Fw: *** 20 ways to speed up your Metabolism

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*** 20 ways to speed up your Metabolism

20 Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism

By Redbook

By Bauer, RD,CDN, REDBOOK

Whether you're trying to shed some lbs or just stay fit, these tricks to

increase your metabolism from Bauer, RD,CDN, will help you reach the

finish line even faster.

1. Keep Hydrated I'm sure the general population thinks dieticians sound like a

broken record when it comes to the whole water thing, but it really is

important. Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day will help your

body function at peak performance levels.

2. Keep Calcium Levels Up Current obesity research shows that a dip in calcium

levels can trigger the same hormone that causes the body to hold onto fat to be

released. Choose low-fat dairy, cheese, yogurt, salmon, tofu, and oatmeal.

3. Ditch the Drinks Happy hours and late night cocktails can do a number on your

metabolism the next day. Research shows that the day after a night of drinking,

there is a significant dip in your metabolic rate. Combine this with hangover

cravings, and you've got a double disaster.

4. Eat Constantly Snacking does not have to be a bad thing. If your stomach is

growling, it means that you need more fuel. Not providing your body with food is

a surefire way to slow down its basic functions. Choose high-fiber, high-protein

snacks like low-fat cheese, fiber crackers, fruits, veggies, or Greek yogurt.

Starving your body will sabotage all of your dieting efforts.

5. Destress Yourself Stress raises the amount of cortisol in your body. Cortisol

is a hormone that tells the body to hold onto fat in case of a stressful

situation (think more natural disaster-level stress, not a bad day at

work-level). Experiment with yoga or meditation as ways to lower stress levels

and clear your mind.

6. Decrease Diet Soda Although it's low in calories and seems like an easy swap

for high calorie beverages, diet soda may actually have adverse effects on your

metabolism. Water and seltzer are better options, but if you must drink diet

soda, limit your consumption to two cans (not Big Gulps!) per week.

7. Don't Forget Your ZZZ's Getting a least seven to eight hours of sleep every

night is crucial to a healthy metabolism. Anything less can adversely affect

your body's ability to burn calories. Surprisingly, excess sleep may do the same

thing. It's best to keep a consistent bedtime and wake up close to the same time

every morning

8. Soak Up the Sun Research shows that when a person spends long periods of time

in a darkened, dull environment, it stimulates the same physiological functions

in the body as gaining weight and sleep. The best daylight hours are between 11

a.m. and 3 p.m., so make it a point to get up from your desk and take a brisk

walk outside. Aside from soaking up rays, you'll rev up your heart rate and

benefit from the fresh air.

9. Work Out in the Cold Doing any type of cardio exercise in the cold can

increase the ability of brown fat in the body to work at maximum capacity. Newly

published research indicates that brown fat helps efficiently burn the white fat

in your body, which is the considered that " bad fat. "

10. Drink Kombucha Tea This tea, which is made from the Kombucha black mushroom,

has racked up accolades in almost every health area-claims range from easing

arthritis to detoxifying the liver. The detoxifying nature of this beverage may

help your body function at an optimal level, which means a healthy metabolism.

11. Increase Weight-Bearing Exercises One pound of muscle burns 35 to 50

calories, while one pound of fat burns a measly 5 to 10 calories. Turning fat

into muscle can increase your body's basal metabolic rate (BMR) by up to 40%.

There's no need to hit the weights hard, either, simply using light weights at

high repetition has been proven to tone muscle and burn fat

12. Up Your Vitamin C Vitamin C and calcium are partners in crime when it comes

to your metabolic rate. Calcium speeds up metabolism, while vitamin C helps the

body absorb this mineral, creating an overall win-win situation.

13. Vitamin B is Key Getting in all over your vitamin B, which you can do by

incorporating small amounts of nuts, seeds, lean chicken, beef, and fish into

your diet, helps maintain a healthy metabolism. Legumes are also a great source

of B vitamins; plus they're chock-full of fiber.

14. Drink Green Tea he polyphenols, specifically EGCG, in green tea have

properties that rev up your metabolic rate. However, green tea takes dedication.

You have to drink about 4-5 cups a day to see results.

15. Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup It's one of the most controversial issues in

nutrition: Studies show that HFCS can make the body insulin-resistant. Also,

when given the choice, the body stores fructose as fat before it does glucose.

16. Try Interval Training Aside from curing workout boredom, interval training

allows you to burn more calories in less time. This is a great way for busy

people with less time to get in a maximum workout.

17. Drink Oolong Tea Swap your second latte of the day with a fresh cup of

oolong tea. Chinese medicine and celebrities alike tout the calorie boosting

properties of this electrifying elixir.

18. Spicy Peppers Take your pick: Jalapenos, chili, cayenne, habanero, etc..

These fiery little guys contain capsaicin, which is why you get a burning

sensation in your mouth when you eat them. This same effect is created

internally, causing a calorie burn for about 30 minutes afterward.

19. Go Ginger The latest craze is to add ginger shots to juice, but if you're

not into juicing, it also pairs nicely with veggies in a stir-fry. In addition

to aiding digestion, it can speed up the body's digestion process by as much as

twenty percent.

20. Eat Oily Fish Fish such as tuna and salmon contain oil that increases

leptin, which is a hormone responsible for controlling appetite.