We all want that metabolism like we had as a teen. The truth is, the older we get, the slower our metabolism becomes. So let’s talk about How to Boost Your Metabolism without Going to The Gym! Here are 9 simple changes you can make right now to boost your metabolism and burn more fat throughout the day!
How to Boost Your Metabolism…Without Going to the Gym
1. Drink Green Tea
The powerful antioxidants contained within green tea, coupled with a nice little kick of caffeine, make this simple beverage an absolute, fat-burning machine. Sip on at least one cup a day and you’ll soon start to feel (and see!) what a difference it makes. If you have a workout planned, maximize your results by drinking one cup an hour beforehand.
2. Eat Breakfast and Graze Until…
Starting the day with a wholesome, protein-packed breakfast has become a common sense health practice – but did you know that also grazing throughout the day, often considered a big no-no, is good for your metabolism as well? Snacking on nuts, dried fruit, and vegetables in between meals is a great way to rev up your body’s fat-burning cells while also curbing those pesky cravings. Meals, too, should be smaller as the day goes on, and try to avoid eating anything for at least two hours before going to bed.
If you snacked sufficiently throughout the day and your meals left you feeling satisfied (but never sluggish!) then this should be no problem. Avoiding those late night snacks and allowing your body to fully digest before getting horizontal will maximize your metabolism’s overnight efforts. You’ll wake up hungry for another healthy, fulfilling breakfast; that’s your metabolism telling you it’s been working extra hard. Reward it.
3. Get Hot With It
Onions, Garlic, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Peppers. If the flavors don’t give it away already, spicy and oftentimes pungent foods work like all-natural, fat-burning magic. While you may not want to eat an entire roasted garlic before a blind date, or want to avoid crying at the office as you snack on sliced jalapeño, adding a little zest to at least one meal a day will slowly but surely increase your metabolism (think, roasted red pepper flakes added to sauce/hummus/etc). You might also discover more exotic, adventurous dishes that you may end up loving!
Increase your metabolism by turning up the spice and trying more exotic dishes.
4. Laughter
It’s good for the heart, it’s good for the soul, and it’s good for the body. Surround yourself with people that make you giggle. If a funny friend is hard to come by, take a 15 minute YouTube break and watch a couple of LOL video clips. It’ll lower your blood pressure, stress levels, anxiety, and elevate your mood. Your body will react in kind and start burning fat more quickly…plus, it’s just so much fun!
5. Hydrate!
Staying hydrated is the best (and easiest – at least in some places) thing you can do for your health. Always make water a priority, and avoid other sugary or chemically-laden drink choices. Heat it up, throw in a lemon, and suddenly that water packs the punch of hydration AND fat-burning, antioxidant citrus.
6. 15 Minutes of Sunlight
It might be overcast or slightly dreary out, but you’d be surprised how much vitamin D your skin can absorb on even the cloudiest of days. Soak it up! Fresh air and sunshine are incredibly beneficial to our body’s metabolisms, and they usually involve movement, which is key.
7. Speaking of Movement…
You may not have the time, desire, or ability to work out, but that doesn’t mean your body should suffer because of it. Make a mental note (or better yet, set yourself a reminder) to sit up straight, stretch your back, arms, and neck every 15 minutes. At least once every hour, stand up and walk a bit or stretch your legs. Staying seated for too long at a time, especially hunched-over in a chair, is harmful to your health and can cause long-term damage. While you’re sitting, try to focus on keeping your back straight, shoulders down, and your stomach in. Take a few slow, deep breaths every now and then, and suddenly you have yourself a day full of miniature, full-body workouts.
Eat slower and you’ll be surprised by how much sooner you feel satisfied.
8. Smaller Bites, Longer Meals
As ravenous as you may be when you sit down to a meal (which should only be breakfast if you’re snacking right!), don’t try to pile the whole bowl of granola into your mouth at once. Taking smaller bites, or portions, not only forces you to exert more effort in the chewing process – thus burning more calories – but also allows your body to “speak” to you. When you eat quickly, your body doesn’t have time to react to the intake appropriately, and can’t tell you that you’re actually full until it’s too late. The result is that slow, groggy feeling.
When you force yourself to slow down, your body has a better chance of telling you that you’re actually satisfied sooner, and instead of feeling full, you’ll feel satisfied AND still have energy to spare.
9. Lower Temperatures = Higher Metabolism
Recent studies have shown that a cooler temperature at night may actually increase your metabolic activity throughout the entire next day. Although you may love blasting the heat while you sleep, your body actually benefits more from the opposite. So, turn down the thermostat before you hop under the covers, and think about what you’re going to buy yourself with the money you save!
How to Increase the Fat-Burning Power of Your Workouts
Leave a Reply