8 Smart Ways To Boost Your Metabolism
Metabolism is the process by which your body makes and burns energy from food. Most people think about improving metabolism when they want to lose weight fast. But there are other reasons, which are more important, why you should boost your metabolism. The human body relies on metabolism for breathing, cognitive functions, digestion, blood circulation, and keeping your body warm in colder temperature and cool in hot weather. So, your metabolic health is important for overall health. Being metabolically unhealthy means you have abnormal levels of blood glucose, lipids or inflammation that may lead to chronic health conditions. The metabolic imbalance may even exist in people who appear to be healthy.
The importance of improving metabolic health to strengthen immunity has been well established. Besides, improved metabolism is good for your health and overall wellbeing. Here are some smart ways to improve your metabolism by making simple lifestyle changes.
- Make yourself strong
Adopt a strategy to boost your metabolism with a focus on strengthening yourself - physically & mentally. Make small changes in your lifestyle through physical exercise, diet, sleep, stress management and more. Instead of focusing on how to lose weight fast, make it a priority to improve muscle & bone strength, increase metabolism, strengthen your immune health or to improve mental health by practising mindfulness.
- Move your body
Stay active inside the gym and outside as well. Exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, which is equivalent to over 20 minutes per day. Take up a physical exercise you enjoy – gyming, cycling, dancing, playing a sport, whatever holds your interest. The idea is to increase your heart rate and to strengthen & maintain muscle strength, while you lose weight fast.
- Focus on nutrition
Stay healthy by eating nutritious food that provides high-quality protein, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Improve metabolism by filling your plate with foods of different colour and slow carbs. Avoid fad diets that promise a lot at a cost. Instead, eat nutrient-dense whole food in smaller portions. If required take supplements to support specific health issues. And enjoy every meal.
- Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
Stay hydrated with healthy fluids like water. Tea and coffee increase fluid intake, but nothing beats water for hydration – your digestive system, circulatory system and skin will thank you. Drinking 9 to 12 cups of water every day will boost your metabolism and also help to shed the pounds.
- Get adequate sleep
Lack of sleep makes the body release ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry. It also releases less leptin, a hormone that keeps you feeling full. Maintaining the right balance between these two hormones is dependent on getting enough sleep at night. Adults need to sleep 7-8 hours every night to stay healthy.
- Manage stress
Stress leads to increased production of cortisol, the hormone that regulates appetite. Studies show that people with abnormal cortisol levels have an eating disorder, which may lead to unhealthy metabolism. Reduce stress through meditation, counselling, breathing exercises and other stress-relieving strategies.
- Partner with a doctor
Take help of a health care practitioner in your journey to boost metabolism. Work with the doctor to get a realistic picture of key health indices like blood sugar level, blood pressure level, waist circumference, LDL & HDL cholesterol, uric acid and other indicators of metabolic health. Consult the doctor regularly to get unbiased advice on your lifestyle and functional medicine.
- Take the support of family & friends
Stay connected with friends and family in your health endeavour. Adopt changes in your lifestyle and stay motivated to continue the journey towards better health and wellness.
The bottom line
Modern lifestyle - dominated by long working hours, unhealthy eating habits, inadequate sleep and chronic stress - does not support high metabolism. But all is not doomed, you can still get your metabolism back on track. Adopt a healthy strategy assisted by your personal health care provider to strengthen your immunity, reduce risks of diseases and improve your metabolism.
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