Fire Up Your Metabolism

You’ve got the skinny best friend who is always the one to eat the cheesy garlic bread alongside her meal and that big wedge of chocolate fudge cake with ice cream afterwards. All you can think of as you munch on your salad leaves is where does she put it all!? You are happy for her (kind of) but wish you could eat cake without is setting up home on your hips. This has a lot to do with your metabolism. Here are some top tips to get your body firing.

Breakfast

We’ve said it a hundred times, but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Eating a nutrient rich meal in the morning will literally kick start your metabolism which otherwise will go into starvation mode and slow right down if you don’t. Try an omelette with a handful of chopped tomatoes and spinach or a bowl of porridge topped with berries and nuts.

Interval training

Forget about spending hours on the treadmill or in the pool, its all about interval training. 30 seconds of intense effort followed by 15 seconds of rest repeated over 10 minutes is the most effective way to boost your metabolism for much longer. More oxygen is consumed during this type of workout with the mitochondria; the bodies powerhouse, working harder to burn energy. The number of mitochondria in the body will increase number and as a result you will burn more throughout the day.

Bulk up

Having more lean muscles means that you use up more energy. An average woman in her 30’s who does strength training for 30 minutes a week for 4 months will increase her resting metabolism by 100 calories a day. Sounds pretty amazing to us!

Drink up your green tea

Not only is green tea full of antioxidants, but it also contains an ingredient called catechin which can give your metabolism a boost. A number of studies show that dieters drinking green tea loose more weight than those who don’t. Catechins help to improve fat oxidation and thermogenesis and improve the body’s production of energy, heat and digestion.

Some like it hot

Spices like chilli are thought to raise the metabolism by up to 50 percent for up to three hours after eating, due to increasing your heart rate. Add lots of chilli to curries, soups and stir fries for that extra boost.

Eat little and often

Eating small regular meals throughout the day will keep your metabolism going as well as keeping blood sugar levels steady and helping to prevent weight gain. Have six meals a day, around 300 calories for the best metabolism boost.

Chill out

We may hate the winter, but being cold can increase the metabolism by up to 20 per cent. Maybe those winter months aren’t so bad afterall!