How to Increase your Metabolism Naturally

The single most important thing to properly losing weight and increasing your energy levels is your metabolism, and this function tends to get a lot of attention these days. Your metabolism takes the nutrients you have consumed and converts them into energy, which is commonly referred to as “burning calories”. This energy producing process allows your body to prevent further weight gain. However, each person’s metabolism is different because of genetics, age, and gender, but do not let this prevent you from taking measures into your own hands that increase your metabolism naturally.

Strength Training to Build Lean Muscle

Strength training is often misconstrued as being the same as muscle bulking, but they have different intentions. Muscle bulking is where a person follows a high calorie diet with plenty of weight training. However, strength-training focuses on building your strength through lean muscle gains, which plays a role in your metabolism and overall health.

The reason is because muscle requires calories to exist and maintain themselves. Research shows that muscle requires 6 calories per pound a day for sustainment, while fat only requires 2 calories per pound. Your resting metabolic rate is constantly running even while you are asleep, so the muscle makes a difference in keeping the unwanted weight from sticking around.

During training, and the 2-3 hours afterwards, your body’s metabolism is at an all-time high depending on the intensity of your workout. The harder you train and elevate your heart rate, the faster your metabolism pumps away and burns calories. Increase your intensity to reap the max benefits, but do not over train and injure yourself.

Stay Hydrate with Water

Your body requires the daily amount necessary in order for you to simply survive with a healthy body, and your metabolism needs this water in order to process the calories being taken in. Studies have shown that an average adult who drank up to 8 (8 ounce) bottles of water has seen a higher number of calories burned opposed to those who drank only 4 (8 ounce) bottles. Even being the slightest bit dehydrated can slow your metabolism down, so drink water throughout the day and prior to a meal. Fruits and veggies are also good choices for hydrating since they naturally have water in them.

Moderate Consumption of Spicy Foods and Caffeine

Spicy foods have a way with your body, and are capable of increasing your metabolism naturally with the use of thermogenic properties (cayenne, chili powder and cinnamon) Supplements used for weight loss repeatedly contain ingredients such as chili extract, and the reason is because this kind of food heats your body up, which causes your metabolism to increase for a short period of time. So that warm sensation you have been feeling from eating spicy foods is actually your body starting to burn more calories.

Caffeine from green tea and black coffee actually has great benefits when consumed moderately. Caffeine naturally increases your energy levels by making your heart pump blood faster, which as mentioned leads to a heightened state in your metabolism. Both drinks are easy to consume, but do not excessively drink too many cups a day or the outcome is not just an increased metabolism.

While you cannot overcome things like aging or genetics, you can and boost your metabolism and have a healthy lifestyle. It just depends on how you choose to diet and exercise.

Source:

Smith, Michael W., Dr. "Slideshow: 10 Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism to Burn Calories and Lose Weight." WebMD. WebMD, 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.