In our look at how to boost metabolism, we examined the link between daily behavioral patterns and metabolism.  This shows how the application of straightforward biochemical processes can be harnessed as a metabolism booster to help you achieve your fitness and weight loss goals.  But, as we’ve shown before, simply attempting to achieve weight loss by physical activity isn’t enough.  It’s also imperative to the proper fuel metabolism boosters, to achieve those goals.  Adding natural, healthy metabolism boosters to your diet can play a significant part in achieving those goals.

10 Natural Metabolism Boosters For Weight Loss

1.  Coffee – Coffee antioxidants, in addition to its stimulant properties, make it one of nature’s best metabolism boosters.  Studies have repeatedly shown enhancements in athletic performance for elite runners who consume coffee, but there exists some debate about the exact mechanism of action.  Certainly caffeine is considered to play a role, but contrary to the alertness theory, the more favored explanation for why coffee boosts metabolism so effectively is its ability to increase free fatty acid circulation in the bloodstream.  The increased availability of free fatty acids for metabolism avoids the fatigue that occurs during exercise when glycogen stores are exhausted.  Expect a boost in metabolism from coffee consumption lasts approximately 4 hours for healthy adults.

2.  Lean Protein — Lean protein is more difficult for the body to digest, and provides the essential building blocks to increase muscle mass, which is one of the greatest metabolism boosters you’re going to find.  The purpose behind strength training is to tear muscle fibers, which will then be built up larger than before.  To fuel this process, aim to consume 10-35% of your daily calories from lean protein sources, such as tilapia, salmon, chicken, and lean cuts of red meat.

3.  Green Tea — Long lauded as a rich source of powerful antioxidants, green tea has also been shown to boost metabolism in men.  In one Swiss study, men who drank green tea with meals experienced a boost in metabolism that lasted for 24 hours.  Subsequent research has shown that consuming of 3-6 cups of green each day has the cumulative effect of burning an additional 60-80 calories per day.  On average this is the equivalent of 6 minutes per day spent jogging.

4.  Dairy — Science has repeatedly shown that getting enough calcium in your diet reduces your risk of obesity, which on the surface at least, makes sense.  Calcium plays a huge role in generalized health, brain function, and metabolism.  However, when it comes to calcium, not all sources are created equal.  Leafy greens and American persimmon are high in calcium, but the effect of calcium oxalate in your diet is different than dairy sources.  For instance, in one research study, participants who consumed at least 580-mg of dairy calcium daily (12 ounces of milk) lost 12 pounds over a 2-year period.

5.  Grapefruit – A study by the Scripps Institute on grapefruit verified its place as one of the top metabolism boosteing foods.  In this study, participants who at a half a grapefruit at each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds over a 12-week period.  Drinking a serving of grapefruit juice with each meal conferred a weight loss of 3.3-pounds.  Scientists attribute the majority of the effect to the flavanoid compound naringin, which is believed to suppress insulin response.

7.  Spinach (and other leafy greens) – A study conducted at the Swedish Karolinska Institute showed the impact of nitrates on metabolism.  Subjects given a nitrate supplement experienced an overall increase in metabolic activity, as measured by mitochondrial efficiency.  Their work has shown that dietary nitrates, which are present in high levels in most leafy greens, are metabolized into nitric oxide by oral bacteria.  Nitric oxide has the effect of lowering blood pressure, reducing the amount of oxygen required for muscle function, and possibly mediating insulin response.

8.  Peppers and other “hot” foods – Capsaicin, the ingredient responsible for “hotness” in peppers and other spicy foods, have been shown to increase metabolism by about 8% for several hours after consumption.  Additionally, they contribute to feelings of fullness, and have been shown to reduce blood lipid levels in some studies.  Other dishes from the Far East, most notably those containing curry, have been reported to impart similar effects.  This has lead to the use of spices such as capsaicin, turmeric, and coriander in many herbal metabolism boosters.

Understanding how to harness your metabolism for weight loss is one step in the process of changing your life.  Replacing empty calories with nutrient dense metabolism boosters is key to provide the fuel for weight loss, and the satiety to stave off food cravings throughout the day.

Photo Credit

This post originated at Live Fit Blog, which is written by Greg Hayes. To read more about fitting fitness into busy lives, check out his blog.

8 Natural Metabolism Boosters For Weight Loss

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Metabolism, or the rate at which your body burns calories during normal daily activity, is one of the keys to developing a sustainable weight loss plan, and can be a key step in the battle to lose belly fat.  By learning how to boost metabolism, it’s possible to prime your body to shed pounds with less effort.  So use these tips to effectively speed up metabolism and propel your way to healthy, long term weight loss.

How To Boost Metabolism – A Daily Guide

DO – Get Enough Sleep

The subject of sleep engenders much debate, but sleep experts all agree that from kids to adults, Americans don’t get enough of it.  Reasons range from the availability of evening light sources to general over-commitments in life, none of which are going to change.  But sleep is the lynch-pin if you want to boost your metabolism.  In one study on chronic sleep deprivation, participants experienced metabolic changes akin to advanced aging, with symptoms such as reduced glucose tolerance, an increase in blood cortisol, and alterations in thyroid hormone levels.  Some tips for getting enough sleep include:

• Turning off all electronics 30 minutes before bed
• Avoid consuming alcohol before bed
• Dedicate your bedroom to sleep; no television or games
• Eliminate light sources from the bedroom, especially blue light

DON’T Skip Breakfast

Although it seems counter-intuitive, research has shown time and again that eating breakfast leads to greater success with weight loss.  During sleep, the body’s metabolism slows down as your recuperate from the rigors of daily life.  Breaking your nightly fast with a healthy breakfast, ramps up your metabolism and primes the body for the rigors of the upcoming day.  Aim for a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates, both of which take longer to digest than fats and sugars.  In the battle to learn how to resist food cravings, this approach smooths out insulin response and provides a steady supply of fuel to start the day.

DO Eat Plenty Of Protein

The subject of high protein diets conjures images of a high fat diet, but the two need not necessarily go hand in hand.  Unlike fat, protein has the same calorie content per gram carbohydrates, but the complex chemical structure takes longer to digest, which provides a steady fuel supply throughout the day.  Having plenty of protein available for rebuilding muscle after exertion is also key to increasing lean muscle mass; another key in the battle for learning how to boost metabolism.  To be successful, aim to meet between 10-35% of your daily calorie needs from high quality, lean protein.  If you’re looking for alternatives to chicken and salmon, try arctic char, venison, bluegill, or even lamb.  Frequent travelers should look over this list of healthy fast food choices, and plan accordingly when on the road.

DON’T Skip Meals

When you’re striving for weight loss, its easy to fall into the trap of severely restricting calories.  Unfortunately, depriving the body of the calories necessary to function puts it into preservation mode, thereby slowing metabolism.   To effectively boost metabolism, one must provide a steady stream of nutrition to the body.  Not an excess of calories, but a steady supply of high quality nutrition.  To keep your metabolism operating at peak efficiency, smooths out spikes in insulin, and allay hunger, seek out a calorie counter to estimate your daily caloric requirement allocate those calories over 5-6 small meals each day.

DO Strength Train

Strength training, whether its with body weight alone, or with weights, offers the potential to burn fat and build muscle simultaneously.  It seems intuitive that younger adults have a faster metabolism than their older counterparts.  Science supports that perception, which is attributed primarily to the loss of lean muscle mass that happens with age.  A degenerative condition known as sarcopenia is responsible for a steady loss in muscle mass, at a rate of 0.5-1% per year.  The condition starts around age 25, and in the absence of intervention, will affect nearly everyone.  By age 50, the process begins accelerating rapidly, eventually leading to muscle wasting.  Fortunately, studies have repeatedly shown that strength training can reverse this condition, so the incorporation of a regular strength training regimen into your workout routine is a key to tackling the problem of boosting your metabolism.  Since muscle burns more calories than fat, building muscle not only helps boost metabolism, it also reduces the risk of of injuries resulting from muscle loss later in life.  To make the most of time at the gym, learn what to eat after a workout to fuel muscle growth.

DON’T Go For Marathon Training Sessions

To speed up your metabolism for weight loss, make a HIIT workout part of your training regimen.  Instead of spending 2-3 hours a day at the gym, break your workouts up into shorter sessions of high intensity.  Studies show that the body continues to run at an elevated pace for several hours after a workout.  By spreading out your workouts over a longer time frame, you’ll allow the your body to consume more calories over the course of the day.

With just a handful of tweaks to your daily routine, its possible to speed up metabolism for weight loss.  Couple this with a handful of metabolism boosters, and between the two you’ll speed up your metabolism naturally.  By optimizing the body’s processes for weight loss, you’ll reach your goals far more quickly.

Photo Credit

This post originated at Live Fit Blog, which is written by Greg Hayes. To read more about fitting fitness into busy lives, check out his blog.

How To Boost Metabolism

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It seems the majority of the population are concerned about their weight. More specifically, they are concerned they have too much of it. And they want to lose some.

The actual weight they want to lose is the excess fat they carry, however a thin layer of subcutaneous fat is a good thing. It plumps up the skin attractively, provides protection from the cold and helps provide us a little cushioning.

It’s when that layer of subcutaneous fat swells beyond a centimeter or two in width that we start to grab and pinch at it accusingly, and purse our lips as our clothes stop fitting so well.

The weight loss equation is a simple one: Use more energy than you absorb through food and drink, and your body will need to burn its resources to keep you going.

Eat less? Exercise more? Reduce it down to basics and yes, that’s all you need to do to lose that fat.

Of course food (and drink) is one of life’s major pleasures. And these days it is for many the easiest and most accessible pleasure. To cut yourself off from that sensory reward is more of a challenge than you’d like to think. Particularly when the pleasure of being the shape you want to be is so distant, and the taste of your favourite food so close…

Adding exercise to use more energy is the other side of that coin, and it will certainly improve your day-to-day lifestyle (chemical balance, ease of motion, stamina) if you can make exercise a part of that lifestyle.

But many shy away from the immediate pain of exercise. The chafing, sweating, burning lungs, aching muscles. And the feeling of incompetency when you start a particular exercise. You’re not skillful at this. So it’s not fun.

It’s difficult to persist when the pleasure of having that great figure is so far away, and the pain of the actual exercise is right here and now.

So if eating less is not for you, and neither is a full-on exercise program, then maybe you’re looking for a quick fix.

Wise up. There is none.

You probably already know this. You’ve probably tried to lose weight before. And you may have succeeded. But has it stayed off?

Yo-yo dieting is very common, and very hard on the body. Lose 10 kilos, gain 12 kilos, lose 5 kilos, gain 6 kilos. Not only is it an emotional roller coaster, it’s expensive in time and in money. Most weight loss programs involve some sort of cost, and fluctuating body size means fluctuating clothing size, which will put an even bigger dent in your wallet.

But here on this site you’ll find a huge number of simple tips, for either reducing your energy intake, or increasing your energy output. Just small, easy changes, for easy weightloss. Try adopting a new one every week. Make it a habit. Make it yours. With enough of these habits in place you’ll start to see those kilos disappear.

Sign up as a member and get a new challenge delivered into your email inbox every week. Just one simple life change per week.

Be gentle and loving with yourself. Ease yourself one easy step at a time, back into the shape you love.