Metabolism is how your body ‘builds’ itself by breaking down nutrients and turning that into energy. When your body’s metabolism goes into full gear, you will burn calories more efficiently and you’ll see that Christmas ham on your hips melt away FAST.
1) Water, water, water. Hydrate yourself with water to encourage optimal bodily function and speed up the metabolism.2) Eat small meals every 2-3 hours. That means six meals a day not three.
3) Burn fat efficiently by adding essential fatty acids like flaxseed and unsaturated oils to the diet.
4) Fiber fills you up, sustaining you for longer than foods without it. Drinking Psyllium Husk (look for C-Lium in the drugstore) along with your breakfast will keep you full all morning. Other fibrous foods: seaweed, singkamas, prunes, apples, celery.
5) Vitamins and minerals complement a clean diet, protecting against deficiencies and boosting the immune system. One a day is the standard.
6) Don’t go past the point of hunger. Skipping a meal triggers a starvation response in the metabolism, making it slow down. Keep healthy snacks at hand: nuts (don’t eat too much though!), seaweed strips, fruit or veggie sticks (be careful with the dip!).
7) Each meal should include a 4 or 5 ounce portion of lean protein (about the size of your palm) from chicken, turkey, egg whites, pork tenderloin or white fish sources. Whey is another great source of protein. You can combine this with half a cup of complex carbs like brown rice or whole grain bread.8 ) Sugar is the white poison, sending the metabolism into a slow tailspin. All simple sugars – refined sugars – must be avoided to keep the metabolism burning quickly.
9) Complex carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables satisfy the needs of an active body. Each meal should include one serving.
10) Certain foods have a high glycemic index. This means they induce a similar negative effect on metabolism to eating sugar. Rice cakes, carrots, potatoes and fruit juices have a high glycemic index and should be consumed in moderation.
