Can You Really Boost Your Metabolism?

I hear comments all the time like, “How do I raise my metabolism,” or “I guess I just have a slow metabolism,” and the ever popular, “Can I boost my metabolism?”

Right off the bat, I need to let you know that claiming to be a victim of a slow metabolism is no excuse for being overweight. I mean, if you’re scarfing down Arby’s and then say your round midsection is because you have a sluggish metabolism, you not foolin’ anybody. Take an honest look at your habits and stop hiding them behind a feigned effort.

So, what is metabolism exactly? Well, it’s a pretty sophisticated process that involves hormones and enzymes. It basically determines the rate that we burn calories, amongst other things. So, the annoying folks who can eat everything in sight and not gain an ounce of fat usually have a high metabolism to partially thank.

There are things that affect your metabolism that you can’t do anything about. Heredity is one. Genetic factors can help determine your rate of metabolism. But, remember, this just means a “predisposal” to a particular type of metabolism. Don’t go hiding behind Momma and Papa if you’re overweight.

Age is another thing that can affect your metabolism. For each decade after age forty, your metabolism slows by about 5 percent. Really, that’s not that much when you think about it. So, if you’re getting up there in years, you really can’t use your age for your reason why body fat is steadily accumulating.

And, gender is another thing that will affect your metabolism. Guys have a slight advantage in this one. Men burn more calories at rest that women. However, all these things are just innate qualities that we can’t change. So our focus shouldn’t be on them. We need to focus on the things we can change, and then head down that road.

Muscle

Well, the more lean mass you have, the more calories you burn. This equates into a higher metabolism. So, yes, it’s scientifically accurate to say that the more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn.

Muscle burns more calories that fat. Every pound of muscle you have burns about 35 calories a day. Every pound of fat you pack, on the other hand, burns a mere 2 calories day. So the difference is pretty significant.

Meal Timing

Yes, we’ve all heard that you should space your meals out throughout the day. This does help avert hunger and possible prevent binging. But, it also keeps our metabolic system running smoothly.

I’m not saying it’ll kill you to eat three squares a day, but if you can spread out your meals to every three hours or so, you’ll let your body know –

“Things are running just fine. Keep burning, Baby.”
The end result of taking the time to space out your meals will be a higher metabolism and a reduction in caloric intake. This means more fat loss.

Certain Foods

Okay the evidence is pretty sketchy on foods having an impact on your metabolism. I mean, yes, certain foods definitely do impact metabolic rate, but the degree in which they do that is pretty minimal.

I’m not complaining, though. How hard is it to throw in more food in my diet? Plus, the kinds of foods that might boost your metabolism are pretty tasty.

Lean protein. You’ve probably already eating a bunch of this, already. Healthy meats, low-fat cottage cheese, fage, etc. They move through the digestive system pretty slowly, so they help you feel full longer. They also take a good amount more energy to digest then carbs. More energy expenditure is what you’re after, so make sure to eat some good protein every few hours.

Spicy Stuff. Every time you eat something spicy, your metabolism raises for a short time. It’s the capsicum that does it. The effect is minimal, but if you like spicy foods, you can use this trivia to your advantage.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of spicy foods. Now I have an excuse to offer people when I get the odd look as I take hot sauce out of my purse. Jeez. Am I the only lady who never leaves home without her Tabasco or Cholula?

But, I don’t think researchers have paid enough attention to the other effects spicy food can have on dieters. Think about it. When you eat hot foods, you usually end up guzzling a lot more water. And more water, as we all know, means more satiety and more fat loss.

Not only is there the issue of water, but there is also that revved up feeling you get after eating something spicy. Eat a hot pepper. What happens? You get kind of fired up, and eating heavy foods after that doesn’t seem very appealing, right? Hail, hot peppers!

Green Tea. Green tea has a specific antioxidant, EGCG, that may speed up your metabolic rate. But, again, the impact is pretty minimal. So, if you like green tea, go ahead and guzzle away. If you’re not fond of it, you’re really not missing out on much in terms of metabolic effects.

1. Pack on muscle. You know what to do.

2. Spread out meals to every 2-3.5 hours

3. Eat lean protein at each of these meals

4. Throw in some hot stuff and green tea

No more excuses. Life is what you make it. Sluggish metabolism is a sorry excuse. Raise it. Work your butt off and do all you can do. You’ll improve dramatically. Burn, Baby, Burn!

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