4 simple tips to speed up your metabolism and burn more calories
You’ll often hear naturally lean people praising their very active metabolism for their physique. We understand that this can be a frustrating thing to hear, especially when you’re trying to lose weight yourself, but your metabolism seems to be fighting you.
Well, it’s time to fight back. We’ve done our homework and found four simple things you can do in an effort to speed up your metabolism and burn calories more efficiently.
Chill out
Studies have shown that if you’re sleeping in a room cooler than 19°C, you can double the amount of brown adipose tissue, which is a type of fat that burns instead of storing calories. This “brown fat” becomes active in cooler temperatures to help keep our bodies warm. Some researchers are so convinced of the benefits of being a little chilly, that they don’t put on coats until the temperature drops below 13°C.
Nuts galore
Steer clear of those pre-packaged “healthy” snacks and go for one that nature’s prepared for you: nuts. Some research suggests that polyunsaturated fatty acids, like those found in walnuts, may enhance the activity of the genes that control fat burning. Try to eat a small handful of walnuts each day.
Timing is everything
If you like to exercise outdoors regularly, then it’s more beneficial to do so earlier in the day. People who soak up more sunlight in the early part of the day have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who spend time in the sun in the afternoon. It’s been suggested that this is because early morning sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm – which is responsible for loads of things within your body: how much food you eat, how well you sleep, and how much energy you burn.
Carbs count
While low-carb diets consistently out-perform low-fat ones, many people accept this as a sign that they should eliminate any and all carbs. But this is perhaps not the wisest choice to make. If you’re someone who likes to exercise, you’ll need carbs to give your muscles the glycogen they get from carbs. If the carbohydrate stores in your body aren’t there, you won’t have the energy to exercise as intensely, which means you’ll burn fewer calories. Try to fit in one serving of carbohydrates with each meal – think brown rice or sweet potato.
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