What if everyone could act like athletes who eat like a horse but fit like a fiddle? However, in reality, it is common to see that some people seem to gain weight easily even with a small amount of food. The common comment we hear is, well, we have got a fat gene, what can you do about it? It all boils down to your metabolism which controls your energy expenditure. As we know the thyroid function regulates the metabolic rate.

The entire chemical processes in a living organism that result in growth, disease prevention, energy production, and elimination of waste materials can be simply referred to as the metabolism.  People’s metabolic rate varies, which is the speed at which the chemical reactions take place in the body. In general, people with a fast metabolism means they are able to utilize a considerable amount of calories in a more efficient way. They burn more calories to process foods. On the other hand, foods also play major factors in determining your metabolic rate. Foods with complex structures take more time to digest, such as protein. If the foods are easily metabolized, such as commercial fruit juices, the amounts of calories they produce outweigh the energy required to process them. In this case, there is a good chance you pile more calories than you burn them.

To keep your body at a healthy weight level, you need to give your metabolic rate a boost. Most of us instantly think about exercise. It is true when your body is active, your metabolism is elevated and you burn more calories than resting. At the end of the exercise, you will feel hungry and thirsty, which is an indication that you have depleted the storage in your body and you have to refill the depleted resources including protein, carbohydrates, water, mineral, vitamins, fat, etc. But there are other ways to burn calories, it does not always mean that you have to constantly exercise to keep it up. A proper diet consisting of healthy foods can help keep your metabolism efficient as well. Based on researchers, interestingly enough, diet control for weight loss is more efficient than exercising alone, but you have to establish a healthy eating habit and stick to it.

However, following a healthy diet and dieting are different stories. Dieting is a common myth for weight loss. It may lead to temporary weight loss, but eventually, it will make you gain all that weight back and even more when you stop dieting.

Here are some great food choices to boost your metabolism system. So you don’t have to spend hours in the gym every day in order to lose weight.

Plant Based ProteinPlant-based Protein

Eating plenty of protein is an easy way to boost your metabolism. According to Men’s Fitness, the muscle is made up of metabolically active tissues which require a lot of energy to build, use, and maintain. In comparison, fat tissues require almost nothing to sustain; they just sit on your body in a quite shapeless form. You may not aware that the muscles are 3 times more metabolically active than the fat. You can build muscles by performing some weight-lifting activities or staying active every day, but eating an adequate amount of protein is also part of your muscle-building efforts.

Animal protein produces 48% of the waste in the body when it is broken down, while plant based protein is cleaner and superior than animal protein, such as hemp seeds and legumes. These high protein foods keep your metabolism system at work to supply protein for your muscles all around the body.

Here are some smart fitness tips to build your muscles.

Green Tea

A cup of green tea in the morning will help you stay alert and give your metabolism a boost. The caffeine in green tea stimulates energy expenditure, which means your metabolism is forced to convert reserved fats and use all available resources to give you the power to do your daily activities. Many people think that one or two cups of coffee help them stay awake in the morning, but green tea is a healthier choice because it is rich in antioxidants and prevents cancers. You don’t want to overload your body with caffeine that can not only dehydrate your body but also does more harm than good. You can consider this a warming-up phase for the day. In addition, green tea also demonstrates its capability of enhancing fat oxidation (the process of fat burning) in the body even after a low-intensity exercise.

High Fiber Foods

high-fiber-food  

As previously mentioned, complex foods require more energy to digest. One of the best complex foods easily available is high fiber foods including whole grains and legumes. Refined foods such as commercial bakery products contain sugary carbohydrate. Many processed foods are also absorbed too easily that your metabolism system only puts little effort to convert them into usable nutrients. Refined sugar can also increase insulin levels which restrains the metabolic rate.

On the other hand, complex foods including grains are quite difficult to process. It takes a long time for the digestive system to break down all contents. As a result, the body has to work harder to use more energy to process the food, therefore you can keep up your metabolic rate. Even when you are sitting down motionless, you still burn calories to digest the food. Brown rice, oatmeal, and sprouted grains are good examples of complex foods that also contain a high amount of fiber.

Seaweed is another good choice that not only contains a high amount of fiber but also helps you lose weight.

Bell PepperBell Pepper

Vitamin C is the key to maintaining a healthy metabolism. Obesity is often associated with other factors including energy expenditure, fat oxidation, and calorie intake, vitamin C plays a major role to regulate your body mass. According to the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, individuals with adequate levels of vitamin C oxidize about 30% more fats compared to those with inadequate consumption of the nutrient. Of course, people instantly think of citrus or oranges when it comes to vitamin C, but Bell Pepper is actually superior to any citrus fruit in terms of vitamin C supply. The World’s Healthiest Foods states that a cup of Bell Pepper contains 117 grams of vitamin C, which is more than twice amount of the same nutrient found in an orange.

Omega-3 Fatty AcidsOmega-3 Fatty Acids

Fish, flax seeds, and chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can help boost your metabolism system by increasing the efficiency of your thyroid hormones. Wild salmon can be a good choice because it has a high concentration of polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), whether it is canned or frozen. The omega-3 fatty acids can stimulate leptin production to make you feel full longer, so you don’t crave the next meal quite often. Leptin is a hormone that plays an important role in regulating your appetite. If you don’t like fish, omega-3 supplements can be an alternative to help boost your metabolism.

Hot SpicesHot Spices

Hot spices like chili can help you lose weight by burning more calories. Researchers found the compound called capsaicin in the chili may stimulate the body to burn off more calories during the digestive process. Capsaicin is a colorless compound that can be found in jalapenos, habaneros, cayenne, and most other chili peppers. It is the source from which hot peppers get their heat. According to a study published in “Physiology & Behavior” in March 2011, a spicy dish can indeed increase your metabolism. Along with its slimming effects, capsaicin also has a similar effect as a blood thinner to prevent blood clots.

In addition, our kidneys also play an important role in weight management. Your kidneys help remove wastes and excessive water in your body. Proper cleansing can help stimulate your kidneys’ function. Here is a delicious recipe to help stimulate your kidneys to remove excess water and waste in your body. As a result, you feel lighter and healthier.

Three Bean Soup

three-bean-soup  

Mix dry green beans, red beans, and black beans together, and add enough water to make a soup, the water content is based on your preference for a soup. Based on Chinese medicine, green beans have a cold nature, red beans are natural diuretics, and black beans are a tonic for the kidneys. By mixing them together, you combine all the benefits from them. It is an ideal drink, especially in a hot summer. To achieve the best result, soak the dry beans in water for an hour before cooking. You can cook them on low heat for 45 minutes to one hour, then it is ready to serve.

Regular detox of your body is part of the routine to maintain good health and healthy body weight. To learn the best herbs for detox, read the Top Detox Herbs that Make You Feel Lighter and Cleaner.

Conclusion: In order to be fit for life, regular exercise and a healthy diet is the way to go. Once you establish a healthy lifestyle, rest will come easy including a fit body and good health.

What are your smart ways to boost your metabolism? PS share with us.

Weight loss Hypnosis Recording: this recording combines powerful Alpha Brainwave technology, helps you establish a healthy eating lifestyle quickly and sleeps your weight away.

“Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels.” ~ Elizabeth Berg 

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About the author: Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu

As a Holistic Health Practitioner, Registered Dietitian, TCM Practitioner, Energy Healer, Master Hypnotist, Reiki Master, Advanced Theta Healing Practitioner, Author and Speaker, Lucy Liu, the founder of optimalhealthsolutions.ca, has gained a good reputation in holistic health after many years of serving patients and clients as a holistic health practitioner. Lucy has developed a unique and comprehensive approach, which combines Western Medicine, Chinese Medicine, Energy Medicine, and Alternative Medicine together, to help others achieve optimal health by creating harmony between the body, mind, and spirit, and maintain long-term success for healthy lifestyle changes.
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