Natural Ways to Increase Metabolism

Metabolism is the chemical process our body uses to maintain itself. Food is converted into energy that our bodies use to burn calories. Each chemical reaction of metabolism is powered by a bodily function such as eating, drinking and sleeping. Metabolism is the building up of our body's storage of energy and then breaking down body tissue to generate more fuel.

What Drives Metabolism

• The thyroid gland releases certain hormones that regulate metabolism. Our basic metabolic rates can be greatly influenced by certain foods and activities. An increase of thyroxin impacts glucose production. Proteins are increased and broken down for fuel. This causes an increase in appetite, but more calories are burned to facilitate weight loss

Metabolism Boosts

• Do an aerobic activity daily for at least 30 minutes. Walking, dancing and riding a bike are good examples. Be sure to eat breakfast, as food controls your metabolism. Skipping breakfast causes our metabolic rate to slow down. Build up muscles through strength training at least three times a week. More muscle mass causes our body to burn calories faster. Water is required for our liver to metabolize fat. Drink at least 8 oz. water per 10 pounds of body weight daily. Snack on fruits and vegetables to keep blood sugar balanced. This helps maintain our metabolism so the body doesn't become hungry. Alcohol increases appetite and slows down your metabolism. Keep alcohol intake to a minimum or avoid drinking it completely. Consume lean protein and complex carbohydrates to keep metabolism moving. Complex carbohydrates boost energy, and protein helps to increase muscle mass. Green tea contains catechin polyphenols that increase our rate of caloric burn. Drink 3 to 5 cups daily to boost metabolism. Eat enough to maintain healthy muscle tissues. When you don't eat, the body feels it is being starved, so it slows down metabolism. Not consuming enough calories results in an opposite effect of weight gain instead of loss.