Weight Loss: 5 Ways to Rev Up Your Metabolism

If you are trying to lose weight, it’s important that your metabolism is high. Simply put, metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories, and very few people have a fast metabolism. A faster metabolism will enable you lose more weight than a person with the same activity level, diet, and weight. Here are 5 surefire ways to boost your metabolism:

1. Get Your Omega-3’s

Why does eating lots of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, herring, and tuna) help amp up metabolism? According to health.com, omega-3s balance blood sugar and reduce inflammation, helping to regulate metabolism. They may also reduce resistance to the hormone leptin, which researchers have linked to how fast fat is burned.

2. Fuel Up With Water

Your body needs water to process calories. According to webmd, if you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack. Also, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables, which naturally contain water, rather than pretzels or chips.

3. Eat a healthy breakfast daily

Experts say our bodies go into starvation mode when we don’t eat breakfast and our metabolism slows to thebarest minimum to store energy. According to womenshealth, in a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. Those who ate zero to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gained nearly three pounds. In another study published in the same journal, volunteers who reported regularly skipping breakfast had 4.5 times the risk of obesity as those who took the time to eat. So, make sure to always start your day with a healthy breakfast.

4. Drink Before You Eat

A study presented at the American Chemical Society’s annual conference says drinking two glasses of water before every meal helped dieters lose an average of 15.5 pounds – five pounds more than the non-water drinkers – over three months. Celebrity nutritionist and author of The Virgin Diet Cookbook, JJ Virgin, also adds that taking quick hydration breaks throughout the day boosts the body’s metabolism and advises that you should try to consume half your body weight in water ounces – 150-pound person would drink 75 ounces a day. In addition, several studies show that staying properly hydrated all day keeps you feeling energized.

5. Stay Active

Don’t be a couch potato. Embrace simple workouts, fix in your daily routine and stick to it. Even moving down a flight of stairs at work daily instead of using the elevator does your metabolism a world of good.