Sunday, December 25, 2011

Accelerating the Metabolism to Lose Weight

Trying to get into shape

If you are trying to get into shape or just to keep up with good health, then you are probably familiar with the benefits of a healthy diet and fitness routine. A healthy diet can help you to drop off weight and keep up a healthy body mass, while a regular exercise routine can tone your body. This is because diet and exercise play a crucial part in regulating your body's metabolism. But, is it possible to accelerate the metabolism to lose weight?

First, what is metabolism?

Metabolism is the physical process by which our bodies convert calories from food into energy. Our body's metabolism is working all of the time while you are exercising, while you are eating, and even while you are sleeping. Metabolism alone does not decide your weight. Instead, weight dependents on the balance of calories consumed versus the calories burned. Eat more calories than you need then you gain weight. Eat fewer calories than you need then you lose weight. So, Yes, it is possible accelerating the metabolism to lose weight.

How does metabolism work?

According to experts, our bodies get all of its energy from plant and animal products that we ingest. After we eat, our bodies break down the different components into energy that it can use to run different processes. These types of energy are then absorbed into our bloodstream and transported to all of the different cells in our body to help run all of our body's processes. Any excess energy is then stored by your body as muscle or fat so that it can be used in the future.

Factors affecting metabolism and what you can't control about your metabolism

There are a number of different factors affecting metabolism. The most important factor is the amount of lean muscle mass that your body contains. Lean muscle mass burns energy all of the time, even when you are not actively working out. The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be.

Other factors affecting metabolism include:

Age: As you age, your metabolism naturally slows down. Expect your metabolism to decline every decade after the age of 20.This is because the body loses lean muscle mass over the years, so we get older, we tend to lose muscle and gain body fat. Lean muscle mass is more metabolically active than fat tissue. So when you lose muscle mass, your metabolism slows down.

Gender: Men have naturally higher levels of lean muscle mass. Men generally have faster metabolisms than women because they’re larger and have less body fat.

Height: Taller people tend to have a more active metabolism and need more calories in order to keep energized.

Genetics: Your genetic history will play a role in your metabolism. Some families have a naturally high metabolism, while others have a naturally low metabolism.

Accelerating the metabolism to lose weight

You may be interested in accelerating the metabolism to lose weight. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Have a healthy breakfast every day: Experts say that people who regularly eat a healthy breakfast within two hours of rising are more likely to control their weight.

Eat every 3 to 4 hours: Do not skip meals as this will trick your metabolism into starvation mode. Instead focus on eating three healthy meals a day, and at least two snacks. Our bodies work hard to digest and absorb the foods we eat, and your metabolism speeds up in response. Take full advantage of this and schedule meals and snacks every 3 to 4 hours.

Foods that increase the metabolism

Eat protein with every meal: Eating protein gives your body a bigger metabolic boost than eating carbohydrates or fats. Plus, eating enough protein will ensure you’ll maintain and build muscle mass.

Foods that speed up metabolism include: beef, chicken, wheat germ and spinach, grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese, eggs, fish and shellfish, apples, nuts and beans, coffee and tea.

Foods that speed up metabolism with the aid of vitamins embrace all sorts of fruits and vegetables. Including fruits and vegetables into your diet will help you lose weight faster.

Fortified cereals are among the most common foods that speed up metabolism due to high content of folic acid. Folic acid speeds up metabolism in the body, strengthens the immune system and cleanses the body.

Incorporate some of these foods into your diet and your body will start burning calories faster.

Exercising to accelerating the metabolism

Exercise: It is essential that you increase your amount of lean muscle mass if you want to speed up metabolism. Concentrate on playing strength exercises in order to build your muscle. Do those exercises with regular aerobics programs, which will help you to burn excess fat and calories. Exercise also plays a key role in determining the rate at which your metabolism will work.

Exercise helps to increase metabolism in two ways: burns calories and creates muscle mass. As you exercise, your body loses excess fat and begins to lay down increased amounts of lean muscle mass. This is particularly true of strength training exercises, such as weight-lifting and resistance exercises. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, exercise is a natural way to increase your metabolism because your metabolism will remain elevated for up to 12 hours after you exercise.

Do aerobic exercises four to five days a week, such as running, walking, swimming and bike riding. It burns calories and increases metabolism while you are working out. Studies demonstrate that aerobic activities cause that metabolism to stay at an elevated level for a period of time after you have finished exercising. Work in strength exercise two to three days a week.

The bottom line:

The healthy and most effective way to accelerating the metabolism to lose weight is to eat an appropriate amount of food every 3 to 4 hours, incorporate a portion of lean protein into each meal, and exercise regularly. Good luck!

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