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Ways to Increase Metabolism

Metabolism is the process your body uses to break food down into energy. Your metabolism will either turn food into energy to be used immediately, or fat to be stored away for later. Therefore, if you have a slower metabolism, it can cause you to gain weight. There are several steps you can take to increase metabolism, and none of them requires the use of a pill.

  1. Don't Drastically Cut Calories

    • The worst mistake people make in trying to increase their metabolism is to start eating a very low-calorie diet. This will actually have the opposite effect on your metabolism, causing it to slow down. Your metabolism reacts this way in order to preserve the small amount of energy it's receiving. Basically your body goes into starvation mode, and thinks it must preserve energy and burn fewer calories in order to survive.

    Eat Healthy

    • Rather than eating dramatically less, you should eat small amounts more frequently. Similarly, be sure to eat breakfast everyday, as skipping meals will have the same effect on your metabolism as cutting too many calories. Skipping meals may also cause you to overindulge later. Eat whole-grain foods and other complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, vegetables and fruits. Also, make sure you are eating enough protein. These foods require more energy to digest. Try eating spicy foods once in a while. This causes your metabolism to work harder in order to cool your body temperature. Spicy foods can also suppress your appetite, so that you don't overindulge.

    Drink Water

    • Drinking the proper amount of water is essential to any healthy lifestyle and can also be a contributing factor in speeding your metabolism. Cold water, in particular, can be especially effective, since it causes your body to burn calories by raising your body temperature. So, try to drink the recommended six to eight glasses per day. You may also want to try drinking a cup of green tea each day, since it can help you burn more calories.

    Get Sleep

    • Make sure that you are getting the proper amount of sleep. Depriving your body of sleep will cause your metabolism to have difficulty performing normal functions. So if possible, try to get the recommended eight hours of sleep each night.

    Exercise

    • The best thing you can do to speed up your body's metabolism is to exercise. Both weight training and cardiovascular exercise will increase your body's metabolism. Muscle uses more calories than fat. So replace your fat with muscle by training with weights two to four times a week, and burn more calories. Increase the amount of aerobic exercise you do, and give your metabolism a big boost. If your body is lean, it requires more energy to maintain. Your body will use energy during the workout and will continue to use energy for hours afterward.

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