5 Easy Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

As you may know, you can’t change the rate of your metabolism because it has to do with your genetics. You may the lucky one who can eat tons of sweets and snacks without gaining a pound or you may be not so lucky, workout daily and still gain weight eating the healthiest foods.

Updated: April 29, 2015 3:20 AM IST

By Zara Husaini

metabolism

As you may know, you can’t change the rate of your metabolism because it has to do with your genetics. You may the lucky one who can eat tons of sweets and snacks without gaining a pound or you may be not so lucky, workout daily and still gain weight eating the healthiest foods.

With that being said, while you can’t change your metabolism, you can certainly improve it.  While there’s no substitute for a sensible diet and regular exercise, here five easy steps can help boost your metabolism. Sure, drastic changes are not possible or advisable, but when it comes maintaining a healthy weight, every little bit helps.

Try incorporating these five simple steps into your lifestyle. They just might provide the boost your metabolism so desperately needs.

1. Drink Lots of Green Tea: Downing green tea on a daily basis is a great way to up your body’s fat burning potential. Any amount of green tea will definitely help your metabolism function efficiently but to really reap the benefits, drink it regularly. Three cups a day should make a significant difference in your overall metabolism. There’s a caveat, though – don’t add sugar or other sweeteners to your tea. This will negate the metabolism-boosting effects. An organic, loose leaf, unflavored green tea will work best.

2. Try Interval Training: Nix your boring 45-minute cardio session in favor of a shorter – yet more effective substitute. High-intensity interval training, otherwise known as HIIT, is more effective at burning fat, thanks to its metabolism-boosting properties, which work even after your workout is over. Next time you’re on the treadmill, try this: Sprint as fast as you can for thirty seconds, then follow this up with a minute of walking. Repeat until you’ve done this for about 20 minutes.

3. Incorporate Some Strength Training: Building muscle is a fantastic way to improve your metabolism – in fact, you will likely see a big difference in your shape if you build some lean muscle. Try supplementing your workout regimen with regular strength training sessions. These can include lifting heavy weights or something less intense (like yoga or body weight training.) You are sure to pack a bit of healthy muscle mass, which will help your body burn much more fat. Since muscle is much sleeker than fat, you’ll look skinner and feel great from the inside.

4. Spice up Your Meals: If you’re a fan of full-flavor South Asian food, you will be happy to hear that eating spicy food is another great way to rev up your metabolism.  The effect this will have on your metabolic rate is subtle but consider this: Spicy food also tends to make you feel more satisfied, which in turn can decrease your appetite. Since portion control is one of the best ways to control your weight, this method is actually a great one, so feel free to add extra chili flakes to this dish next time you cook.

Protip: After indulging in your spicy meal, be sure to take a cold shower to give your body that extra kick of metabolism before starting the day or sleeping for the night.

5. Eat Small, Frequent Meals: It has been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That statement is true and here’s why: When you start your day off with a healthy meal, it sets your metabolism in motion for the rest of the day. Eating frequently works along the same principle: If you constantly stimulate your metabolism, it will continue running all day long. Eating small meals is smart – aim for about five a day, breakfast, lunch, dinner and two healthy snacks.

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