitute it for a low fat mayo or even salad cream. I’m not talking about drastic changes to your diet here but there are certain foods that can easily be substituted. In this article I am going to discuss a number of common foods that lend themselves to substitution.

1) SALAD DRESSINGS:- Instead of going for full fat salad dressings why not try a healthier option. Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar are both quite tasty and are a lot lower in calories than the other options.

2) WHOLE GRAINS:- Certain carbohydrates are better than others and this is one key area of your diet where you can make food substitutions. Rather than eating potatoes, white bread and white rice try whole grain rice and breads. Crunchier whole grain foods make the body work harder to break then down and really ensure that your body’s metabolism functions better.

3) SMART SNACKS:- Instead of going for the chips, cookies and ice cream try healthier options. Fruit, nuts and seeds are all great snacks. If you like the taste of salt, sunflower or pumpkin seeds can help you with that craving. Fruits such as bannanas, apples and oranges are great for curbing a sweet tooth without resorting to the chocolate.

4) FULL MEAL SUBSTITUTIONS:- I know I have mentioned it in previous articles, but substituting your standard three meals a day for six smaller meals can really boost your metabolism. Alternatively, reduce the size of your three main meals slightly and then substitute in some additional smart snacks. By substituting your meals in this way you can increase the number of calories you burn a day.

Transforming a slow moving metabolism into a highly charged metabolism is not usually possible. However, by substituting smarter foods into your diet you can start slowly improving your metabolic rate, noticing change and reaping the rewards.

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5 Factors that contribute to a Slow Metabolism

In my last few articles I have discussed a number of ways that you can increase your metabolic rate. However, it is also very important that you understand that certain things will be having a negative effect on your metabolism. You need to be able to identify these so that they can be avoided and help keep your metabolism at an acceptable level. In this article I discuss a number of things you should avoid when attempting to boost your metabolism.

1) SUGARY FOODS:- Sugary foods are high in calories, low in nutritional value and digest easily meaning less calories are burned in the digestion process. Whilst the occasional sugary treat is OK, you need to avoid sugary foods overall.

2) ALCOHOL:- Alcoholic beverages are very high in sugar and calories. They also have a dehydrating effect which can slow your metabolism. Occasional consumption of alcohol is OK but excessive and/or daily consumption of alcohol can have a damaging effect on your metabolism boosting efforts.

3) BIG MEALS:- As I have discussed in previous articles large meals do not promote a fast metabolism. If your meals are too large then a lot of excess calories will be stored as body fat. You really need to be eating smaller meals more frequently to keep your metabolism boosted.

4) SKIPPING MEALS:- Just as eating large meals can hurt your metabolism, eating too few meals can have the same effect. To keep your metabolism high you need to feed it. Plan to eat five or six small meals each day and stick to this plan.

5) SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE:- You need to be active to boost your metabolism. There are lots of options available to you here. Take up a hobby you enjoy which involves physical activity. Alternatively, walk or cycle to work instead of taking the car or bus. Whatever you choose make sure it is something that is both fun, that you can do regularly and that keeps you active.

Taking preventative measures is just as important as taking positive steps if you want to keep your metabolism high. Knowing what to avoid can help you greatly. By avoiding the things listed in this article and combining them with a good diet and exercise plan you can really start to raise your metabolic rate.

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5 Ways to increase your Metabolism in the Office

Working in an office can be very challenging for your metabolism. A lot of the time you will find yourself sitting still rather than moving. Furthermore, there is an increased temptation to eat the wrong kinds of food in an office environment, with snack foods being readily available. In this article I discuss how office workers can help keep their metabolism operating at an effective level.

1) SMARTER EATING:- As I mentioned above there is an increased temptation in an office environment to eat the wrong kinds of food. Vending machines, co-workers bringing in cakes or going out for lunch are all potential temptations to eat poorly when in an office environment. To avoid these temptations you really need to prepare your food. Decide what you are going to eat in the office each day, prepare it and then take it in. It is OK to give in to the office treats from time to time but generally you must stick to your meal plans.

2) UTILISE YOUR LUNCH BREAK:- Your lunch break does not have to be just for eating. You can use it to get some exercise in too. Go for a walk or if your lunch break is long enough hit the gym.

3) DESK EXERCISES:- There are lots of desk exercises out there. The Free Fitness Tips email course details a number of desk exercises and if you do some simple research you can find many more. Even simple stretching can help.

4) WALK OR CYCLE TO WORK:- If it is feasible you should try and walk, cycle or run to work. This can make your commute to and from work a lot more beneficial for your metabolism. Plus, it should also save you money as you will not have to pay the daily travel fare or the associated petrol costs for your car.

5) CHOOSE THE LONGEST PATH:- If your job involves visiting other departments or buildings, use this to your advantage. Avoid the lifts and try to take the longest route within the given time constrains. Even an extra flight of stairs each day can help boost your metabolism.

The office environment is a particularly tough one on your metabolic rate. Since it is a relatively sedentary working environment a little creativity is required. However, by planning a healthy eating pattern and thinking about how you can be active throughout the day you can maintain or even improve your metabolic rate.

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Increase your Metabolism with Pumpkin Seeds

In my previous articles I have discussed how diet and exercise can be used to improve metabolism. On the diet side of things there are particular foods that can help increase your metabolism. In this article I discuss the metabolism boosting properties of pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seeds are a very healthy snack food which can be a valuable substitute for foods such as crisps, cookies and sweets. These low nutrient snacks are packed with calories and easy to digest, whereas pumpkin seeds are low in calories, high in fiber, rich in protein and make your body work harder to digest them. Not only do pumpkin seeds provide better nutritional value than the aforementioned snacks but they also burn more calories in the digestion process.

Apart from the above metabolism boosting benefits, pumpkin seeds provide a number of additional benefits. They are very high in zinc which is known to boost the immune system and also help men maintain prostate health in later life. Pumpkin seeds are also believed to benefit the digestive system and the immune system.

As with many steps towards boosting your metabolism, pumpkin seeds are just part of an overall process. They will not yield miraculous results alone. However, if you introduce them as part of a metabolism boosting program you will start to notice improvements to your metabolic rate.

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4 Great Reasons to Exercise and Boost Metabolism

As I have already discussed in previous articles there are a number of ways to increase your metabolic rate, with exercise arguably being the most effective. In this article I discuss a few more reasons why you should consider exercising as part of your metabolism boosting routine.

1) EXERCISE BURNS CALORIES:- Sounds simple but the more exercise you do the greater the number of calories you will burn. By exercising regularly you can force your metabolism to operate more efficiently.

2) MUSCLE BURNS CALORIES:- Muscle requires more calories to maintain than fat. Therefore, increasing your body’s muscle mass will increase the amount of calories your body burns. However, you need to be aware that the effects of this have been exaggerated greatly in the past. Having an increased muscle mass will burn additional calories but not to a significant degree.

3) IMPROVED OVERALL HEALTH:- Exercise has many positive impacts on your body. A mixture of cardiovascular exercise and weight training can really help your body function better. Cardiovascular exercise improves your circulation, strengthens your lungs and gets your heart working. Weight training helps you build strength and power.

4) IT’S FUN:- Some people may not agree with me here. However, if you really think about it there is likely to be some exercise out there which you find fun. There are so many options when you exercise which include playing ball, gardening, running and more. Surely, there is one which you enjoy.

As you can see exercising has many positive effects on your metabolism, your body and your mind. It really is one of the keys to improving your metabolic rate. With all these additional benefits there really is no excuse for neglecting exercise any longer.

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4 Fun Methods to Boost Metabolism whilst Playing with your Kids

There are a number of factors in your life you can alter in order to boost your metabolism. It is widely agreed that one of the most important factors is exercise. However, for many it is increasingly difficult to find the time each day to exercise. In this article I discuss how you can overcome this obstacle and spend time with your kids at the same time.

Playing with your kids can be a great form of cardiovascular exercise and sometimes weight training too. By involving the kids they will see the time as fun, quality, family time and it will also allow you to teach them that exercise is fun from an early age. Plus, you will get to do some exercise yourself and hopefully boost your metabolic rate. One thing to consider is that since you are involving kids it is especially important that you mix up the routine or they will get bored. Below are some ideas which will allow you to play with the kids and boost your metabolism also:

1) BASKETBALL:- If you put a hoop out in your back yard then you play one-on-one or two-on-two depending on the numbers involved. Alternatively, you can take the kids to a park which has a basketball court and play there. Basketball can be a really fun exercise for both you and your kids. You will soon find yourself building up a sweat and burning those calories.

2) SWIMMING:- Swimming is a great form of cardiovascular exercise which also helps tone your muscles. Plus, it is a great way to bond with your kids because you are teaching them a valuable skill as they grow up.

3) WALKING & JOGGING:- A regular, simple leisurely walk can help boost your metabolism and also provide you with some quality time with your kids. As you and your kids progress you can work up to a brisk walk or a light jog increasing the number of calories burned.

4) PLAY FIGHTING:- Play fighting (also referred to as rough housing) is a great way to get the blood flowing. You can play fight with your kids in the house or in your back yard. By running around and chasing each other you are getting a cardiovascular workout. If you lift your kids whilst play fighting you can also get some weight training benefits in there too.

This article should provide you with a few ideas for exercises you can do with your kids. One important consideration is to keep their ages in mind and base the intensity of the exercise on this. If you get your heart pumping for 30 minutes or more then the exercise will be beneficial for you, your kids and your metabolism.

 

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Boost your Metabolism with Mini Meals

As I have discussed multiple times in my previous articles on metabolism, eating smaller meals at more regular intervals during the day can really help boost your metabolism. In this article I discuss mini meals in more detail and how to accommodate them into your daily routine.

Planning and preparing your mini meals in advance is very important. Initially it can seem like too much effort to plan your mini meals. However, if you do not plan your mini meals you are very likely to get complacent. For example, you may decide to go to the supermarket at lunch time, purchase the ingredients for your mini meal and then bring them back to the office. On the way you pass a fast food joint and since you are hungry now you go in and buy your lunch. By failing to plan and prepare this one mini meal you have already replaced it with a full sized one.

The planning process does not have to be as difficult as you first may think. Each of the six mini meals can contain the basic ingredients that make up breakfast, lunch and dinner. The only difference is that you will break them down into smaller portions. If you are not sure of how small the portions should be in your mini meals look on the packaging for the real serving sizes.

To help you further I have outlined some ideas below that can help you on your way to planning and preparing mini meals.

1) BREAKFAST:

Breakfast is widely thought of as the most important meal of the day because it begins your body’s digestion process. Ideas for breakfast include:

• Whole grain cereals.
• Fruits.
• Whole wheat toast.
• 1 Scrambled egg.
• 1 ham and egg sandwich on half a slice of wheat toast.

2) LUNCH:

Again there are lots of options for your lunch including:

• Half sandwiches on wholewheat bread (try mustard instead of mayonnaise).
• Fruit.
• Nuts.
• Yogurt.
• Cottage cheese.
• A single slice of pizza.
• Cheeseburger with low fat cheese and no bread (occasionally when you feel like cheating).

3) DINNER:

With dinner careful planning is essential since it is often also a time when the family come together. In particular be careful that you give yourself real serving sizes and that you are not eat too much. There are too many options to list for dinner ideas here but make sure the dinner you prepare is quite healthy and contains lots of vegetables and lean proteins.

4) SNACKS:

Snack foods are essential for success when eating mini-meals. Snacks can be used to supplement your main meals, ensuring that you are eating six times a day. Some good snack ideas include:

• Fruits.
• Raw vegetables.
• Granola.
• Whole wheat snacks.
• Pumpkin.
• Sunflower seeds.
• Yoghurt.
• Low calorie popsicles.
• Frozen yoghurt.

By planning and preparing your mini-meals properly you can really give your metabolism a boost. You can either split your main meals into two smaller meals or prepare three small main meals and then supplement these with healthy snacks. As you can see, implementing mini meals into your daily routine does not have to be as difficult as it first seems. When you get the hang of it you will find it much easier and start to notice the results of your improved metabolic rate.

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If you are struggling to think up new and exciting mini-meals I recommend Meal Plans 101. This fantastic piece of software allows you to choose from 13, 339 food options to create almost limitless mini-meal plans for yourself and can be fully customised to your weight loss goals.

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Eating Protein to boost your Metabolism

As I have discussed in previous articles you can boost your metabolism by making simple changes to your diet. Increasing your consumption of lean proteins is one of the ways you can fire up that metabolism.

Lean proteins can be found in poultry, fish and white pork and most importantly they can help the body burn through energy faster. Studies have shown that diets which are high in protein burn an increased number of calories after eating, compared with diets high in carbohydrates and sugars. According to a study by McArdle et. al (1986) [1] up to 25% of the calories consumed when eating a meal consisting of pure protein can be burned during the digestion and absorption process.

The reason that lean protein helps increase your metabolism is that your body requires more energy to process high quality proteins. Therefore, more calories are burned during the digestion process if your diet is high in protein. There is also less chance that proteins will be stored in the body as fat and extra calories.

Increasing your intake of protein can be beneficial but there are certain things you need to be aware of when consuming a high protein diet. Firstly, you do need to consume carbohydrates. You can reduce your intake but do not completely cut them out of your diet. Instead, lower your intake of carbohydrates to a minimum (it is advisable to consult a dietitian regarding this) and then replace fattier proteins with leaner options. The list below provides some advice on increasing your protein intake effectively:

1) KEEP LEAN MEATS LEAN:- Lean meat is a great source of lean protein. However, if you fry it in large amounts of oil this can add a lot of additional fat and calories. Instead, bake or grill your lean meats to ensure you are maximising their metabolic benefit.

2) SELECT DISHES CAREFULLY:- When selecting your side dishes you need to be careful that you are not overloading on carbohydrates. Fruits or vegetables are usually a suitable side dish which contain adequate amounts of carbohydrates. With breads try and get the whole grain fiber option instead of white bread. Breads that are whole grain and high in fiber require more calories to digest than white bread and therefore help increase your metabolism.

3) EAT SMALLER, MORE FREQUENT MEALS:- You are probably sick of hearing this now but smaller, more frequent meals really are the key to boosting your metabolism. If you cook a large chicken breast do not eat it all at once. Instead split it up and eat half right after cooking and half a few hours later. If you add some vegetables, you have now created two mini-meals from one main meal.

Increasing your metabolic rate is not easy. However, by making the correct changes to your diet it is possible. Increasing your intake of lean proteins is one change that can help boost your metabolic rate.

Losing weight and increasing metabolic rate is more than possible when the right foods and actions are taken. Lean meats can help a great deal along the way.

References:

[1] McArdle, W.D., Katch, F.I., Katch, V.L., (1986) Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance Lea and Febiger Philadelphia p. 134, 135

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