In my last three articles I revisited the topic of boosting your metabolism discussing the effect that both food and exercise can have.  I explained that metabolism generally refers to the number of calories your body burns in a day.  It is influenced by three main things:
- 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).

Today I would like to bring all this information together and give you nine top tips for maximising your metabolism.

1) EAT HIGH FIBRE CARBOHYDRATES:- High fibre carbohydrates are harder to digest than simple carbohydrates and therefore have a greater thermic effect.  On top of this foods that are high in fibre are generally lower in calories (because fibre itself contains zero calories), help suppress your appetite and provide you with many more fantastic benefits.  High fibre foods include fruits, vegetables and whole grain products so where possible make sure your dietary carbohydrates come from these sources.  Not only will they help you burn slightly more calories but they will also make it easier for you to lose weight.  However, you need to make sure that you do not go overboard on the fibre.  Excessive fibre consumption has been linked with wind, diarrhea, constipation and more.

2) EAT VITAMIN RICH FOODS:- Your body relies on vitamins and minerals to perform a number of essential functions.  If you become deficient in any of the thirteen vitamins you may not be able to perform some of these functions properly which can have a negative impact on your BMR.  There are lots of vitamin rich foods including fruits, vegetables, eggs, liver and nuts.  To maximise your metabolism you need to make sure you are getting the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for all your vitamins from the foods you eat.  It will keep your BMR at its optimal level and also promote good overall health.  However, like with fibre you need to make sure you don’t overdose.  Getting too many vitamins has a number of adverse effects including cell and organ damage.

3) DRINK LOTS OF WATER:- If your body is not properly hydrated it may not be able to perform certain vital functions.  This can lead to a reduction in your BMR.  Therefore, you need to make sure you are drinking enough water to maximise your metabolism.  I find that keeping a water bottle at your desk and topping it up regularly plus making an effort to drink extra water whilst exercising helps me stay hydrated throughout the day.

4) MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN:- Most people’s diets are rich in fats and carbohydrates but contain very little protein.  However, protein is a very important macronutrient that is essential for the growth and repair of your body’s cells.  It also has a greater thermic effect than fats and carbohydrates with research suggesting that 25% of the calories in protein are burned during digestion and absorption.  Therefore, you can give your metabolism a boost by making protein a richer part of your diet.  However, you need to make sure that you are not consuming too much.  Overdosing on protein can place stress on a number of vital organs including your kidneys.

5) ADD SOME SPICE TO YOUR DIET:- Spicy foods can temporarily increase your BMR.  For starters they increase your body’s temperature for a short period after consumption meaning that you will burn more calories as your body attempts to regulate this temperature.  Secondly, spices such as cayenne are thought to have thermogenic properties meaning that they temporarily increase the rate at which your body burns fat.  Like with the other foods mentioned in this article you need to exercise moderation when it comes to spicy foods.  Getting too much can lead to unpleasant side effects such as heartburn, stomach ulcers and an irritable bowel.

6) CUT BACK ON THE ALCOHOL:- Alcohol has a dehydrating effect and can therefore reduce your BMR.  Many alcoholic beverages are also full of simple carbohydrates meaning that they have a reduced thermic effect when compared with high fibre carbohydrates and protein rich foods.  On top of this excessive alcohol consumption can cause vitamin deficiencies which further slow down your BMR.  You don’t need to eliminate alcohol from your diet completely but if you drink regularly perhaps you should consider cutting down.

7) REDUCE YOUR CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION:- Like alcohol, caffeine has a dehydrating effect and can lower your BMR.  Drinking a couple of cups of coffee each day is unlikely to have any adverse effects on your metabolism but if you are getting all your fluids from caffeinated beverages you might want to think about substituting in some water.

8) START A CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE ROUTINE:- Your metabolism is partially affected by your level of physical activity.  Regular cardiovascular exercise helps in two ways.  First, you burn additional calories whilst performing the cardio.  Secondly, the number of calories you burn following a cardiovascular workout remains elevated for a few hours after you finish.  By going for a walk, jog, run, bike ride, swim (or whatever other cardiovascular exercise takes your fancy) a few times a week you can burn extra calories and boost your metabolism.

9) START A RESISTANCE TRAINING ROUTINE:- A pound of muscle burns around 6 calories per day whilst a pound of fat burns around 2 calories per day.  Therefore, by increasing your lean muscle mass you can raise your BMR.  If you perform a resistance training workout a few times per week and combine it with proper nutrition you can build additional muscle and increase the amount of calories you burn whilst resting.

As you can see from this article it is possible to boost your metabolism through a combination of smart food choices and a well structured exercise routine.  However, you need to remember that metabolism is not the key to successful weight loss.  Whilst you can increase the number of calories you burn on a daily basis by following the above tips there is a limit to their effect.  Maximising your metabolism will not compensate for eating too much food BUT if you learn to control the amount you eat and follow the above advice metabolism can be a powerful tool in your weight loss arsenal.  I highly recommend that you try and implement the above tips in to your lifestyle because they will give your metabolism a boost, help you burn more calories and more importantly they will improve your overall health.

Now I want to hear from you guys.  What’s your opinion on metabolism?  Do you think it’s an essential part of weight loss or do you think it’s over hyped?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

*****

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In my last few posts I have been revisiting the topic of boosting your metabolism.  I began by explaining exactly what metabolism is and then moved on to explain how eating affects your metabolism.  Today I am going to discuss how exercise affects your metabolism.

As I mentioned in previous articles metabolism is influenced by three main factors:
- 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).

Exercise can have an impact on two of these factors; your BMR and (fairly obviously) your level of Physical Activity.  There are two main types of exercise that can affect your metabolism; Cardiovascular Exercise and Resistance Training and I will be discussing both of them below.

HOW DOES CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE BOOST YOUR METABOLISM?

Cardiovascular exercise (also known as aerobic exercise) is anything that involves or improves your body’s oxygen consumption.  Examples include cycling, jogging, sprinting, skipping, rowing and walking.  These types of exercise boost your metabolism quite simply because they require additional calories to perform.  Even something as simple as walking for 30 minutes a day will boost your metabolism slightly as this requires more calories than sitting still and not moving.

Cardiovascular exercises also slightly increase your metabolism for a few hours after exercising.  According to this article you can burn up to 15% more calories than normal in the 48 hours following a cardiovascular workout.  So if you normally burn 2000 calories per day and you do a cardiovascular workout three times per week which burns 500 calories a session then you could potentially burn an extra 3600 calories per week (1500 calories from the three cardiovascular workouts and an additional 300 calories per day from the 15% post workout increase).

HOW DOES RESISTANCE TRAINING BOOST YOUR METABOLISM?

Resistance training (also known as strength training or weight lifting) is anything that involves using resistance to build strength and muscle mass.  Examples include bodyweight training, using weight machines and lifting free weights.  Resistance training also burns additional calories during the workout but the main way it boosts your metabolism is by increasing your muscle mass.  Muscle requires more calories to maintain than fat.  The difference is not huge but according to About.com a pound of muscle requires 6 calories per day to maintain whilst a pound of fat requires 2 calories per day to maintain.  Therefore, by performing regular resistance training and building muscle mass you can increase your BMR and the overall amount of calories you burn on a day to day basis.

WHICH EXERCISES SHOULD I PERFORM TO MAXIMISE MY METABOLISM?

Both types of exercise are useful for boosting your metabolism.  Regular cardiovascular exercise increases the amount of calories you burn through physical activity whilst regular resistance training will increase your lean muscle mass and therefore increase the number of calories you burn whilst resting.  In combination the two types of exercise can give your metabolism quite a boost.

I hope this article has fully outlined how exercise influences your metabolism.  A good exercise routine can boost your metabolism and burn quite a few calories.  However, you need to remember that exercise alone cannot compensate for a poor diet.  If you are eating too much then you will not be able to remedy this with exercise (unless you exercise A LOT).  Exercise can boost your metabolism but you need to get your diet right too.

Do you guys agree?  Do you think diet is more important than exercise when it comes to controlling your weight?  Are there any other ways that exercise can boost your metabolism?  Let me now your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Sources:
How Many Calories Does Muscle Really Burn (About.com)
The Post Workout Calorie Burn (BNET)

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 whole grain 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 whole grain 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 whole grain 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)

As regular readers of the Free Fitness Tips Blog may know one of the topics I covered in some detail in the past is boosting metabolism.  Since writing these articles I have discovered two main issues with them.  First, I did not actually explain in any of these articles what metabolism is.  Secondly, some of the information in these articles is upon review not 100% correct.  That’s why today I intend to correct any of the false information in those previous articles and explain in detail exactly what metabolism is.

WHAT IS METABOLISM?

Many people claim that they cannot lose weight because they have a slow metabolism and are constantly looking for ways to boost their metabolism.  A lot of these people do not truly understand the term metabolism.  According to Wikipedia:

“Metabolism is a set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life”

In humans the food we eat fuels these chemical reactions.  So when people refer to a fast or slow metabolism they are generally referring to the average amount of calories their body burns in a day.  There are three main factors that affect your metabolism:

1) BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR):- This is the amount of energy you use to perform the basic functions that keep you alive e.g. if you lied in bed all day and burned 1000 calories then your BMR would be 1000 calories per day.  You can roughly estimate your BMR by multiplying your weight in pounds by 14 if you are male and by 12 if you are female e.g. if you are male and weigh 150lbs your BMR will be about 2100 calories.  You can also use this BMR calculator.  BMR has the biggest influence on your metabolism and normally accounts for 60% to 65% of the calories you consume.  Your BMR is largely down to genetics but there are a number of things that can affect it:

- Building muscle:- This can increase your BMR as muscle requires more calories to maintain than fat.

- Dehydration:- This can contribute towards a low BMR as it prevents your body from performing a number of basic functions.

- Illness:- Illness can significantly affect the way your body works and therefore influence your BMR.  Thyroid conditions in particular can have a major influence over your BMR.

- Supplements:- Certain supplements can slightly influence your BMR.

- Vitamin or Mineral Deficiency:- This can reduce your BMR if it stops your body from performing basic functions properly.

- Weather:- This has an impact on your BMR because your body will have to use extra calories to warm you up or cool you down depending what the weather is like outside.

2) PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:- Certain people are more active than others.  More active people will burn more calories through physical activity than less active people.  This has the second largest influence on your metabolism using between 25% and 30% of the calories you consume.

The amount of physical activity you do each day is something that you can directly influence.  If you drive to work, sit at a desk all day, drive back home, watch TV, go to bed and repeat then you are not going to burn many calories through physical activity.  However, if you make physical activity part of your lifestyle and do a little bit of activity each day it can quickly add up to a lot of calories burned.

3) THERMIC EFFECT OF FOOD:- Food cannot digest itself.  This process requires calories too.  Digestions has the third largest influence on your metabolism and uses around 10% of the calories you consume.  You cannot hugely increase the amount of calories you burn through the foods you eat.  However, certain foods do have a better thermic effect than others:

- Fibre:- Complex carbohydrates that are high in fibre such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains burn more calories during digestion than simple carbohydrates such as white bread, white pasta and sugary foods.

- Protein:- Protein is thought to burn two to three times the amount of calories that carbohydrates and fats do during digestion.  Furthermore, according to a study from McArdle et. al (1986) [1] when eating a meal that consists of pure protein up to 25% of the calories consumed can be used during digestion and absorption.

- Spicy Foods:- Spicy foods can temporarily increase the amount of calories you burn.  This is because certain spices are thought to stimulate fat burning.  On top of this spicy foods temporarily raise your body’s temperature after you eat them meaning you burn more calories.

So there you have it.  There are three main things that affect your metabolism; your BMR, your physical activity and the thermic effect of the foods that you eat.  Although you can have some influence over your metabolism and increase the amount of calories you burn each day there is no magic way to drastically increase your metabolism (unless you do A LOT of exercise every day).  What you eat and how much you eat has a much larger influence over how much weight you gain or lose.  To maintain or lose weight:

“The Calories you Consume <= BMR + Physical Activity + Thermic Effect of Food”

Now I want to hear from you guys.  Are there any key things I have missed which can raise or lower your metabolism?  Do you agree that the calories you consume is the key to weight loss?  Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

Sources:
Do You Need to Increase Your Metabolism? (About.com)
Metabolism (Wikipedia)
Resting Metabolic Rate (BodyBuilding.com)
[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

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

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

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.

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.

In my last few articles I have discussed a number of ways that you can increase your metabolic rate. However, it is also very important that you understand that certain things will be having a negative effect on your metabolism. You need to be able to identify these so that they can be avoided and help keep your metabolism at an acceptable level. In this article I discuss a number of things you should avoid when attempting to boost your metabolism.

1) SUGARY FOODS:- Sugary foods are high in calories, low in nutritional value and digest easily meaning less calories are burned in the digestion process. Whilst the occasional sugary treat is OK, you need to avoid sugary foods overall.

2) ALCOHOL:- Alcoholic beverages are very high in sugar and calories. They also have a dehydrating effect which can slow your metabolism. Occasional consumption of alcohol is OK but excessive and/or daily consumption of alcohol can have a damaging effect on your metabolism boosting efforts.

3) BIG MEALS:- As I have discussed in previous articles large meals do not promote a fast metabolism. If your meals are too large then a lot of excess calories will be stored as body fat. You really need to be eating smaller meals more frequently to keep your metabolism boosted.

4) SKIPPING MEALS:- Just as eating large meals can hurt your metabolism, eating too few meals can have the same effect. To keep your metabolism high you need to feed it. Plan to eat five or six small meals each day and stick to this plan.

5) SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE:- You need to be active to boost your metabolism. There are lots of options available to you here. Take up a hobby you enjoy which involves physical activity. Alternatively, walk or cycle to work instead of taking the car or bus. Whatever you choose make sure it is something that is both fun, that you can do regularly and that keeps you active.

Taking preventative measures is just as important as taking positive steps if you want to keep your metabolism high. Knowing what to avoid can help you greatly. By avoiding the things listed in this article and combining them with a good diet and exercise plan you can really start to raise your metabolic rate.

Working in an office can be very challenging for your metabolism. A lot of the time you will find yourself sitting still rather than moving. Furthermore, there is an increased temptation to eat the wrong kinds of food in an office environment, with snack foods being readily available. In this article I discuss how office workers can help keep their metabolism operating at an effective level.

1) SMARTER EATING:- As I mentioned above there is an increased temptation in an office environment to eat the wrong kinds of food. Vending machines, co-workers bringing in cakes or going out for lunch are all potential temptations to eat poorly when in an office environment. To avoid these temptations you really need to prepare your food. Decide what you are going to eat in the office each day, prepare it and then take it in. It is OK to give in to the office treats from time to time but generally you must stick to your meal plans.

2) UTILISE YOUR LUNCH BREAK:- Your lunch break does not have to be just for eating. You can use it to get some exercise in too. Go for a walk or if your lunch break is long enough hit the gym.

3) DESK EXERCISES:- There are lots of desk exercises out there. The Free Fitness Tips email course details a number of desk exercises and if you do some simple research you can find many more. Even simple stretching can help.

4) WALK OR CYCLE TO WORK:- If it is feasible you should try and walk, cycle or run to work. This can make your commute to and from work a lot more beneficial for your metabolism. Plus, it should also save you money as you will not have to pay the daily travel fare or the associated petrol costs for your car.

5) CHOOSE THE LONGEST PATH:- If your job involves visiting other departments or buildings, use this to your advantage. Avoid the lifts and try to take the longest route within the given time constrains. Even an extra flight of stairs each day can help boost your metabolism.

The office environment is a particularly tough one on your metabolic rate. Since it is a relatively sedentary working environment a little creativity is required. However, by planning a healthy eating pattern and thinking about how you can be active throughout the day you can maintain or even improve your metabolic rate.

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.