9 Ways to Get a Faster Metabolism

By Jennifer

9 Ways to Get a Faster Metabolism

We’ve all heard the excuse from people who are carrying around a little extra weight: it’s my metabolism!

But can this be true? Can difficulty losing weight really be due to a slower-than-average metabolism? And are there legit ways to get a faster metabolism?

Yes! Here are some medically-proven tips to speed up your metabolism:

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1

Exercise

Doing regular aerobic workouts will burn more calories in the short term, and doing regular weight training will help you build the muscles you need to boost your metabolism in the long run. This is because muscles burn more calories than fat — one pound of muscle burns 35 calories per day, while one pound of fat only burns 2 calories per day.

2

Get Your Thyroid Checked

A small percentage of us with slower-than-normal metabolisms have thyroid problems, which can also be hereditary. If you’re just not able to regulate your metabolism, ask your doctor if your thyroid might be an issue.

3

Be Reasonable

Heredity plays a big role in how fast or slow your body makes and uses energy, so be reasonable. Don’t expect to be able to make big changes.

4

Eat Red Peppers, Too

Eating red peppers with a high-protein snack, rather than one that’s loaded with carbs, will give your metabolism a boost. In fact, eating at all will kick your metabolism up a bit for a little while. The effects of the red peppers, or any spicy food, are relatively brief, about half an hour or so.

5

Drink Green Tea

Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a chemical that can rev up your metabolism much the same way red peppers do.

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6

Eat Smaller Meals, More Often

Eating five small meals a day, rather than two or three big meals, will boost your metabolism. Waiting hours between large meals actually slows your metabolism down… and your body will want to hold onto every calorie.

7

Don’t Yo-yo Diet

It’s very easy to re-gain weight you lose once you stop watching what you eat. That’s because your body will naturally slow down once you lose weight. So if you have lost weight, make sure to maintain your healthy eating habits, or your metabolism will yo-yo along with your weight!

8

Be Prepared to Slow down a Little

As we age, our metabolisms tend to slow down a little, so be prepared to slow down about 5% every decade after the age of forty.

9

Keep a Moderate Weight

Have you ever wondered why it’s so easy to lose weight at first, but after those first few weeks or months, you stop dropping the weight so fast? It’s because heavier people have faster metabolisms. So it’s a better idea to maintain a healthy, moderate weight, with a slower, fitter resting heart rate, rather than gain weight and take it off, up and down all the time.

Yes, you can do things to make your metabolism run faster, and use it to maintain a healthy weight. I love the idea that spicy foods are helping boost my metabolism, even if it is only for half an hour!

Do you have any secrets to share about how you’ve boosted your metabolism? Or any metabolism myths to dispel? Please share! We need to know what works, and what doesn’t!

Photo Credit: flickr.com

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Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

I'm unemployed right now, so I'm taking advantage of all my free time and doing 2 hours of exercise a day (including weight lifting machines), 4-6 days a week. I'm eating five meals a day just like mentioned in this article, which is a lot more food than I was eating previously. I'm also eating a lot of veggies & fruits. I've lost 15.5 pounds in the past 3 months and the best part is that I'm getting firm and getting some muscle. I can feel the difference in strength in my legs and arms and everyone has commented that I look great. :D It really is a wonderful, healthy feeling!

Hey Jen, I totally adore sports or any kind of exercise but I tried Aerobics and I totally love it. Twice a week, an hour each I exersise and it even helped me to resolve some back pains cause I was so stiff before! And I didn't know about Red Peppers, cause I totally love them and all spicy food. I'll have to include red peppers in more meals and add some spice to it, now knowing they're so good for metabolism! Thanks for your tips :)

Ronnie, You're lucky for some extra time, cause I really don't find any but I try to fit at least 2 hrs of sports in a week. Good for you love! I'll follow your example, in which I eat more meals in a day with esser portions :)

Hi Jennifer! This is really a great post with useful advices for me because my metabolism is very lazy :((, I heard something about hot peppers but I don't like them. Anyway I'm trying to maintain my weight because for the past 2-3 years I've been bouncing up and down with the kg :)

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