You hear it all the time (from me or in the news or online…)
“Boost Your Metabolism for Fat Loss!”
but what is Metabolism and what can YOU do to boost it up big time?
Boost Metabolism, Melt Fat
We put a big focus on the rules of nutrition at Level 9 Long Beach Personal Training. You need to know about how to boost metabolism if your fitness goals include losing body fat. It’s the process of converting food to energy (movement and heat). Metabolism happens in your muscles and organs and the result of it is what we commonly refer to as “burning calories”. Metabolism is essentially the speed at which your body’s motor is running.
The good news is I’m giving you 9 awesome ways to truly turbo boost metabolism and melt away fat. The more of these you’re able to incorporate into your life, the more you’ll boost your metabolism. That means you’ll be expending (“burning”) more calories 24 hours a day! If possible mix these rules with some high intensity interval workouts for fat burning to enhance your results.
1- Always eat a complete breakfast!
Skipping breakfast sends the message to your body that you’re starving because you haven’t had food in 12+ hrs. As a protective mechanism, your metabolism actually slows down. Food fuels your metabolism.
2- Eat earlier in the day!
Research has proven that you can lose weight simply by eating a substantial well balanced breakfast and lunch, and a light dinner consisting of protein and veggies and little to no carbs. Dinner should be eaten as early as possible, preferably at least four hours before bedtime. Your metabolism naturally comes to a crawl as your body prepares for sleep.
3- Do some type of exercise on a daily basis
Join my Long Beach Boot Camp or some type of organized fitness program if you know you need structure and guidance. Our bodies need to be active on a daily basis and not every workout needs to be brutal…just breaking a sweat daily will begin to shift the way your body uses the food you consume. When we are active daily our metabolism soars! Resistance training is proven to boost your metabolism for a much longer period of time than cardio…a combination of both works best.
4- Never eat less than 1200 calories per day!
While on a sensible weight loss meal plan you should not be hungry or full. Less than 1200 is usually not enough to support your basal metabolism and thus will actually slow your metabolism down. “Starvation Diets” where you’re always hungry are absolute garbage. You’ll never see long term results from this approach, plus your energy levels and immune system will pay the price.
5- Snack frequently and become a grazer
Complex carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits and grains) fuel your metabolism throughout the day. Snacking prevents you from getting hungry and craving all the wrong foods. The hungrier you get, the less control you have over what foods and quantities you eat. Avoid fruits late in the day though because your body will convert late day sugars to fat.
6- Challenge your muscles with resistance training at least three days per week
The recovery process from weight training, resistance bands, kettle bells and body weight exercises will skyrocket your metabolism. My clients know this fact well.
7- Look for opportunities to be active in your everyday life
Walk to the market if there’s one within a mile or 2. Park as far from the store as you can rather than looking for the closest spot. Always take the stairs rather than the elevator, ride a bike to your friend’s house, etc.
8- Avoid excess alcohol consumption
Alcohol depresses your metabolism and stimulates your appetite. A night of heavy drinking can slow down your metabolism for over 24 hours, long after the fun is over.
9- Drink over 60 ounces of water every day and take a big bottle wherever you go
Your metabolism needs plenty water to function properly. Surprisingly, a whole lot of people do poorly with this one yet it’s such a simple fix that you can start on today…right now.
