Exercising and eating more fiber will help bring your metabolism up to speed. But these aren’t your only options. There are other small changes you can make to speed up the process… Ones you’d probably never expect.
Here are five surprising ways to boost your metabolism.
1. Keep it cool. Did you know you can enhance your metabolism just by lowering the temperature where you sleep?
Cool temperatures increase brown fat activity. It’s a type of fat that helps your body burn energy to keep you warm. People with more of it tend to be leaner. They also have lower blood sugar levels.1
In one study, men slept in varying temperatures for three months… One month in 75° F, the next in 66° F, and then back to 75° F. They had a 30-40% increase in brown fat activity in the cold… And the warmer temperature slowed it down.2
2. Snack on these… Not those. Ignore the mainstream advice… Baked chips aren’t a healthy snack. They’re usually made from processed ingredients. Like dried potato flakes and inflammation-causing sugar.3 These will leave you craving more food…and feeling lethargic.
Even more concerning… They contain more than three times the amount of acrylamide as fried chips. It’s a cancer-causing toxin.4
Try eating a small handful of raw, organic Brazil nuts for a satisfying between meal snack instead. It may seem too good to be true… But healthy fats can keep you feeling full and energized.
3. Spend less time on more effort. Not only can too much exercise put your heart health in danger… It can also cause your body to burn muscle… You may even store more fat.5
Try high intensity interval training (HIIT) instead. It boosts your metabolism and can help you lose more fat in less time. The best part is you only have to exert maximum effort for 30 seconds at a time. Followed by about a minute of active rest—like brisk walking.
4. Don’t overdo it. Getting the right amount of physical activity isn’t the only thing that will speed up your metabolism… Actively lowering your stress is a must.
Stress—physical or emotional—raises your levels of cortisol. It’s a hormone your body needs for energy. But too much can lead to weight gain and metabolic syndrome.6
Drink organic green tea throughout the day to get the stress-reducing effects of l-theanine. You can also add yoga to your routine to calm your body and your mind.
5. Pass on these “healthy” drinks. Research shows diet drinks made with artificial sweeteners are just as bad—or worse—than sugary drinks.
One study found people who drank diet beverages gained over three times more abdominal fat than people who didn’t.7
Skip diet drinks altogether. Try infusing sparkling water with your favorite organic fruit for a healthier fizzy drink.
If you’re feeling run down—or want to lose some extra pounds—apply these surprising strategies to your everyday life. You may be shocked by how much more energy you have from these small changes
In Good Health,
Angela Salerno
Publisher, INH Health Watch
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References:
1http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/278646.php
2http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2014/06/18/db14-0513.abstract
3http://www.fritolay.com/snacks/product-page/oven-baked/lays-oven-baked-original-potato-crisps
4http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2146660/Hazards-eating-baked-chips-fried.html
5http://www.livestrong.com/article/456348-over-exercising-weight-gain/
6http://www.project-aware.org/Resource/articlearchives/cortisol_weight.shtml
7http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.13376/abstract;jsessionid=6EC4D41E4C022BA86743CC1BC7D594A3.f03t01