Everyone has THAT friend who seems to eat everything they want and never gain a pound. There are many reasons for that. One of those is a high-functioning metabolism that burns more calories. If you’re tired of continuously cutting calories without seeing the results you want, it’s time to take a different approach to weight loss. You can jumpstart your metabolism to help you shed those extra pounds.
Start exercising.
The more active you are, the more calories you burn and the more weight you’ll lose. Working out regularly does even more for weight loss. It builds muscle tissue and burns fat. Muscle tissue requires more calories to maintain than fat does. The more you have, the more calories you burn 24/7 and the higher your metabolism is. Include strength-building in your fitness program.
Do at least one HIIT workout each week.
A HIIT workout—-high intensity interval training—isn’t a specific group of exercises, but a way of doing any exercise. You alternate from peak intensity to a moderate recovery pace and back again. It allows your body to burn more calories while also boosting your metabolism. That gets you in shape faster. It increases the calories you burn by as much as 15%. Your metabolism is higher for an additional 24 to 48 hours after a workout.
Your diet plays a significant role in your metabolism.
Don’t skip meals or go on a super low-calorie diet thinking it will help you lose weight. If your body is denied enough calories to function properly, it goes into starvation mode. Starvation mode slows metabolism to ensure you have adequate calories for vital bodily functions and organs. You also find your energy waning, which means you won’t workout as hard or have the energy to remain active. Eat a healthy meal that’s lower in calories, but not one that’s too low.
- While running burns a lot of calories, those calories come from burning both muscle and fat. Focus more on strength-building and less on cardio to torch the calories and boost your metabolism.
- Some foods burn more calories to digest than others do. Protein takes a lot of calories to digest. Just as foods high in fiber keep you feeling full longer, so do foods high in protein.
- Drink ice-cold water. It boosts your metabolism. The body needs extra calories to warm the insides after drinking ice-cold water. That’s a small boost in metabolism. Staying hydrated also keeps your body burning calories at a higher rate and boosts your metabolism.
- Get adequate sleep. Lack of sleep can cause a disruption of your hormones that make you hungrier. It also can cause you to feel sluggish and not burn as many calories.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness