5 Ways To Boost Your Metabolism

Let start off by figuring out what your metabolism even does. Metabolism is a Biochemical process by which your body converts everything that you eat and drink into energy. This energy is available for your bodies immediate use or it can be stored away until it's needed. This important process can speed up or slow down and it all depends on how you are treating your body.

Everyone's metabolic rate varies, and people have different preferences for the speed they want theirs to work at. If you are trying to gain weight and muscle than a slower metabolism is going to help you achieve your goal. However, if you are trying to become leaner and potentially loose a couple unwanted pounds, than a quicker metabolism will get you on the right track to achieving your healthier lifestyle.

So here are five ways to speed up your Metabolism!

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1. Eat Healthy Fats...

Most healthy fats will help the body digest quicker, turning food to fuel sooner so it doesn't get stored as fat. Consuming fats from nuts, avocados, coconut oil and flax seeds have immense nutritional value. They are going to keep you full longer, limiting the amount you need to snack, ultimately allowing your body to burn through calories quicker.

2. Eat smaller meals, more often!

Instead of just eating a couple big meals a day, you want to try to fuel your body every 3-4 hours. Obviously you shouldn't eat again if you're full and have reached maximum capacity, but to skip the achey fullness of overeating, avoid indulging in such large meals. Start to eat smaller meals more frequently. When your body is being fed regularly it will get use to burning the calories. Whereas, when you are leaving it empty for long periods of time it will go into panic mode, storing fat when it should be burning it. When what you are eating is packed with nutritional value, you aren't starving and you're not overeating, your body will thank you and you'll see and feel the results. This is an important rule for people who are trying to get in shape and their eating habits are holding them back, you won't be going hungry and you will turn your body into a fat burning machine.

3. DRINK WATER.

Chug! Chug! Chug! Drinking water can do no harm. To figure out how much to drink in a day, divide your weight in half, and whatever that number is, that’s how many ounces of water you should be drinking. Drinking water not only does great things for your complexion, but it speeds up your metabolism and also keeps you full for longer. So swap out that soda for a tall glass of water, whether you have it warm with tea or ice cold with fruit infusions.

4. Get your Zzz’s

I know you’ve heard that you need to get the recommended eight hours of sleep a night. Eight hours and you’re golden they say. Except, one thing... it’s a lot easier said than done! Especially if you are a student, getting more than seven hours feels like a blessing. However it’s absolutely crucial to fit in those hours of much needed rest. Being tired directly correlates with hunger. It’s also important not to eat right before you go to bed, because your metabolism does slow down while you’re resting. Treat yourself to a couple more hours of sleep, in the morning you will be glad you did!

5. AVOID restrictive diets.

For women, eating less than 1300-1500 calories a day can be harmful, since that's around the amount your body burns in an average day. When your body isn't getting enough nutrients then it starts to go into survival mode, therefore it will store the little food that is being consumed, as fat. Eating a well balanced diet is the most important, don't deny yourself of anything becasue that's when you start to develop cravings which lead to binge eating.

Your final takeaways from this should be to not stuff yourself on one big indulgence, eat clean and healthy foods, and simply take care of your body. Eating smaller, nutrient packed snacks and meals more often is going to benefit you and your metabolic rate in the long run!