We’ve all heard about those people who can eat whatever they want without worrying about gaining weight because they’ve got “a fast metabolism.”
Whether you’ve reverenced these people or resented them, you can stop feeling like you’re on the outside of that group by working to speed up your own metabolism.
We’ve put together a list of five things you can do to help give your metabolism a jumpstart:
1. Pump some iron. Even if you’re someone who favors cardio over weights, by increasing your muscle mass you can increase the calories you burn even after you leave the gym. Muscle burns more calories per pound than any other tissue in your body.
2. Push yourself. Although it can be easy to want to slack off during your exercise, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. High-intensity workouts have been shown to rev up your metabolism better than longer, lower-intensity ones.
3. Keep drinking. By keeping yourself hydrated your body will have what it needs to process calories. Even if you’re only mildly dehydrated your metabolism can slow down. Try to drink at least eight glasses a day to give your metabolism the best chance.
4. Include protein. Not only does protein help you build muscle mass, but it also requires more energy to digest compared to fat or sugar. By replacing some of your carbs with protein you’ll be able to boost your metabolism at each meal.
5. Eat more. Even though it might seem counterintuitive, it is important to remember to keep eating while you’re dieting. There’s nothing that will slow your metabolism down like starvation will. By eating at least 1,000 calories a day you can ensure that your body will continue burning calories.