5 Turbo-Boosters for Your Metabolism
Oh Stock Photo Lady, we wish it was only that easy to lose weight and feel so full of energy!
It's not just about willpower when it comes to changing your diet and exercising more -- there's more to it than that. Have you tried, and lost your sanity along the way, or found yourself knee-deep into a bag of chips, guilt-ridden that you didn’t (no, couldn’t) stop yourself earlier? Yeah, I've been there.
I’ve put together a few of my favorite and tried-and-true ways to get a sluggish metabolism going again. These five pointers can help you look your best again, but more importantly, they’re the on-ramp to living your entire life healthier and happier.
1. Cut Inflammatory Foods on a Trial
Everyday foods can trigger inflammation (which causes fluid retention), but the good news is that we can easily change that! Let’s experiment by eliminating the most common food triggers of inflammation.
Ripping off the band-aid: For the next 10 days, we're going to replace gluten, dairy, and processed sugar with colorful, nutrient-dense foods like berries, carrots, leafy greens, avocados, and nuts. The more color, the better! These are the nutrients your cells need to kick up your metabolism and provide your entire body the energy-giving nutrients it needs.
When your body has the nutrients it needs, your brain stops sending the "feed-me" signal, so by getting lots of colorful fruits, veggies, and healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil), you may notice less of a need to park yourself in front of the fridge.
You may see initial results in only a day or two. In this time, our clients reported shedding “water weight” (inflammation weight). After a few weeks, they noticed bonuses like clearer thinking and better skin!
{This one's the most extreme if you're accustomed to the Standard American Diet - it's all downhill from here!}
2. Ditch the Most Toxic Products
Toxins are making us fat! Did you know:
BPA (plastics) increases the risk of abnormal liver function?
Toxins can impair our hormones’ ability to regulate weight?
Toxins get stored in our fat cells?
When you lower your toxic load, your liver gets a break so your metabolism can keep on firing like it’s supposed to. Our bodies even perceive certain types of toxins, called endocrine disruptors, as actual hormones in our body -- and the result is all kinds of metabolic chaos.
Some of the biggest offenders we encounter everyday are: cosmetics, personal care products (like shampoo, hand soap, deodorant, perfume), and food (in the form of chemicals, artificial coloring, plastics, and preservatives). What can you do about it? Read your labels. If you can’t pronounce it, consider seeking out “cleaner” alternatives. Tip: The ingredient “perfume” is a toxic hormone hijacker, so steer clear!
3. Speaking of Water, Drink More Water.
Drink at least half of your bodyweight in water each day. Cells slow down when they aren’t hydrated… and when your cells can’t transport enough nutrients from food to your body, your metabolism crawls too!
So, if you weigh 160 pounds, you’ll shoot for 80 ounces of water. Don’t let the exact number of ounces drive you crazy, but start tracking it and you may be surprised. Most of us don’t get enough each day.
4. Sneak in Your Steps (with Friends).
Americans average 4,774 steps per day. That’s it -- and it only takes a couple of swaps to log a few more steps each today.
Don’t sweat the treadmill - just sneak some more steps into your workday. Talk to a co-worker in person, make a lap around the parking lot before lunch, or take a few paces while you’re waiting for the printer. Maybe use an activity (like checking your email) as a trigger to go for a quick spin around the floor before you dive in. As you continue moving throughout the day, you may feel less fatigued during the mid-day slump.
On weekends, sweat with friends -- swap hanging at the bar or going out to Sunday brunch with a scenic hike. Next thing you know, you’ll be 2 miles down and everyone loves a good #naturegram on social media!
5. The Best Bang for Your Buck Workout - Lift!
Do not drag yourself to the gym. In fact, researchers compared endurance exercise vs. weight training, and guess what? Strength training was found to keep your metabolism revved up (i.e. higher calorie burn) for as long as 39 hours after the workout.
Skip the treadmill monotony for a lift workout. Biggest plus: it only takes 20 minutes to get all of the benefits. Start small (maybe just 5 minutes) and work your way up slowly. There are plenty of workouts you can do without any equipment!
