We all have that friend we envy for her uncanny ability to stay and look fit, even without counting her calories. Not everyone is blessed with a fast metabolism, but it turns out you can trick your body into having one. According to health professionals nationwide, there are many practices that can boost your metabolism to burn your calories more efficiently.
If you want to start out the new year on a good foot, there are several things you can do to boost your metabolism.
Here are five ways to kick start your metabolism for the new year.
Whether you’re running, swimming or walking, do 30-second intervals of intensity before returning to your normal speed. According to Mark Hyman, MD, an integrative and functional medicine specialist and author of “Ultra Metabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss,” this strategy for exercising will put your mitochondria to work by burning more energy.
He explains that interval training “increase[s] the number of mitochondria and how efficiently they burn throughout the day.”
READ MORE: How to Not Skip Your After-Work Workout
Get friendly with the fish because you’ll want to eat a lot of salmon, herring or tuna to get your omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s regulate the metabolism by balancing the body’s blood sugar. One study by Obesity Research (via Health) found that “rats that ingested large doses of fish oil while exercising lost weight.”
If you can’t deal with the fishy taste or smell, opt for omega 3 supplements like fish oil pills.
A study from Purdue University found diets rich in protein preserved leaner body masses. Our bodies use about 10 percent of calorie intake for digestion processes. Because protein takes much longer to break down than any other nutrient, our body expends more energy in a high-protein diet.
In fact, Authority Nutrition says that “High protein diets can also reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce desire for late-night snacking by half, and make you so full that you automatically eat 441 fewer calories per day … just by adding protein to your diet.”
READ MORE: 5 Ways Every Woman Can Stay Hydrated Besides Drinking Water
Green tea has a key ingredient called “catechin” that will “crank up the metabolism,” says Health. Researchers found that those who went green “lost more weight than those who didn’t.” It is recommended to have five eight-ounce cups every day to “increase energy expenditure by 90 calories a day.”
In addition, WebMD writes, “Green tea has been shown to improve blood flow and lower cholesterol. A 2013 review of many studies found green tea helped prevent a range of heart-related issues, from high blood pressure to congestive heart failure.”
It’s going to be a challenge to cut your morning coffee and donuts, but trans fats can impede the metabolic process by slowing down the body’s ability to burn fat. In addition, these fats can lead to “insulin resistance and inflammation” which causes weight gain.
READ MORE: Do You Really Need Sugar in Your Diet?
If you weren’t one of the lucky ones in the genetic lottery to receive a fast metabolism, you’re going to have to work extra to get it. All signs point to a healthier lifestyle of physical fitness and a nutritious diet. Of course, you can have a cheat day and take home a burger and chili cheese fries, but by then, your body is equipped to process and handle the junk without adding on too many pounds. No matter which tip or trick you follow, just remember to stay happy, healthy and confident!
