6 ways to boost your metabolism

Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. Influenced by many factors, the metabolism is able to accelerate or slow down. To have a better understanding of such reasons, let’s see how the process of metabolism works.

4 important metabolic functions:

• Breaks down proteins, fats and carbohydrates that come from food
• Converts these macronutrients into necessary compounds for the body
• Uses the energy that is needed for all the organs to function
• Eliminates nitrogenous wastes

Everybody's metabolic rate is different. Someone could eat whatever they want without getting fat. Others, on the contrary, struggle with those extra calories all the time and experience difficulties losing weight.

That is normal considering the fact that there are many factors that affect the metabolic rate:

Age

Scientists revealed that the metabolism starts to slow down gradually when we turn 18. The older we get, the slower calories are burned.

Gender

Metabolism is 10% higher for men than women.

Hormones

The metabolism slows down with insufficient production of thyroid hormones.

Fat-free body weight

The metabolic rate is lower in fat cells than in muscles.

Air temperature

Metabolic processes are more active in a cooler places.

Metabolism is a complex process that involves a lot of body functions. However, there are some "tricks" that could help absolutely everyone (and even the owners of "wide bone structures") to boost the metabolism and burn more calories:

1. Short morning workouts

American scientists proven that a 15-minute morning workout is more effective at speeding up your metabolism than an hour run.

2. Adequate and balanced nutrition

Diets do not contribute anyhow to an acceleration of the metabolism. Don't believe it? Here is the scientific justification for this fact.

In the experiment that was conducted in Minnesota, men had to follow a diet with total calorie intake of 1,570 Kcal. This is just a half the daily norm that an active adult male needs. The results were disappointing – after a while, the participants stopped losing weight. Moreover, they appeared to have many emotional and mental problems.

3. Chocolate consumption: dark chocolate (no less than 70% cacao)

40 grams of dark chocolate daily will speed up your metabolism in two weeks. That is a scientifically proven fact.

4. High-quality eight-hour sleep

Constant lack of sleep leads to a decrease of the leptin hormone (responsible for appetite) and weight gain.

5. Deep breath

Oxygen helps in the process of digesting food.

6. Eating enough protein foods

It is the protein breakdown that requires the most energy (15-20%).

Thus, each and every one of us is able to control their metabolism. In order to do that, it is enough to pay attention to your diet, exercise in the morning and get enough sleep. However, the most important thing is that this lifestyle must be permanent. Make it your daily ritual, then the calories will be burned faster and easier.