Speeding Up Your Metabolism

Metabolism refers to the body’s process of chemical reactions that occur in order to sustain life. The process of metabolism allows cells to grow, reproduce, maintain (breath), rebuild and respond to different environments. Therefore, keeping your metabolism in top running order will keep you fitter, thinner and result in a healthier, happier you. As we get older, the most important things to do to keep weight off are increasing activity (ANY activity) and limiting calories. The following are just some extra ways to boost your metabolism:

· Eat three meals per day, starting with breakfast! Starting your day on a healthy foundation, such as a bowl of high-fiber cereal, or oatmeal makes it far less likely you'll grab a fattening Danish later on. Another benefit to breakfast? Studies say that it gets your metabolism going…more millions of dollars spent to discover the obvious!

NOTE: Contrary to the popular belief that we should eat many smaller meals a day, I believe that this practice accomplishes one thing…putting more food in your stomach than you need! To me it is only logical that the more you eat the more you are adding to the problem…having your body work harder to digest and function. I believe that the opposite is true: Eat three solid meals per day and drink water in between meals, rather than snacking.

·  Add muscle. Each pound of muscle burns about six calories a day, versus two calories a day for fat. Strength training exercises, such as lifting weights or doing squats, lunges or sit-ups, can help you build muscle.

·  Consume enough protein. Although your body needs a combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat each day, protein is especially important for people who want to lose weight. One reason is that getting enough protein ensures that any weight you lose comes primarily from fat and not from muscle. I’m not talking red meat here…fish (especially), chicken, chick peas, beans, etc will give you all the protein you need without the harmful side effects of consuming red meat.

· Get moving. Just 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise five days a week can burn about 1,000 calories a week. That works out to about 15 pounds a year. High-intensity workouts, such as jogging or using a stair climber, may have an additional benefit -- increasing your resting metabolic rate after a workout. 

· Drink plenty of water. Your body runs more effectively when you're well hydrated -- and that includes your metabolism. Water is your best calorie-free choice.  Instead of snacking between meals, drink a glass of water.

· Get some zzzs! Running short on sleep boosts levels of the hormone ‘ghrelin’, which research says can make you hungrier, slow your metabolism and promote fat retention. The key is to get in at least seven hours of sleep per night…and I don’t care if Einstein only got 3 hours a night. If he had slept 7-8 hours a night he probably would have been using 20% of his brain instead of 10% :)

· Never crash diet. If you go on a very low-calorie diet, your body will go into starvation mode -- slowing your metabolism instead of speeding it up to make full use of every calorie consumed. That's why most people shouldn't trim more than 500 calories a day from their normal intake.  

· Stay cool, you’ll live longer: When I was in University, I did an exit paper on longevity and found that there were basically two key elements to living longer:  living in a cold climate and being a fish eating people.  The cooler you can stay the more calories your body will burn, just trying to stay warm. So although there's no need to be uncomfortable, lowering the thermostat by a few degrees in the winter may accomplish two goals: reducing your heating bills and burning a few extra calories while your cooped up inside.

Follow these guidelines to a faster metabolism and a healthier you…Happy Holidays!