Saturday, December 3, 2011

Make the Most of Your Metabolism

In the effort to shed unwanted pounds people diet, exercise and purchase any miracle product that promises fast results. But the main thing many miss is the importance of catering to their metabolism. This part of the human body is the control center for anything weight-related. Just as keeping the body active is crucial for physical fitness, so is keeping the metabolism in shape. You don’t have to be a nutritionist to get a handle on this part of your lifestyle, either. All it involves are small changes that will produce big results.

In recent years, the transition from eating three, square meals a day to consuming five to six smaller meals has gained a strong following. Making this change alone gives the metabolism a huge boost because this forces it to constantly burn calories around the clock. Additionally, eating more often curbs hunger pangs and prevents overeating in one sitting. However, there are even more tips and tricks to be made that can assist the metabolism even more.

By now you know the importance of drinking plenty of water, such as keeping the body hydrated and revitalizing the complexion. But did you know that water also has the ability to help with a person’s metabolism? The more water you drink on a daily basis, the better your metabolism will perform. Studies show that individuals who don’t drink enough water actually burn fewer calories. This is the last thing you want, so why not do yourself a favor and make that bottle of water your best friend? This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to burn calories that doesn’t require a lot of effort or time commitments.

In addition to water, fiber should be your other best friend. You’ve probably seen all of the television commercials advertising some fiber product or another. Although the commercials are obviously trying to sell something, there is method to the madness. The metabolism and fiber go hand-in-hand in terms of weight loss. Individuals that consume a healthy amount of fiber on a regular basis tend to experience the least amount of weight gain over the years. In fact, fiber alone has the power to propel the metabolism to burn fat by as much as 30%. Squeeze in about 25 grams of fiber per day and weight loss will be the last thing to worry about.

Need another way to keep the metabolism revved up? Start adding more spicy foods into your meals, especially green and red chilies. Sprinkle some red pepper flakes onto your favorite foods and while your mouth may feel like it’s on fire, your metabolism will thank you by going into overtime.

Weight loss should definitely include some form of exercise but physical fitness doesn’t always have to mean sweating the pounds off at the gym. Studies have found that people with office jobs that require them to sit for extended periods of time throughout the day, tend to experience significant weight gain. Why? Because such inactivity negatively affects a special enzyme in the body that is responsible for controlling cholesterol and fat as it relates to the metabolism. Translation: get up and move around more often while at work. Doing so will put this important enzyme into action to boost the amount of fat being burned. Schedule a brisk walk every so often, take the stairs or the long way to the bathroom - whatever it takes so that you’re not just sitting on your rump slowing down your metabolism during the day.