If you have a slow metabolism, you are in a fix. Because no matter how much you control your food cravings, calories will inevitably get stored as fat.
Worse, it will also be difficult for you to lose weight.
Now, metabolism can be slow due to age, hormonal imbalance, stress, and heredity. So is there a way to boost your metabolism?
Effective Ways to Increase Metabolism
1. Drink Green Tea
Green tea is loaded with epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a phytonutrient that helps in boosting fat metabolism, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity.
Moreover green tea is a zero calorie drink, and you can add ginger, honey, lemon, cinnamon, mint, clove, etc. to give your cup of green tea a different flavor every day.
Have a cup of green tea with your breakfast or between large meals.
2. Don’t Ignore Egg Yolk
Yes, if you want to improve your metabolic rate then you should consume the whole egg.
Egg yolks are rich in essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, and choline that regulates the gene responsible for fat storage in your liver.
Consuming whole eggs also increases the plasma HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) levels. So, you can have one or two whole eggs per day without raising the cholesterol levels too high.
3. Eat Lean Protein
When it comes to increasing your metabolic rate, it is critical that you eat lean protein sources daily with each meal. A 58-kg person would need 47-58 gm protein (approximately 0.8 gm protein per kg weight).
It’s a false notion that consuming protein can lead to fat gain. Protein is food for your muscles and eating protein will build lean muscle mass (along with exercise) which will increase your weight but reduce body fat percent.
Also, proteins are difficult to digest thereby keeping you full for longer. Proteins also increase metabolic rate up to 35 percent.
Consume lean protein sources such as fish, chicken breast, ground turkey, lean cuts of beef, soy, mushroom, tofu, legumes, beans, eggs, etc.
4. Include Fruits & Veggies
Fruits and veggies are loaded with dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients that help to detoxify the body, suppress hunger, improve bowel movement, prevent cardiovascular diseases, and also increase the metabolic rate.
It does so by reducing inflammation in the body. Inflammation is one of the reasons for slow metabolism and inflammation-induced obesity.
Therefore, include green leafy and colorful veggies such as Chinese cabbage, spinach, kale, rocket spinach, cabbage, bok choy, celery, broccoli, tomato, bell pepper, beetroot, carrot, cauliflower, sweet potato, eggplant, etc.
And for fruits have prunes, pear, apple, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, plum, lemon, pineapple, banana, avocado, black grape, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, etc.
5. Consume Garlic
Garlic consumption can help reduce triglyceride, lipid, and bad cholesterol levels in the blood.
Garlic also has anti-inflammatory properties that suppress the production of adipokines thereby reducing inflammation and increasing the metabolic rate.
Have one garlic clove every morning to increase metabolic rate and minimize the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Also include garlic in your salad dressing, smoothies, grilled veggies, soups, and curries.
ALSO READ: 4 ‘lies’ about metabolism
6. Consume Yogurt
Yogurt is loaded with good gut bacteria that helps digestion.
Scientists have also found that consuming a substantial amount of yogurt can help reduce fat deposition in the mid-section of your body.
Improper digestion is often the reason for a slow metabolic rate.
Therefore consuming yogurt can help improve digestion and increase the metabolic rate.
Have yogurt with fruits for dessert or just a small cup of yogurt after your lunch to boost metabolism.
7. Eat Nuts
Nuts are rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and protein. Healthy fats help lower inflammation and therefore helps to reduce the risk of inflammation-induced obesity.
Nuts improve metabolism, increases satiety, and help metabolize fat.
Consume 4-6 soaked almonds in the morning with your breakfast.
You can also snack on 30-35 in-shell pistachios (unsalted) or include walnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, etc. in your yogurt or dark chocolate to give it an extra crunch and flavor.
8. Reduce Stress
Stress induces inflammation, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, etc. in the body. And you know that inflammation leads to slowed down metabolism and as a result you will gain weight even if you starve yourself.
In any case, stress is not good for your physical and mental health.
So, try to relax and ward off any negative thoughts. Do something that you enjoy—cooking, traveling, playing a sport, watching movies, painting, taking pictures, going to the spa, going out with friends, walking your dog, or learning a new skill.
This will keep you occupied, and you will have less energy and time to stress about things. Moreover, it is always better to learn to compartmentalize.
Meaning, keeping your personal issues separate from work issues. Solve your problems one at a time.
9. Drink Water When You Wake Up
Water therapy works wonders. Make it a habit of drinking at least two glasses of water first thing after you wake up in the morning.
This will help flush out the toxins through urine and stool, thereby reducing inflammation.
In fact, scientists have found that drinking 2 liters of water every day can increase metabolic rate.
So you should also keep yourself hydrated throughout the day to keep your metabolism kicking.
10. Reduce Alcohol Consumption
Office parties, house parties, weddings, birthdays, promotions—you name it.
Alcohol is an integral part of any celebration these days.
That’s fine. But you have to be extra careful about consuming alcohol because you have a slow metabolism.
Too much alcohol in the body causes dehydration, which increases inflammation and that, in turn, leads to slower metabolic rate.
Once the metabolic rate slows down, the calories from alcohol get stored as fat.
So, try to consume no more than one peg alcohol.
