You work out, eat right, and yet to your utter frustration, you still can’t reduce your weight. This could be a sign your metabolism is in need of a boost. The good news is that you can improve your well-being by making a few simple changes to your lifestyle and nutrition. Eating and drinking well will charge your metabolism and shed unwanted weight.

Imagine if supermarkets had special sections marked as “metabolism boosters.” That would make our lives much easier since we would be able to quickly pick out the right foods for our body types. Well, we aren’t so lucky yet, but there are certain foods available that can boost our metabolism and aid us in burning fat to lead a healthier, longer life.

Some truths about metabolism

Metabolism is the process our bodies uses to convert food into energy. All the actions our bodies perform on a daily basis make up our metabolism. The hormone leptin plays a major role in boosting metabolism. The amount of this “satiety hormone” released from fat cells actually depends upon how much fat is stored in our bodies. So, if the amount of fat increases, leptin levels automatically increase. Leptin controls the regulation of energy balance, suppressing food intake and thereby inducing weight loss. In effect, if you control this hormone you will be able to stay slim.

On the other hand, leptin can be your enemy. If you eat excessively, your body can become leptin resistant; this mean your body can’t differentiate anymore if body fat levels are extremely high, and when in action leptin receptors lose their sensitivity.

Keep leptin level in control by following these simple guidelines:

• Avoid obesity

• Get enough sleep and rest

• Cut out sweetened and sugary foods

• Exercise on a daily basis

• Don’t starve yourself and include a cheat meal once in a while.

TIPS:

• If you are at a party where food is the focus, pay attention to the

conversation, not the food. Don’t overindulge yourself and make food your intention. What you eat in private, you wear in public.

• Fit is not a destination, it’s a way of life so change your routine for effective weight loss. Weight loss has become an obsession for many women. Sure, you can improve your metabolism through diet and exercise, but that may not be enough since there might be other health and digestive issues that interfere. Therefore, some changes to your routine can help a lot, according to John Berardi, Ph.D., CSCS a nutrition expert and author of “The Metabolism Advantage.” To make those changes easier, certain targets should be set in order to lead metabolism into overdrive.

• Always eat breakfast

Eat a good breakfast every day. According to Berardi, if you don’t have a good breakfast, then your body goes into starvation mode so your metabolism slows down to conserve energy.

• Healthy snacks

If you work in an office, try to get up from your desk and walk around from time to time. Also, eat snacks rich in protein and limit sweets.

• Invest in metabolism

Metabolism converts the food we eat into the energy needed to fuel our body. As a matter of fact, food influences our metabolism as well as our genes. So, the type of food you put into your body does matter and the chemical reactions of metabolism regulated by the body keep our cells healthy.

• Mind puzzle

Losing weight reduces fat mass, which leads to a significant reduction in leptin levels. But the decreased amount makes the brain think the body is hungry and it initiates a mechanism to regain that lost body fat, wrongly thinking it is protecting us from starvation.

• Head outdoors

Vitamin D is crucial for every woman and not getting enough sunlight leads to a deficiency. A study by the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” reported woman with higher levels of vitamin D have longer telomeres — the protective caps at the end of our chromosomes — which scientists reveal to be an excellent marker of ageing. Basically, the longer your telomeres, the “younger” your cells.

• Meditation Time

The telomeres of women with high levels of stress appear much older. Therefore, remember to take a break, even if that means just closing your eyes and meditating for a few minutes.

• Good food habits

Metabolism is ruled by genetics, but you can boost it by changing your habits and lifestyle and eating the right food.

1) Egg whites: They are rich in amino acids, which boost your metabolism, says Chicago nutritionist David Grotto, RDN. On top of that, eggs are rich in proteins and vitamin D.

2) Lean meat: It’s full of iron. Iron deficiency can slow metabolism, so eat iron-rich foods such as chicken or fortified cereal.

3) Water: Scott Isaacs, MD, clinical instructor of medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine, says dehydration leads to lower metabolism. One tip is to drink cold water in order to force your body to use more calories to warm it up.

4) Chili pepper: They contain capsaicin, which is a chemical compound that can fire up your metabolism, according to Isaacs. Just adding tablespoon chili peppers to a meal can help a lot. Additionally, chili peppers are a good source of vitamin C.

5) Coffee: The average metabolic rate of people who drink caffeinated coffee is higher than that of those who drink the decaffeinated kind.

6) Green Tea: This beneficial beverage, which is rich in antioxidants, contains a plant compound called epigallocatechin gallate that includes fat burning.

7) Milk: Calcium consumption helps in metabolizing fat more

efficiently, according to studies conducted by Michael Zemel, Ph.D., founder of NuMeta Sciences, Inc.

8) Whole grains: These can help the body burn more fat due to the

effort used to break them down rather than consuming processed grains. Whole grains, in brown bread or rice, are excellent as they are rich in fiber.

9) Lentils: The majority of women suffer from iron deficiency, which is frustrating news for the waistline. Your body can’t burn calories properly when it’s missing what it needs to work properly. Therefore, a cup of lentils is the solution for your daily iron needs.

—

Email: [email protected]