A person’s metabolism is the rate at which his body burns calories for energy. The metabolic rate depends on many factors, including age, gender, body fat, muscle mass, activity level and genetics. Using the following points, you can set up your body and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Eat at the same time
The body relies on balance and regularity, so it is always better to eat at the same time. Otherwise, if you eat a lot, and then do not eat for a long time, the body can burn calories more slowly and accumulate more fat cells.
Ideally, there should be several small meals or snacks at intervals of 3 or 4 hours.
Eat enough calories
Some people skip meals to lose weight faster. However, this can negatively affect the metabolism. Eating insufficient calories can slow down metabolism, causing the body to conserve energy.
Adult women need from 1600 to 2400 calories per day, depending on their level of physical activity, and men from 2000 to 3000.
Drink green tea
Some studies show that green tea extract can improve fat metabolism.
Green tea can be a good alternative to sweet juices, providing you with plenty of water throughout the day. 1-2 cups a day can be a useful addition to a balanced diet.
Power training
Strength training helps build muscle, which can improve metabolism. Muscle mass has a higher metabolic rate than fat, which means that more energy is required to maintain muscle mass.
The human body naturally loses muscle with age. Regular training with weight can neutralize this effect. They can include weight lifting as well as exercises that use body weight.
Drink enough water
For all body functions to work correctly, a sufficient level of hydration is necessary. Water is needed for optimal metabolism, on which the process of losing weight depends.
One study found that adding 1.5 liters of water to normal daily intake reduced the average weight and body mass index in the group of overweight women aged 18–23 years.
Reduce stress
Stress affects hormone levels, causing the body to produce more cortisol than usual. Cortisol is a hormone that helps regulate appetite. In 2011, scientists discovered abnormal levels of cortisol in people with an eating disorder.
Stress is also closely related to the quality of sleep, on which metabolism depends.
Try high intensity workouts
Like strength training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can accelerate metabolism.
HIIT workouts are an alternative to cardio. Such training involves alternating periods of exercise of more or less high intensity. This can be a run for 1 minute, followed by walking for 2 minutes or jumping and walking.
Get enough sleep
If you sleep too little, the body releases the hormone ghrelin, which can cause hunger. But the production of leptin, the hormone responsible for the feeling of satiety, on the contrary, is reduced. A sufficient amount of sleep provides a balance of these hormones, preventing overeating.
Although the correct amount of sleep varies among different people, studies show that adults need at least 7–8 hours a day.
Get enough B vitamins
B vitamins play an important role in metabolic rate. The most important of these are B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B6 (pyridoxine).
B vitamins are found in many foods, including:
- Bananas
- baked potato
- Eggs
- Orange juice
- Peanut butter
- Peas
- Spinach
- Whole Grain Products
If the above changes do not bring benefits, consult a doctor.
