Free Fitness Tips » Diet & Metabolism http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk Free Fitness Tips provides you with free diet, exercise, fitness and weight loss tips to help you lead a fitter and healthier life. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:07:55 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Eating and Metabolism Revisited http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-and-metabolism-revisited.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-and-metabolism-revisited.html#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:35:22 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=1082

In my last article I answered the question ‘what is metabolism?‘.  In that article I explained that metabolism (the number of calories you burn in a day) is essentially the sum of three parts:
- Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) (the number of calories you burn performing the basic functions that keep you alive).
- Your level of Physical Activity.
- The Thermic Effect of Foods that you Eat (the number of calories it takes to digest and absorb the foods you eat).

In the past I have written about the effect food has on your metabolism.  However, after reviewing these articles I have discovered that some of the information in them is not 100% correct.  That’s why today I want to revisit the topic of food and metabolism to explain exactly how eating can affect your metabolism.

WHICH FOODS CAN BOOST YOUR METABOLISM?

As you can see from the list at the start of this article the main way food affects your metabolism is through its thermic effect.  The thermic effect of foods is relatively static.  However, there are certain foods that can give your metabolism a slight boost and I have outlined these below:

1) FIBRE:- Simple carbohydrates such as sugars, white bread and white pasta are much easier to digest than more complex, fibrous carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables and wholemeal products.  On top of this high fibre carbohydrates have a number of fantastic health benefits and fruits and vegetables are a rich source of vitamins.  Therefore, by making the switch over to wholemeal bread, pasta, rice etc, substituting some of your processed snacks (chocolate, crisps, etc) for fruits or vegetables and making fruit and vegetables a richer part of your main meals you can improve your overall health and give your metabolism a slight boost.

Why not try having a bowl of oatmeal with fruit for breakfast, a piece of fruit as a mid-morning snack, a wholemeal sandwich or two for lunch, a handful of dried fruit for an afternoon snack and a vegetable rich evening meal?  Not only will this be a much healthier choice and probably contain less calories than a diet which contains crisps and chocolate as snacks but it will also burn a few more calories during digestion and absorption.

2) PROTEIN:- Your body uses more energy when breaking down protein than it does when breaking down carbohydrates and fats.  This was demonstrated in a study by McArdle et. al (1986) [1] which concluded that if you eat a meal consisting of pure protein up to 25% of the calories will be burned during digestion and absorption.

Most people’s diets today are rich in carbohydrates so increasing the amount of protein you consume and cutting down on the carbohydrates is another good way to provide your metabolism with a little boost.  However, you need to make sure that you do not go overboard on the protein.  Whilst extra protein can be beneficial eating too much places stress on a number of your vital organs including your kidneys.  On top of this if you cut down on the complex carbohydrates or fats too drastically you will be missing out on a number of essential vitamins, minerals and fatty acids which can lead to a number of health problems.  Vitamin deficiencies can also stop your body from performing certain functions and lead to you burning less calories.

3) SPICY FOODS:- Spicy foods give you a temporary boost in metabolism in two ways.  First, certain spices have thermogenic properties i.e. they stimulate your body’s fat burning process.  Cayenne, a red hot chilli pepper, is used as an ingredient in many diet pills for this very reason.  Secondly, eating spicy foods raises your body’s temperature temporarily meaning that you will burn more calories as your body attempts to regulate this temperature increase.

Like with protein, eating a little more spicy food is another effective way to increase your metabolism slightly.  However, spicy foods also need to be added to your diet in moderation.  Eating too much can lead to stomach ulcers, an irritable bowel, heartburn, damaged taste buds and sleep problems.

4) WATER:- Drinking water does not boost your metabolism.  However, it prevents you from becoming dehydrated.  If you become dehydrated your body stops performing certain basic functions and therefore burns less calories.  Therefore, whilst drinking lots of water does not exactly boost your metabolism it does prevents it slowing down.

WHICH FOODS CAN SLOW DOWN YOUR METABOLISM?

As I said above the thermic effect of foods is relatively constant.  However, just as there are foods that can slightly increase your metabolism there are also foods that can slow it down.  I have listed a number of these below:

1) ALCOHOL:- Alcohol itself does not slow down metabolism.  However, it can lead to dehydration which affects your BMR and reduces the amount of calories your burn on a daily basis.  On top of this many alcoholic beverages contain simple carbohydrates and sugars which require less calories to break down than more complex carbohydrates.  Therefore, excessive alcohol consumption is likely to lead to a slight slow down in metabolism.

2) CAFFEINE:- Like alcohol, caffeine does not slow metabolism down itself.  However, when consumed excessively it can cause dehydration which means that you burn less calories on a daily basis.

3) SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES:- Simple carbohydrates such as white pasta, white bread and sugary foods require slightly less calories to digest and absorb than more complex, fibrous carbohydrates.

DOES MEAL FREQUENCY AFFECT YOUR METABOLISM?

In a number of my previous articles I highlighted the importance of eating mini meals to boost your metabolism.  However, after reading up on the subject I found that this may not be the case and I may be wrong when it comes to the impact mini meals have on your metabolism.  This post from Fitness Spotlight sums it up quite well but the general logic is that the amount you eat affects how many calories you burn through digestion and absorption.  Logically it makes sense.  Let’s say for example a chicken breast takes 100 calories to digest.  It’s still going to take 100 calories to digest whether you eat it all at once or as part of two mini meals.  Although I have said in the past that mini meals are essential for boosting your metabolism I have to admit that this was an area where I was wrong.  Despite the popular rumour, meal frequency does not affect your metabolism unless the total amount of calories changes.  Skipping meals will not slow down your metabolism.  Eating more meals will not increase your metabolism.

However, just because the frequency with which you eat food does not affect your metabolism this does not mean mini meals are useless.  As Mike (from the IF Life) says eating more frequently can help you lose weight because people are generally advised to eat complex carbohydrates and protein as part of their mini meals.  These nutrients help keep you fuller for longer and are generally lower in calories.  Mini meals also help reduce cravings and stop you feeling hungry meaning that you are less likely to over eat and binge on calories.

I hope this article has shown you that the food you eat does NOT have a massive impact on your metabolism.  By making sure your diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and protein (without containing excessive levels), keeping yourself hydrated and perhaps eating a few more spicy meals you can give your metabolism a small kick.  However, the thermic effect of food only accounts for 10% of the total calories you burn in a day so the type of food you eat is never going to have a massive impact on your metabolism.  The frequency with which you eat these foods also does not have an impact.  The key factor is how much food you eat and how many calories you consume.  Yes eating more fibre, protein and eating smaller meals more regularly may help you lose weight BUT this is because you are eating less calories and because you feel less hungry NOT because your metabolism has significantly increased.

What do you guys think?  Do you agree that the type of food does not have the massive effect on metabolism that some people think?  Do you think the total amount of calories consumed is the deciding factor?  Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Sources:
[1] McArdle, W.D., Katch, F.I., Katch, V.L., (1986) Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance Lea and Febiger Philadelphia p. 134, 135
Eating More Meals Does NOT Speed Up Your Metabolism (Fitness Spotlight)

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-and-metabolism-revisited.html/feed 18 5 Food Groups that can slow down your Metabolism…@Wellness Junction http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/food-groups-that-slow-metabolism.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/food-groups-that-slow-metabolism.html#comments Wed, 21 May 2008 21:14:18 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=117 Wellness Junction Contributor Badge

Hey Everyone. Just letting you know that my second guest blog post is now live at Wellness Junction (well actually it went live on 9th May but I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to mention it). This post is entitled ’5 Food Groups that can slow down your Metabolism’ and I have included a brief exert below (the full version is available from Wellness Junction). If you have any comments, feedback or know of any additional foods that can slow down your metabolism please let me know by leaving a comment on either this page or the full article.

5 food groups that can slow down your Meabolism

“In my last Wellness Junction article I discussed four food groups that can help you boost your metabolic rate. Diet is a very important aspect of keeping your metabolism high and eating the right food is a big step in the right direction. However, you also have to make sure that you are avoiding foods which may hinder your success. In this article I will be discussing five food groups that can seriously slow down your metabolic rate.

1) SUGAR:- Eating too much sugar overloads your body and causes your blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. This in turn makes your body go into conservation mode meaning that you will store extra fat and burn less calories. To make sure this does not happen you need to reduce your intake of refined sugars as much as possible. That means cutting down on the candy, chocolate, cakes and cookies as much as possible. If you still want something sweet try eating some fruit. Unlike refined sugars, most fruits contain fructose which does not cause your blood sugar levels to rise…”

Read the full version of 5 food groups that can slow down your metabolism by Clicking Here

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/food-groups-that-slow-metabolism.html/feed 11 4 food groups that can boost your metabolism…@Wellness Junction http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/food-groups-that-boost-metabolism.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/food-groups-that-boost-metabolism.html#comments Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:00:50 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/?p=111 Wellness Junction Contributor Badge

Hey Everyone. Hope you are enjoying all the information on the blog so far. I’m just making a quick post to let you know about a guest blogging spot that I have been offered by Kavit Haria of Wellness Junction. He got in touch with me a couple of weeks ago and asked me if I would be interested in contributing to his blog on a regular basis. I jumped at the chance and we came to the agreement that I would write a guest post at Wellness Junction every couple of weeks. Hopefully, this will give more exposure to the Free Fitness Tips Blog, improve my writing skills and turn Wellness Junction into another fantastic free fitness resource that everyone can enjoy.

Anyway, the reason I am posting about this now is because I wanted to wait for my first guest article to go live before I told you guys. My first article is now live and it is entitled ’4 food groups that can boost your metabolism’. I have published an exert below (the full version is available from Wellness Junction). As always any comments, suggestions or descriptions of other foods which can boost your metabolism are welcome. If you want to leave any feedback at all please leave a post either on this page or the actual article itself.

4 food groups that can boost your metabolism

“Many people claim that they struggle to lose weight because they have a slow metabolism. Others are always looking for ways to boost their metabolic rate. But what do these people mean when they refer to metabolism and their metabolic rate?

In simple terms your metabolism or metabolic rate is the number of calories required by your body to maintain itself. The general calculation for working out your metabolism is to multiply your weight in pounds by 10 or your weight in kilograms by 22. So if you weigh 250 pounds then your metabolic rate will be around 2500 calories per day. However, this figure can be affected by a number of factors including age, genetics and lifestyle.

In this article I will be discussing how you can increase your metabolic rate by incorporating four different food groups into your diet...”

Read the full version of 4 food groups that can boost your metabolism by Clicking Here

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/food-groups-that-boost-metabolism.html/feed 1 4 Food Substitutes to improve your Metabolism http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/substituting-foods-to-improve-your-metabolism.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/substituting-foods-to-improve-your-metabolism.html#comments Mon, 31 Dec 2007 22:50:38 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/substituting-foods-to-improve-your-metabolism.html

Since writing this article I have revisited the topic of eating and metabolism.  At the time of writing I thought that eating more frequently could boost your metabolism.  However, after further reading I have realised that my initial assumption was wrong.  For the full details you can read my up to date article on how eating affects your metabolism.

One effective way to boost your metabolism is by making smart and creative food substitutes. If you think about all the food you eat you will find plenty of areas where you can make some changes. For example, if you enjoy your mayonnaise maybe you could substitute it for a low fat mayo or even salad cream. I’m not talking about drastic changes to your diet here but there are certain foods that can easily be substituted. In this article I am going to discuss a number of common foods that lend themselves to substitution.

1) SALAD DRESSINGS:- Instead of going for full fat salad dressings why not try a healthier option. Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar are both quite tasty and are a lot lower in calories than the other options.

2) WHOLE GRAINS:- Certain carbohydrates are better than others and this is one key area of your diet where you can make food substitutions. Rather than eating potatoes, white bread and white rice try whole grain rice and breads. Crunchier whole grain foods make the body work harder to break then down and really ensure that your body’s metabolism functions better.

3) SMART SNACKS:- Instead of going for the chips, cookies and ice cream try healthier options. Fruit, nuts and seeds are all great snacks. If you like the taste of salt, sunflower or pumpkin seeds can help you with that craving. Fruits such as bannanas, apples and oranges are great for curbing a sweet tooth without resorting to the chocolate.

4) FULL MEAL SUBSTITUTIONS:- I know I have mentioned it in previous articles, but substituting your standard three meals a day for six smaller meals can really boost your metabolism. Alternatively, reduce the size of your three main meals slightly and then substitute in some additional smart snacks. By substituting your meals in this way you can increase the number of calories you burn a day.

Transforming a slow moving metabolism into a highly charged metabolism is not usually possible. However, by substituting smarter foods into your diet you can start slowly improving your metabolic rate, noticing change and reaping the rewards.

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/substituting-foods-to-improve-your-metabolism.html/feed 2 Increase your Metabolism with Pumpkin Seeds http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/pumpkin-seeds-and-metabolism.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/pumpkin-seeds-and-metabolism.html#comments Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:38:23 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/increase-your-metabolism-with-pumpkin-seeds.html

Pumpkins

In my previous articles I have discussed how diet and exercise can be used to improve metabolism. On the diet side of things there are particular foods that can help increase your metabolism. In this article I discuss the metabolism boosting properties of pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seeds are a very healthy snack food which can be a valuable substitute for foods such as crisps, cookies and sweets. These low nutrient snacks are packed with calories and easy to digest, whereas pumpkin seeds are low in calories, high in fiber, rich in protein and make your body work harder to digest them. Not only do pumpkin seeds provide better nutritional value than the aforementioned snacks but they also burn more calories in the digestion process.

Apart from the above metabolism boosting benefits, pumpkin seeds provide a number of additional benefits. They are very high in zinc which is known to boost the immune system and also help men maintain prostate health in later life. Pumpkin seeds are also believed to benefit the digestive system and the immune system.

As with many steps towards boosting your metabolism, pumpkin seeds are just part of an overall process. They will not yield miraculous results alone. However, if you introduce them as part of a metabolism boosting program you will start to notice improvements to your metabolic rate.

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/pumpkin-seeds-and-metabolism.html/feed 2 4 Fun Methods to Boost Metabolism whilst Playing with your Kids http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/boost-your-metabolism-with-the-kids.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/boost-your-metabolism-with-the-kids.html#comments Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:28:54 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/increase-your-metabolism-by-playing-with-your-kids.html

Woman playing basketball with a young girl

There are a number of factors in your life you can alter in order to boost your metabolism. It is widely agreed that one of the most important factors is exercise. However, for many it is increasingly difficult to find the time each day to exercise. In this article I discuss how you can overcome this obstacle and spend time with your kids at the same time.

Playing with your kids can be a great form of cardiovascular exercise and sometimes weight training too. By involving the kids they will see the time as fun, quality, family time and it will also allow you to teach them that exercise is fun from an early age. Plus, you will get to do some exercise yourself and hopefully boost your metabolic rate. One thing to consider is that since you are involving kids it is especially important that you mix up the routine or they will get bored. Below are some ideas which will allow you to play with the kids and boost your metabolism also:

1) BASKETBALL:- If you put a hoop out in your back yard then you play one-on-one or two-on-two depending on the numbers involved. Alternatively, you can take the kids to a park which has a basketball court and play there. Basketball can be a really fun exercise for both you and your kids. You will soon find yourself building up a sweat and burning those calories.

2) SWIMMING:- Swimming is a great form of cardiovascular exercise which also helps tone your muscles. Plus, it is a great way to bond with your kids because you are teaching them a valuable skill as they grow up.

3) WALKING & JOGGING:- A regular, simple leisurely walk can help boost your metabolism and also provide you with some quality time with your kids. As you and your kids progress you can work up to a brisk walk or a light jog increasing the number of calories burned.

4) PLAY FIGHTING:- Play fighting (also referred to as rough housing) is a great way to get the blood flowing. You can play fight with your kids in the house or in your back yard. By running around and chasing each other you are getting a cardiovascular workout. If you lift your kids whilst play fighting you can also get some weight training benefits in there too.

This article should provide you with a few ideas for exercises you can do with your kids. One important consideration is to keep their ages in mind and base the intensity of the exercise on this. If you get your heart pumping for 30 minutes or more then the exercise will be beneficial for you, your kids and your metabolism.

 

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/boost-your-metabolism-with-the-kids.html/feed 0 Boost your Metabolism with Mini Meals http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/boost-your-metabolism-with-mini-meals.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/boost-your-metabolism-with-mini-meals.html#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2007 02:05:47 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/boost-your-metabolism-with-mini-meals.html

Pasta meal

Since writing this article I have revisited the topic of eating and metabolism.  At the time of writing I thought that eating more frequently could boost your metabolism.  However, after further reading I have realised that my initial assumption was wrong.  For the full details you can read my up to date article on how eating affects your metabolism.

As I have discussed multiple times in my previous articles on metabolism, eating smaller meals at more regular intervals during the day can really help boost your metabolism. In this article I discuss mini meals in more detail and how to accommodate them into your daily routine.

Planning and preparing your mini meals in advance is very important. Initially it can seem like too much effort to plan your mini meals. However, if you do not plan your mini meals you are very likely to get complacent. For example, you may decide to go to the supermarket at lunch time, purchase the ingredients for your mini meal and then bring them back to the office. On the way you pass a fast food joint and since you are hungry now you go in and buy your lunch. By failing to plan and prepare this one mini meal you have already replaced it with a full sized one.

The planning process does not have to be as difficult as you first may think. Each of the six mini meals can contain the basic ingredients that make up breakfast, lunch and dinner. The only difference is that you will break them down into smaller portions. If you are not sure of how small the portions should be in your mini meals look on the packaging for the real serving sizes.

To help you further I have outlined some ideas below that can help you on your way to planning and preparing mini meals.

1) BREAKFAST:

Breakfast is widely thought of as the most important meal of the day because it begins your body’s digestion process. Ideas for breakfast include:

  • Whole grain cereals.
  • Fruits.
  • Whole wheat toast.
  • 1 Scrambled egg.
  • 1 ham and egg sandwich on half a slice of wheat toast.

2) LUNCH:

Again there are lots of options for your lunch including:

  • Half sandwiches on wholewheat bread (try mustard instead of mayonnaise).
  • Fruit.
  • Nuts.
  • Yogurt.
  • Cottage cheese.

3) DINNER:

With dinner careful planning is essential since it is often also a time when the family come together. In particular be careful that you give yourself real serving sizes and that you are not eat too much. There are too many options to list for dinner ideas here but make sure the dinner you prepare is quite healthy and contains lots of vegetables and lean proteins.

4) SNACKS:

Snack foods are essential for success when eating mini-meals. Snacks can be used to supplement your main meals, ensuring that you are eating six times a day. Some good snack ideas include:

  • Fruits.
  • Raw vegetables.
  • Granola.
  • Whole wheat snacks.
  • Pumpkin.
  • Sunflower seeds.
  • Yoghurt.
  • Frozen yoghurt.

By planning and preparing your mini-meals properly you can really give your metabolism a boost. You can either split your main meals into two smaller meals or prepare three small main meals and then supplement these with healthy snacks. As you can see, implementing mini meals into your daily routine does not have to be as difficult as it first seems. When you get the hang of it you will find it much easier and start to notice the results of your improved metabolic rate.

*****

If you are struggling to think up new and exciting mini-meals I recommend Meal Plans 101. This fantastic piece of software allows you to choose from 13, 339 food options to create almost limitless mini-meal plans for yourself and can be fully customised to your weight loss goals.

Meal Plans 101

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/boost-your-metabolism-with-mini-meals.html/feed 11 Eating Protein to boost your Metabolism http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-protein-to-boost-your-metabolism.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-protein-to-boost-your-metabolism.html#comments Sun, 09 Dec 2007 02:01:07 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-protein-to-boost-your-metabolism.html

Lean chicken with salad

Since writing this article I have revisited the topic of eating and metabolism.  At the time of writing I thought that eating more frequently could boost your metabolism.  However, after further reading I have realised that my initial assumption was wrong.  For the full details you can read my up to date article on how eating affects your metabolism.

As I have discussed in previous articles you can boost your metabolism by making simple changes to your diet. Increasing your consumption of lean proteins is one of the ways you can fire up that metabolism.

Lean proteins can be found in poultry, fish and white pork and most importantly they can help the body burn through energy faster. Studies have shown that diets which are high in protein burn an increased number of calories after eating, compared with diets high in carbohydrates and sugars. According to a study by McArdle et. al (1986) [1] up to 25% of the calories consumed when eating a meal consisting of pure protein can be burned during the digestion and absorption process.

The reason that lean protein helps increase your metabolism is that your body requires more energy to process high quality proteins. Therefore, more calories are burned during the digestion process if your diet is high in protein. There is also less chance that proteins will be stored in the body as fat and extra calories.

Increasing your intake of protein can be beneficial but there are certain things you need to be aware of when consuming a high protein diet. Firstly, you do need to consume carbohydrates. You can reduce your intake but do not completely cut them out of your diet. Instead, lower your intake of carbohydrates to a minimum (it is advisable to consult a dietitian regarding this) and then replace fattier proteins with leaner options. The list below provides some advice on increasing your protein intake effectively:

1) KEEP LEAN MEATS LEAN:- Lean meat is a great source of lean protein. However, if you fry it in large amounts of oil this can add a lot of additional fat and calories. Instead, bake or grill your lean meats to ensure you are maximising their metabolic benefit.

2) SELECT DISHES CAREFULLY:- When selecting your side dishes you need to be careful that you are not overloading on carbohydrates. Fruits or vegetables are usually a suitable side dish which contain adequate amounts of carbohydrates. With breads try and get the whole grain fiber option instead of white bread. Breads that are whole grain and high in fiber require more calories to digest than white bread and therefore help increase your metabolism.

3) EAT SMALLER, MORE FREQUENT MEALS:- You are probably sick of hearing this now but smaller, more frequent meals really are the key to boosting your metabolism. If you cook a large chicken breast do not eat it all at once. Instead split it up and eat half right after cooking and half a few hours later. If you add some vegetables, you have now created two mini-meals from one main meal.

Increasing your metabolic rate is not easy. However, by making the correct changes to your diet it is possible. Increasing your intake of lean proteins is one change that can help boost your metabolic rate.

Losing weight and increasing metabolic rate is more than possible when the right foods and actions are taken. Lean meats can help a great deal along the way.

References:

[1] McArdle, W.D., Katch, F.I., Katch, V.L., (1986) Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance Lea and Febiger Philadelphia p. 134, 135

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-protein-to-boost-your-metabolism.html/feed 12 Eating to Improve your Metabolism http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-to-improve-your-metabolism.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-to-improve-your-metabolism.html#comments Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:47:18 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-to-improve-your-metabolism.html

A portion of salad on a fork.

Since writing this article I have revisited the topic of eating and metabolism.  At the time of writing I thought that eating more frequently could boost your metabolism.  However, after further reading I have realised that my initial assumption was wrong.  For the full details you can read my up to date article on how eating affects your metabolism.

If you want to boost your metabolism you have to feed it. Yes, I know it may sound strange but if you want to increase the rate at which your body burns calories – you have to eat more. While this may sound great and you will be able to eat more frequently, it is not as simple as that because you will also have to watch what you eat.

To fully understand the idea let me explain the concept further. If you feed your body in regular, short intervals, your metabolism and digestive systems will keep working most of the time. If you skip meals or try to eat less you will lose weight initially. However, in the long term your body will go into “energy conservation mode”, meaning that your metabolism actually slows down and your calorie burning efforts are impeded overall.

To maximise your metabolic rate many dietitians recommend that you eat a small meal or snack at least every four hours. If smart meal choices are made your metabolism will increase and if you add in a bit of exercise too, your results will be even more impressive. But what constitutes a smart meal choice? Well for starters there are a number of things you should avoid:

1) SUGARY FOODS:- Foods that are high in sugar can actually trick the body into conservation mode because they rapidly increase your blood sugar levels. You should try and reduce your intake of sweets, processed sugars and foods that are high in starch or simple carbohydrates. Although it is difficult to avoid sugary foods completely try to substitute some of the sugary foods in your diet with fruit.

2) ABNORMAL PORTION SIZES:- When preparing your small meals you need to understand what the correct portion sizes for foods are. This information can often be found on the food packaging itself. Many people eat portion sizes that are too large and as a result consume too many calories. You need to avoid this trap and consume smaller portions which will reduce your caloric intake for each meal.

3) FRIED FOODS:- You should try to avoid having heavy, fried foods in the majority of your small meals. Not only do they contain additional calories but they can also make you feel sluggish and tired. I know it can be tempting because they taste nice and are easily cooked. However, they contain a lot of saturated fats which are deposited inside your body.

4) WHITE BREAD:- A lot of people are unaware that white bread can be detrimental to your health. White bread is very easy to digest, lacking in nutrients and full of sugar meaning that it causes your blood sugar levels to rise and burns very few calories whilst being processed. You should therefore avoid it where possible and try to substitute it with wholemeal bread.

5) PROCESSED FOODS:- Processed foods such as ready meals, crisps and chocolate bars are very popular because of the convenience factor, with many people being too lazy to cook. However, processed foods contain lots of chemicals in the form of preservatives which can be seriously damaging to your health.

As you can see it is possible to eat your way to a higher metabolism. However, it is very important that you manage the process correctly. If you follow the advice given in this article you will be rewarded with an improved metabolic rate.

*****

If you want more information on how diet can be modified to improve your metabolic rate, you should check out The Hospital Diet. As the title suggests, this diet was originally developed for use in hospitals to create fast and efficient weight loss for patients. It is now available to the general public having been professionally proven to increase metabolism.

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]]> http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/eating-to-improve-your-metabolism.html/feed 0 4 Ways to Drink more Water and Boost your Metabolism http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/drink-water-to-boost-your-metabolism.html http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/drink-water-to-boost-your-metabolism.html#comments Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:44:23 +0000 Tom http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/drinking-water-to-increase-your-metabolism.html

Woman leaning back and drinking water from a bottle

As I have discussed in previous articles there are a number of ways to improve your metabolic rate. Changes to your diet, exercise and overall lifestyle all help. In this article I discuss the importance of drinking water to boost your metabolism.

People can survive much longer without food than without water. If the body is deprived of water or fluids in general, the liver begins to retain fluids. When the body goes into water retention mode, it does not concentrate on other important bodily functions, including burning calories and burning fat. Your weight will increase because of this and also because of the additional water you are holding.

Therefore, hydration is vital to keep your metabolism working properly. You need to ensure that you are getting enough water each day. There are a number of ways you can achieve this which I have outlined below:

1) CARRY A WATER BOTTLE:- This is a great way to make sure that you have fluid available to you at all times. Take it with you when you are driving, when you are working or wherever else you go and refill it when needed.

2) LIMIT CAFFEINE:- You do not have to give up your morning coffee but try and limit the caffeine you do consume. For example, if you consume a can of coke everyday, maybe try to make it every other day. Caffeine is a diuretic and too much will undo your efforts to stay hydrated.

3) MIX IT UP:- The body needs a certain amount of water each day. However, you do not have to drink pure water all the time. Low sugar fruit juices and green teas are two of the many viable alternatives to get your daily water intake.

4) DRINK FLUID AFTER EXERCISE:- You lose a lot of fluid after rigorous exercise. You need to replace this by drinking a little extra water after your routine.

Water alone will not boost your metabolism. However, keeping hydrated will ensure that your metabolism is functioning correctly. This will maximise the effectiveness of your other metabolism boosting efforts. By mixing water with a good diet and exercise plan, you can realise great results.

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