CAN YOU MAKE YOUR METABOLISM BETTER?


BOOSTING METABOLISM IS THE HOLY GRAIL OF WEIGHT WATCHERS EVERYWHERE, BUT HOW FAST YOUR BODY BURNS CALORIES DEPENDS ON SEVERAL THINGS. SOME PEOPLE INHERIT A SPEEDY METABOLISM. MEN TEND TO BURN MORE CALORIES THAN WOMEN, EVEN WHILE RESTING. AND FOR MOST PEOPLE, METABOLISM SLOWS STEADILY AFTER AGE 40. ALTHOUGH YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOUR AGE, GENDER, OR GENETICS, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR METABOLISM. HERE ARE 6 OF THEM:

Build Muscle

Your body constantly burns calories, even when you're doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily. That small difference can add up over time. After a session of strength training, muscles are activated all over your body, raising your average daily metabolic rate.


Fuel Up With Water 

Your body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack. Also, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables, which naturally contain water, rather than chocolate or chips.    

Snack Smart 

Eating more often can help you lose weight. When you eat large meals with many hours in between, your metabolism slows down between meals. Having a small meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours keeps your metabolism cranking, so you burn more calories over the course of a day. Several studies have also shown that people who snack regularly eat less at mealtime.

Spice Up Your Meals

Spice Up Your Meals Spicy foods have natural chemicals that can kick your metabolism into a higher gear. Cooking foods with a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can boost your metabolic rate. The effect is probably temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red pepper flakes.um has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s.

Power Up With Protein 

Your body burns many more calories digesting protein than it does eating fat or carbohydrates. As part of a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can boost metabolism at mealtime. Good sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.   

Avoid Crash Diets Crash diets 

Those involving eating fewer than 1,800 (if you're a man) calories a day - are bad for anyone hoping to quicken their metabolism. Although these diets may help you drop pounds, that comes at the expense of good nutrition. Plus, it backfires, since you can lose muscle, which in turn slows your metabolism. The final result is your body burns fewer calories and gains weight faster than before the diet.