Are you looking for ways to improve your weight loss efforts? Let’s face it–who isn’t? Along with eating right and getting plenty of exercise, an increased metabolism can help burn those extra calories that may make that swimsuit fit a little better.
Along with a diet healthy and exercise, here are four ways to boost your metabolism right now.
Related link: Leanne DiSanto Shares 3 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism
1.Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
With 60 percent of our body weight consisting of water, we need to stay hydrated for our organs to operate properly, including digestion. But can drinking water also increase the rate our body burns calories? Yes. Some studies show that people can burn up to 8 more calories for every cup of water consumed. But along with that benefit, drinking at least one liter of water daily reduces appetite, reduces calorie intake, improves physical performance for better exercise, boosts energy, and helps the digestive system be more regular.
2. Add Strength Training to Exercise.
We feel better when we exercise. It increases energy levels, clears our head, loosens up tight joints, and it also builds muscle mass. The Mayo Clinic staff recommends strength training exercises, such as weightlifting, at least twice a week. “Strength training is important because it helps counteract muscle loss associated with aging,” they said. “And since muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue does, muscle mass is a key factor in weight loss.”
The Mayo Clinic says that aerobic exercise is the most efficient way to burn calories. So along with your 30 minutes of daily exercise like walking, bicycling and swimming, try adding strength training at least twice a week to boost your metabolism and build muscle tissue.
3. Change Your Mindset During Meals
When was the last time you gave a meal your full attention? Leanne DiSanto, a former competitive bodybuilder, author, and life coach, says that most of us carry low-lying stress throughout our day. Although this “fight or flight” response, or sympathetic state, keeps our energy levels moving, it can also affect digestion.
To improve metabolism, DiSanto suggests three habits for mealtimes:
1. Breathe. “We need to invite oxygen to our meals,” she said.
2.Slow Down. Make mealtime a time to relax.
3. Be Present. Be mindful of what you are eating.
4. Drink Green Tea
On your next coffee break, try drinking green tea instead. As the granddaddy of healthy drinks, the properties in green tea lower cholesterol and blood pressure, block plaque often linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and help stabilize blood sugar in people with diabetes. And research shows that caffeine and catechins, which naturally occur in green tea help boost metabolism, often up to 3 to 4 percent, in some studies.
By drinking more water, substituting green tea for coffee, adding weights to your exercise routine, and being mindful while eating, you will build habits that not only boost metabolism, they will improve your quality of life.
This article was originally published by Orange County Register.
