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 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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Eating to Improve your Metabolism

If you want to boost your metabolism you have to feed it. Yes, I know it may sound strange but if you want to increase the rate at which your body burns calories - you have to eat more. While this may sound great and you will be able to eat more frequently, it is not as simple as that because you will also have to watch what you eat.

To fully understand the idea let me explain the concept further. If you feed your body in regular, short intervals, your metabolism and digestive systems will keep working most of the time. If you skip meals or try to eat less you will lose weight initially. However, in the long term your body will go into “energy conservation mode”, meaning that your metabolism actually slows down and your calorie burning efforts are impeded overall.

To maximise your metabolic rate many dietitians recommend that you eat a small meal or snack at least every four hours. If smart meal choices are made your metabolism will increase and if you add in a bit of exercise too, your results will be even more impressive. But what constitutes a smart meal choice? Well for starters there are a number of things you should avoid:

1) SUGARY FOODS:- Foods that are high in sugar can actually trick the body into conservation mode because they rapidly increase your blood sugar levels. You should try and reduce your intake of sweets, processed sugars and foods that are high in starch or simple carbohydrates. Although it is difficult to avoid sugary foods completely try to substitute some of the sugary foods in your diet with fruit.

2) ABNORMAL PORTION SIZES:- When preparing your small meals you need to understand what the correct portion sizes for foods are. This information can often be found on the food packaging itself. Many people eat portion sizes that are too large and as a result consume too many calories. You need to avoid this trap and consume smaller portions which will reduce your caloric intake for each meal.

3) FRIED FOODS:- You should try to avoid having heavy, fried foods in the majority of your small meals. Not only do they contain additional calories but they can also make you feel sluggish and tired. I know it can be tempting because they taste nice and are easily cooked. However, they contain a lot of saturated fats which are deposited inside your body.

4) WHITE BREAD:- A lot of people are unaware that white bread can be detrimental to your health. White bread is very easy to digest, lacking in nutrients and full of sugar meaning that it causes your blood sugar levels to rise and burns very few calories whilst being processed. You should therefore avoid it where possible and try to substitute it with wholemeal bread.

5) PROCESSED FOODS:- Processed foods such as ready meals, crisps and chocolate bars are very popular because of the convenience factor, with many people being too lazy to cook. However, processed foods contain lots of chemicals in the form of preservatives which can be seriously damaging to your health.

As you can see it is possible to eat your way to a higher metabolism. However, it is very important that you manage the process correctly. If you follow the advice given in this article you will be rewarded with an improved metabolic rate.

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If you want more information on how diet can be modified to improve your metabolic rate, you should check out The Hospital Diet. As the title suggests, this diet was originally developed for use in hospitals to create fast and efficient weight loss for patients. It is now available to the general public having been professionally proven to increase metabolism.

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4 Ways to Drink more Water and Boost your Metabolism

As I have discussed in previous articles there are a number of ways to improve your metabolic rate. Changes to your diet, exercise and overall lifestyle all help. In this article I discuss the importance of drinking water to boost your metabolism.

People can survive much longer without food than without water. If the body is deprived of water or fluids in general, the liver begins to retain fluids. When the body goes into water retention mode, it does not concentrate on other important bodily functions, including burning calories and burning fat. Your weight will increase because of this and also because of the additional water you are holding.

Therefore, hydration is vital to keep your metabolism working properly. You need to ensure that you are getting enough water each day. There are a number of ways you can achieve this which I have outlined below:

1) CARRY A WATER BOTTLE:- This is a great way to make sure that you have fluid available to you at all times. Take it with you when you are driving, when you are working or wherever else you go and refill it when needed.

2) LIMIT CAFFEINE:- You do not have to give up your morning coffee but try and limit the caffeine you do consume. For example, if you consume a can of coke everyday, maybe try to make it every other day. Caffeine is a diuretic and too much will undo your efforts to stay hydrated.

3) MIX IT UP:- The body needs a certain amount of water each day. However, you do not have to drink pure water all the time. Low sugar fruit juices and green teas are two of the many viable alternatives to get your daily water intake.

4) DRINK FLUID AFTER EXERCISE:- You lose a lot of fluid after rigorous exercise. You need to replace this by drinking a little extra water after your routine.

Water alone will not boost your metabolism. However, keeping hydrated will ensure that your metabolism is functioning correctly. This will maximise the effectiveness of your other metabolism boosting efforts. By mixing water with a good diet and exercise plan, you can realise great results.

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5 Spicy Foods to Boost your Metabolism

Are you one of those people who orders chicken chicken with the mild, lemon sauce? I know I am. However, if you do this you may be missing out on a simple secret that will help boost your metabolism. So what is this secret? Surprisingly, it is spicy foods.

Spicy foods help burn fat because they increase your metabolic rate temporarily. According to Weight Loss Resources some spices can raise your metabolic rate by as much as 50% for up to three hours after consumption. The reason spices boost your metabolic rate is because they raise your body’s temperature (you will notice this yourself when eating spicy foods) which in turn raises your heart rate. Spices are also believed to have thermogenic properties which means they stimulate your body’s fat burning process. Indeed cayenne, a red hot chili pepper, is found in many weight loss pills because it stimulates fat burning. The overall result is that eating spicy foods can increase the amount of fat and calories you burn temporarily.

So what foods can you use to boost your metabolism? Take a look at the list below for some inspiration:

1) BUFFALO WINGS:- Try to choose baked wings instead of fried wings. The extra calories from the fried option will have a negative effect on your weight loss efforts.

2) THAI FOODS:- Spicy Thai foods are a really great way to incorporate spice into your diet. Plus, a lot of Thai food is healthy with particularly good choices including lean meats, such as chicken or fish and vegetables.

3) INDIAN FOODS:- Indian food is well known for being spicy and is a great way to help boost your metabolism. The spiciness can range from the relatively mild Chicken Tikka to the hot Balti Curry so there are a lot of options available to you. Furthermore, lots of Indian dishes are low in fat.

4) MEXICAN FOODS:- Mexican foods are often spicy and hot. However, you need to watch out for the fat content in the meals. A lot of Mexican dishes come with heavily fried ingredients.

5) PEPPERS:- You can add peppers to everyday dishes and really spice them up. Try adding a few jalapenos, Thai peppers or other hot peppers. Just make sure that the peppers you choose complement the flavour of the meal you are eating.

The above list should give you a few good ideas on how to spice up your diet. However, it is important to remember that although spicy foods can boost your metabolism and increase the rate that your body burns fat, it is not wise to gorge out on them. One reason is because the fat burning properties of spicy foods are limited and temporary. There can also be some negative effects associated with eating too much spicy food including stomach ulcers and acid reflux, which can lead to heartburn. Too many spices can also irritate your digestive tract and damage your taste buds.

The key, like with many aspects of healthy eating and burning fat, is balance. You need to eat spicy foods in the right quantities and balance this with the factors outlined below:

EATING MORE FREQUENTLY:- Instead of eating your usual three meals a day, break them down into five or six smaller portions. By eating smaller portions you will boost your metabolism. Plus, your body burns a large amount of calories every time it absorbs and breaks food down (the thermic effect of food). Eating more meals will boost this thermic effect and increase the number of calories burnt.

HEALTHY EATING:- Just because you are eating spicy foods does not mean you can neglect other areas of your diet. Sure, your body will have an increased metabolism and increased fat burning properties for a short period after eating the spicy food. However, this does not mean you can substitute the positive fat burning effects of the spicy food by eating a pizza every night. You need to be eating the spicy foods as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

REGULAR EXERCISE:- If you add aerobic and muscle building exercises to your routine, this will really help increase your overall metabolism. Furthermore, the actual exercises will help you lose weight and burn fat.

Spicy foods can boost your metabolism and help you burn fat. However, you need to realise that this is just one factor which cannot act alone. If you just eat spicy foods all day, every day, you are unlikely to lose weight and will probably experience some damage to your digestive system. However, as part of a balanced weight loss plan which incorporates healthy eating and exercise, spicy foods can give you that additional boost you have been looking for.

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