How To Lose Inches Off Your Waist – Tips On How To Boost Your Metabolism!

"You have a huge amount of control over your metabolic rate," says John Berardi, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., author of The Metabolism Advantage. "You can't affect how many calories it takes to keep your heart beating, but you can burn an extra 500 to 600 calories a day by exercising properly and eating right."

Metabolism Defined

Most simply put, your Metabolism is the rate at which your body uses energy.  This energy is measured in calories and calories are considered fuel to our bodies.

More specifically, your Metabolism is a complex series of chemical processes that converts food by breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fat into the energy your body needs to maintain itself.  The rate at which your body metabolizes nutrients is unique to every individual.  It depends on the interaction between your caloric intake, the calories you burn while eating, exercising and sleeping, and your individual genetic makeup.  Additional factors include your age, sex, and your lean body mass.

Tips to Boost Your Metabolism

Someone with a high metabolic rate is able to burn calories more efficiently than someone with a slower metabolic rate.  Try these tips to convert your metabolism into fat burning furnace.

Eat Right!

Don’t Starve Yourself

If you are trying to reduce the amount you eat and cut your calories too low, below 1000/day, your body will think it is starving and will go into starvation mode and store more energy (fat).  The same thing happens with exercise.  If you start working out or if you increase the intensity of your current workouts, your body needs more calories to perform the workout and to recuperate afterwards. 

The solution is to give your body enough nutrients to function properly (keep your mind, organs, body parts, etc., running), to workout properly (have enough energy to do your exercise) and to recuperate properly (have the nutrients to heal your body from exercise).   

Timing

Eating more often will give your body the fuel to keep your metabolism running high all the time.  If you get hungry, your body is telling you it needs food NOW!  It will slow your metabolism until fed.  Avoid this by eating well balanced small meals every 2-3 hours rather than just 3 meals a day or, even worse, small sporadic meals and a large dinner. 

The following adjustments to your diet produce great results:  eat a protein rich snack or drink a protein shake within an hour after working out; eat a well-balanced snack (ie. cup of Cottage Cheese) before bedtime; and eat a snack or meal when hungry.

Breakfast

It is the most important meal of the day and should be consumed within an hour of waking.  Your body needs to replenish the nutrients it used while sleeping.  If you skip breakfast, your body will think it is starving, reduce your metabolism and fall into its starvation mode.

Food Types

Eat well balanced meals and be sensible in your food choices.  Lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats are good options for foods that increase metabolism.  Including more protein your diet because it will help with your muscle growth.  Eat high fiber foods (fruits and lots of vegetables) because they require more energy to digest.  Avoid sugar.

Hydration

Our body is made up of approximately 90% water.  Dehydration causes all sorts of havoc on your body including the inability of your body to properly digest food thus causing your metabolism to slow down.  Drink water throughout the day - and make sure your urine is clear.

Supplements, Spices, Caffeine and Green Tea

Researchers from the University of Western Ontario report  that omega-3 fatty acids found only in fish oil, may have the power to dramatically boost your metabolism -- by about 400 calories per day. 

Cayenne Pepper (Capsaicin) and other spices is known to heat up your body for short periods of time upon ingestion.  Mix Cayenne pepper, lemon juice and water and drink every morning to rev up your digestive system.

Physiology & Behavior report that those who drank coffee increased their metabolism by over 16 percent. 

Green tea contains ECGC, a compound which promotes fat burning and may increase your metabolism as well.

Limit Alcohol

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley found that having two or more drinks dramatically reduces your fat burning because your liver converts the alcohol into acetate and starts using that as fuel instead of your fat stores.

Train Right!

Cardio

Most of the benefits gained from Cardio/Aerobic exercise occur while you are performing the exercise.  You boost your metabolism because it requires additional calories to perform exercise than it does sitting on a couch.  Unlike resistance training, cardio only slightly increases your metabolism for a few hours after exercising. 

Resistance Training

Resistance training is anything that involves using resistance to build strength and muscle mass, weight lifting, for example.  Resistance training results in the body burning more carbohydrates during the workout and more fat after the workout.  Your training intensity will affect the amount of carbs and fat you burn - the harder you train, the more carbs you burn during the workout and the more fat you burn after the workout.

Your actual muscle mass changes your metabolism as well.  The more muscle you have, the more calories required to maintain that muscle both during your workout and after your workout.

Don’t underestimate the positive metabolic effects resulting from resistance training.

Conclusion

Increasing your metabolism is one of the answers on how to lose inches off your waist.  Tweak or change your eating habits and be consistent with your exercise program.  By doing both you will lose fat fast.