The Top 5 Metabolism Boosters

The Top 5 Metabolism Boosters

 

Hey Guys!

POPsters know that most good things come from hard work and persistence. There’s no magic pill for the perfect body, and shortcuts aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. If you google “ways to increase your metabolism”, you’ll easily find 60 or more that claim to work. The problem with many of them is they’re not always the most practical suggestions. For example, green tea has been shown to increase metabolism, but to get the metabolic effect of burning an extra 90 calories per day, you need to drink 7 cups daily! You see…you could also just exercise for an extra 15 minutes!  So are there metabolism boosters you can add in pretty effortlessly? Absolutely! Here are the top 5 most practical ways to rev up your metabolism:

muscle vs fat

MUSCLE UP!

We’ve all heard that muscle weighs more than fat. That’s actually true and not true. 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat both weigh 1 pound. But the 1 pound of muscle will take up significantly less space than the fat (plus it looks a whole lot better in a bikini). But muscle actually uses more energy than fat, which is why having more keeps your metabolism running like a furnace, even if you miss a couple days in the gym. The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn.  Muscle=metabolism. So if you’re a cardio junkie, it’s time to add in some weight training a couple days per week. According to health.com, “The average woman in her 30s who strength-trains 30 to 40 minutes twice a week for four months will increase her resting metabolism by 100 calories a day.” The very best way to do this is by HIIT training, especially if you loathe pumping iron. “Interval training is the best way to shed pounds, increase your metabolism, improve your cholesterol profile, and improve insulin sensitivity.” Strength training can be body weight exercises too!

42372485 - eggs in a bowl with whisk

EAT BREAKFAST.

Eating within an hour of waking up literally wakes up your metabolism. It breaks the fast from the night, steadies blood sugar and sets you up to burn calories throughout the day. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 78% of 5,000 people who lost an average of 66 pounds and kept it off, eat a morning meal every day. If you’re not a breakfast eater, start with a small snack: a hard-boiled egg, small smoothie, tofu scramble or 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt will get the job done. Eventually, you’ll start getting hungrier in the morning and can add a bit more to make it a meal. And make sure you’re eating throughout the day too! Skipping meals or dipping too low in calories per day does not help you keep weight off! It simply ends up slowing down your metabolism, creating a challenging and disheartening uphill battle for weight loss. If you haven’t read my personal story about this, click here.

GET ENOUGH PROTEIN.

Protein makes us feel fuller longer (that’s a huge-win for hungry girls everywhere!) because it’s digested more slowly than fat and carbs. This is especially important at breakfast. The metabolism booster here comes from a process called thermogenesis. “Your body uses about 10% of its calorie intake for digestion. So, because it takes longer to burn protein than carbs or fat, your body expends more energy absorbing the nutrients in a high-protein diet,” according to health.com. This does not mean you need to carry around a cooler filled with chicken breasts and drink egg whites from a jug. It simply means that eating protein with every meal is important if you hope to stay full, preserve lean muscle mass, stabilize your blood sugar and casually burn some extra calories without any extra effort.

39206740 - detox water with lime and cucumbers in a mason jar against a rustic wood background

DRINK RIGHT.

As boring as it might sound, water really is the fountain of youth in so many ways! A study by The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism showed that after drinking about 2 tall glasses of water, participants’ metabolic rates increased by 30 percent! The researchers estimate that increasing daily water intake by about 6 cups would burn an extra 17,400 calories over the course of the year—resulting in a weight loss of close to five pounds. Conversely, alcohol can undo all that hard work. When your body breaks down a cocktail, it takes precedence over any food in your system waiting to be digested because your body knows it’s a poison and wants to get rid of it. This slows down the entire metabolic process and decreases your fat burning ability by up to 73%. If you do indulge in an occasional alcoholic beverage, keep it to skinny cocktails and wine only.

50397917 - sauerkraut

GET FERMENTED!

If you’re not on the gut-health train, it’s time to climb aboard because this is one fad that’s not a fad at all; it’s absolute fact and it’s here to stay.  In addition to the myriad of health benefits associated with fermented foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir and yogurt, you can add increased metabolism to the list. Fermented foods help good bacteria in the gut process food more efficiently.  A healthy gut regulates the immune system, appetite and metabolism, reduces sugar cravings, assists with elimination, and produces essential vitamins and nutrients, all of which helps maintain a healthy weight. You can ease into this if you’re unfamiliar with fermented foods. A couple tablespoons of sauerkraut per day, a low sugar kombucha drink or a few servings of plain Greek yogurt are simple, and tasty ways, to get your daily dose.

So that’s it guys! Don’t you think you can do one, or maybe all of those things? Let me know in the comments below which one you’re already doing! And which one surprises you the most!

Love you so much!

Resources:

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/fermented-foods_b_1220756.html

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14758/why-fermented-foods-are-good-for-weight-loss-mood-glowing-skin.html

http://hippocratesinst.org/fermented-foods-2

http://draxe.com/fermented-foods/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/01/fermented-vegetables.aspx

16 thoughts on “The Top 5 Metabolism Boosters”

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  1. Scarlet says:

    Great article and tips!

  2. James macoy says:

    Thankfully i’m already following most of your advice here and also use blue fat freeze system to get rid of my stubborn belly fats. Seems like i’m on track to reduce 2 inches around my waist in 2 months and i’ll continue with this for a little while longer to get better results.

  3. Symone McReynolds says:

    Thanks Cassey for this blog I definitely need to drink more water thoughtout the day.

  4. Hannah Lucy says:

    I needed this! Definitely need to drink more water, that’s my downfall!

    Hannah | Oh January

  5. Cassie says:

    These are great tips! I also try to make sure my hormones aren’t too out of whack and get enough sleep, exercise, water, healthy food and relaxation!

  6. Isobel Bruning says:

    Really lovely post!
    Izzy | https://plantbasedizzy.wordpress.com/

  7. Bren Gar says:

    I’m so happy to 2 know I’m doing almost all , hard to eatbreakfast with 3 kids and 1 with cp that requires alot of care. Regretting doing a Results fitness challenge, just wanted to work out with others. ..later found out they require/recommend, protien powder (their brand physx) vitamins, detox and high protien intake, no sugar for 6 weeks, I should lose 20 lbs with their plan, working out 5x week. I’m torn between merging in your food plan or buying more protein powder since I ran out. Did blogilates a year before daughters spinal fusion and hip surgery, I was losing and happy. Gained 30 with my daughter ‘s procedure/recovery. I can’t wait till this is over, and get back on your plan, just wanted to get out of the house. The workout is fun with results, the restrictions suck! I’m making your Cashew cheesecake on the 29 for my birthday, hoping it will be okay. I still workout with you on weekends. I love your routines! Any tips? Thank you for all the recipes, and positivity!

  8. I agree with most of these habits. I do intermittent fasting, and while I believe breaking your fast that the first meal is the most important so you should make it good, I don’t necessarily believe that BREAKFAST is important. At the end of the day, if it works for you to be eating breakfast, whoohoo! 🙂

    http://thefitty.com
    http://youtube.com/c/thefitty

  9. Great tips! 🙂 Thanks so much. I’m always looking for natural ways to boost my metabolism seeing as I’ve been diagnosed with a thyroid condition. Thanks for sharing, Cassey!

    https://katieedidd.blogspot.ca

  10. Aub says:

    These are all great tips!:)
    -Aubs
    http://www.justbalancinghealth.com

  11. Lois Badaracco says:

    Great article! If u r in your 50s and exercise at least 4 to 5 days a week 2 days are weight training.
    How much does my metabolism increase?
    Thanks
    LolaJ

  12. Zoe says:

    Hey Cassey! This is a really helpful post:) I know that it is kind of un-related to this particular subject but I really love your Wake Up With Me Morning Routine Workout and I was just wondering if you could make a nighttime version? Something that helps to relax you after a long stressful day at school or at work? Also, what would your advice be for someone who is going through a hard time with fitting in? LOVE YOU *blows kiss* hehe – Zoe

  13. Great tips, I’m happy to see I do most of these already. I had no idea about the fermented foods! I love kombucha, and I actually make my own, so I’m glad to learn about another added health benefit. If you want to see how to make homemade kombucha, you can check out my blog post about it: http://www.heartfulhabits.com/a-guide-to-homemade-kombucha/

  14. Marliese McGee says:

    I’m totally drinking lots of water, eating breakfast, and getting the protein! And, I’m super excited to be starting the Piit28 1.0 challenge this Sunday. I’m super nervous, but I’m going to push hard because I love my body and want it to be happy and healthy 🙂

    1. Camilla Lindegaard says:

      Don’t be nervous, you’re going to kill it 🙂 If you have an instagram you should go and follow some of the other PIIT princesses (including myself, my insta is @camillalindegaard), you can ask questions and we will support you every step of the way 🙂