12 ways to put your metabolism in your favor

Know that skipping breakfast and not getting enough sleep raises your metabolism, and also making an effort to exercise and avoiding sitting for too long will probably keep your metabolism in check. While these tips on metabolism are pretty obvious, there are many more that we must apply if we want to burn calories. Next, we introduce you 12 ways to put your metabolism in your favor.

Establish a regular mealtime

Your body is smart. If you know when the food will come, you send a message to burn energy, as you know that more fuel is coming. But if your meal schedule is irregular and you have several hours without eating, your body will retain energy, because it does not know when it will get more food. Maintaining a regular meal schedule and eating every three to four hours helps keep your metabolism running at a steady rate.

Stay hydrated

Proper hydration keeps all of your body’s cellular processes, including metabolism, at peak capacity. When you are dehydrated, you will burn up to 2% fewer calories, so drink water! If you are not a big water drinker, try caffeine-free tea, such as green tea, which will help you expel calories and burn them for about three hours.

Consume more calcium

Dairy products contain a number of nutrients that play a crucial role in burning fat and building muscle, linoleic acid (or CLA), whey, casein, and calcium. Calcium also plays an important role in regulating your metabolism. The more calcium in a fat cell, the more fat it burns.

Take training seriously

Training increases your metabolism for about 48 hours after completing the workout, and increases muscle mass in the long term, which contributes to a higher resting metabolism. Don’t rush into reps, specifically the downhill portion. Your body has to work harder, which means more calories to be burned.

Seize the morning

Avoiding the morning sun will not benefit your metabolism. Getting sunlight early in the morning helps regulate biological processes in your body, which controls numerous functions in the body. In addition to regulating sleep, your circadian rhythm also contributes to the amount of food you eat and the amount of energy you burn. Try taking in some vitamin D first thing in the morning to get your metabolism going.

Include carbohydrates in your diet

Going on a low-carb diet and going to extremes could work against you. When you exercise, your muscles need glycogen from carbohydrate stores in your body. Not consuming carbohydrates means that you will have low glycogen levels and low energy. Without proper glycogen levels, you won’t have the energy to train at your maximum capacity, which means you burn fewer calories during and after training.

Avoid eating snacks or sweets

If you eat foods like cookies, crackers, snacks, and sugary yogurts, then it’s time to rethink your eating habits between meals. The polyunsaturated fatty acids in nuts like walnuts enhance the activity of certain genes that control fat burning. Eating an ounce (that’s a small handful) of walnuts a day will be your torch to help you burn more calories throughout the day.

Your body requires energy to warm up to a comfortable temperature. Keeping your bedroom to be a cool place, 18ºC, increases and activates adipose tissue (also known as brown fat), the type that is responsible for burning calories.

Use salt with iodine

Sea salt is mostly fad and tastier than regular iodized salt, but its lack of iodine is exactly what is negatively affecting your metabolism. The thyroid gland controls metabolism. And do you know what stimulates the thyroid? The iodine. Without the proper amount of iodine your metabolism takes a hit. So eat iodized salt as well as eating foods rich in iodine like seaweed, eggs, shrimp and cod.

Eat organic products

Organochlorines (chemicals in pesticides) interfere with your body’s energy-burning process. Ingesting high levels of these toxins damages your metabolism. Opt for organic products whenever possible to keep your metabolism running smoothly. Enough with the fruits and vegetables that you eat (apples, cucumbers, peppers, etc.).

Consume the iron required by your body

Iron carries oxygen to the muscles. Without it, the muscles do not receive the necessary oxygen they need. Women also lose significant amounts of iron during their periods. Make sure to fill your basket with groceries like iron-fortified cereals, beans, and green leafy vegetables like bok choy, spinach, and broccoli, especially during the time of the month.

Avoid stress

Nothing, not even your metabolism, is safe from stress. Stressed women burn 100 fewer calories compared to their calmer counterparts. Add in the fact that you crave junk food, when you’re stressed, you destroy your metabolism. So taking time to do yoga (or your de-stressor of choice) is very important.