Natural Methods for Enhancing Your Body’s Metabolism
Click here!
Are you having a difficult time losing weight? If so, your inability is directly related to your body’s metabolic processes. In the simplest biological equation, when your body enters a caloric deficit you will begin to lose weight at a rate of approximately one pound for every 3,500 calories that you are in deficit. However, life is rarely as simple as that, so despite the common suggestion that simply putting your body in deficit will immediately equate to losing weight, it can be significantly more complex. Theoretically, this is the case; however, determining and absolute caloric deficit can prove to be extremely difficult.
What is known as the 3,500 calorie rule is a simple rule of thumb that was so simple and appealing that it stuck, and despite being 60 years old and heavily challenged, it is still being used. One reason that it has stuck is that it is a decent rule of thumb under perfect conditions; however, weight loss very rarely occurs under perfect conditions. One of the most prevalent challenges with the 3,500 calorie rule is that it fails to account for the dynamic changes in energy balance that are a natural occurrence during dietary intervention. It is not so much that 3,500 calories do not mathematically equate to one pound, it is that it is immensely difficult to calculate the rate at which the body is burning calories at any given period.
Instead of focusing on attempting to hit a specific calorie count every day, I counsel my clients to focus on developing a lifestyle that is conducive to healthy weight loss and effective weight management. In essence, this means abandoning any type of sedentary behavior and to maximize efficient and optimal nutritional intake. I am a firm believer that all that is necessary for total and complete health in naturally available through proper nutritional intake.
Following, are some foods and activities that will help prime the body for maximum metabolic activity — the rate at which the body burns calories.
It is important to understand that your metabolism is impacted my multitudinous factors, including age, sex, genes, body size, hormone levels, stress, activity levels and more. This means that there are numerous methods for boosting the body’s metabolism, and it can be done by making adjustments in any of the aforementioned areas.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Although I have seen this step on other lists, it is always buried at the bottom of the list. I personally believe that proper sleep and rest is not only important to your weight loss goals, but it is paramount for overall good health. There is substantial pragmatic and empirical evidence that suggests that the lack of sleep will actually slow the down your body’s metabolism, increase appetite, and subsequently increase the risk of obesity. You should strive to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night. This should allow you to wake up feeling refreshed, replenished and focused on the tasks of the day.
Consuming Green Tea
The primary reason that green tea is so effective in assisting weight loss is due to the fact that it contains powerful antioxidants called catechins, which have the capacity to reduce weight as well as the circumference of the waist. Green tea is also packed with cancer –fighting compounds that can benefit anyone’s diet, regardless of age.
Reduce Stress Levels
Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your efforts to lose weight. When stress is present, it causes the production and release of a chemical hormone called cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol is designed to help manage stress; however, cortisol is toxic at high, sustained levels, and one of the negative side effects of that toxicity is the interference with the liver’s ability to properly manage the metabolic process.
Eat Plenty of Chili Peppers
Chili peppers are loaded with bioactive chemicals known as capsinoids, which have been proven by scientific studies to increase energy expenditure by as much as 50 calories per day, not including any extracurricular physical activity. Adding this spice to your meals can also help to reduce your appetite — serving to reduce weight.
Coffee Consumption
Although coffee consumption in large amounts is not a good idea, consuming small amounts of coffee can serve to boost your body’s metabolic rate. This increase in the metabolic rate is due to the fact that the caffeine in coffee stimulates the body’s central nervous system. It is important not to overdo it. A cup of coffee containing approximately 150 mg of caffeine should be sufficient to experience the benefit of the impact it will have on the body’s metabolic efforts. Drinking too much coffee can lead to trouble sleeping, irregular heartbeats or an upset stomach.
Exercise
One of the most devastating forces working against weight loss is a sedentary lifestyle. Modern technology has done an exceptional job at improving convenience; however, many of these conveniences serve to reduce the natural activity that has historically kept the body active. Even children under the age of 17 have been immensely impacted, with an obesity rate of 17 percent, which is triple the obesity rate of children in 1963. By committing to exercise on a regular basis, you will automatically increase energy expenditure — naturally boosting your metabolism
Also heavy lifting can add lean muscle to your frame, and for every pound of muscle that is added, the body will burn an additional 50 calories per day.
Eat Regularly
Although results vary, the general rule is that eating more frequently during the day in smaller portions, serves to increase the metabolic rate of the body. It also serves to reduce the amount of fat that is stored in the body. When you only eat two to three times per day, you tend to eat more than you need at any one sitting, and the unused calories will be stored as fat for future use. When you increase the frequency of your meals. You metabolism comes off of conservation mode and burns calories at a higher rate. Also, because the portions are smaller, there is less of a chance of calories being stored as fat.
Even incorporating just one of these tips into your lifestyle should help boost your current metabolic rate. Keep in mind that the results will vary depending on the factors listed at the beginning of this article. If you are using these tips, and you still find it difficult to lose weight, you may need to visit a physician to be tested for certain health related conditions that could be negatively impacting your metabolism. Hypothyroidism is a common cause of the inability to lose weight, even when training rigorously. However, these conditions can be treated holistically.