15 Ways to Boost Metabolism and get in Shape Fast

You probably know someone who appears to be able to eat whatever they want and still look strong, fit, and toned. They seem to have it easy, yet everyone else you know appears to be struggling with weight loss just like you. But what if we told you that you could attain your weight-loss goals while also having your metaphorical cake? According to Orlando Magazine,  The key is the right mindset, dedication, and boosting your metabolism.

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What slows down your metabolism?

Even though our metabolism is bound to slow down with age and there’s a plethora of research on this subject, aging is not the main cause that slowly kills your metabolism. Your general lifestyle can slow down your metabolism. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s the truth. Years of combined bad habits, poor diet, lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyle, lack of sleep, and driving everywhere instead of walking all lead to a sluggish metabolism. While aging indeed slows down our metabolism, we cannot blame the year we were born for those ten extra kilograms that can’t seem to go away overnight. Even metabolism that is slowed down by aging can be sped up, you just have to stick to the end of this article to learn how.

What can I do about it?

First of all, you need to adopt a growth mindset. So, what if you weren’t paying attention to your habits? You just became aware of the compound effect of your bad habits and now you want to change that. If you want to reverse the years of bad habits and start shedding that excess weight, you can change your old habits and adopt better ones. The compound effect of better habits that are known to boost your metabolism will change your life for the better.

Is there a way to speed up my metabolism?

When you commit to changing your daily routine and substitute old habits with metabolism-boosting ones, you’ll see the difference. But first, start with:

Take control of your sleep routine

If Netflix is controlling when you go to sleep, it’s time to change that. Watching Netflix or any other activity that keeps you away from getting a healthy amount of sleep every night secretly slows down your metabolism. Lack of sleep has been linked to obesity and leads to other health risks like diabetes, being hungrier, and struggling with weight loss. Take control of your sleep routine by sticking to a sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time as well. Set the schedule to get at least eight hours of sleep every night.

If you work from home, take a walk before you start working

People who go to the office every day can use the commute to and from work to increase the amount of daily activity. Those who stay home have to make a conscious decision to squeeze the time in for extra activity. But, one of the best ways to wake up and boost your energy levels is to exercise out in the open. You can also take a walk before work, soak up some sun to boost your mood, and continually boost your metabolism every morning.

Eat a rich breakfast

While many people start their day with coffee, that’s not the best piece of advice. Instead, start your day with a nutritious breakfast to start your day and your metabolism along the way. During the light, your body was fasting so breakfast is the way to stop that fast and fuel your body. Food is energy and we have to start our day with a breakfast rich in protein, healthy fats, and low on carbs.

Drink more water

Maybe the reason you constantly feel like snacking is actually your body’s craving for water. People who don’t drink enough water throughout their day are at risk of dehydration, obesity, and a slower metabolic rate. It was even proven that people who drink more water on average have a faster resting metabolic rate. Try to drink between two to three-liter of water every day to boost your metabolism. You can also drink water before eating to trick your body into thinking it’s full so you’ll eat less.

Have properly timed meals

If you want to speed up your metabolism and lose weight, you shouldn’t skip your meals. Skipping meals won’t lead to weight loss, even though you’ve reduced calorie intake. Instead, your body goes into panic mode, so it burns fewer calories to preserve energy. Instead, time your meals properly so your body always has a steady source of energy which in turn speeds up your metabolism. You will have more energy, you’re cognitive functions will be on fire and you’ll be less hangry.

Reduce your calorie intake through drinks

People can easily get into the habit of drinking their calories. This means that they will double or even triple the recommended number of calories every day. Calorie surplus leads to weight gain, which further slows down your metabolism. So, if you want to boost your metabolism stay away from alcohol and sugary drinks. If you have to, stick to one drink and try to fit it into your daily calorie intake. If there’s a party coming up soon, you can also cut yourself off after two drinks and drink a lot of water between drinks and even after.

Add probiotics

Probiotics are necessary for your gut health, and stronger immune system and they can also aid your weight loss efforts. Just add more yogurt into your diet or even supplement it with probiotics. You can also eat fermented foods like sauerkraut and pickled cucumber. Greek yogurt is also a great source of probiotics and protein so eat it as a snack throughout your day.

Count those steps

Daily steps will help you move more throughout your day. In order to move more, your body needs energy. It gets energy by burning more calories so walking will engage your metabolism and boost your metabolic rate. Achieving ten thousand steps every day is the recommended amount if you want to stay healthy and live longer. But, when you combine daily steps with other forms of exercise, your metabolism will switch from sleepy to a calorie-burning machine.

Get into weight training

If you want to lose weight, you should build muscles. This is because more muscle mass burns more calories and it’s your golden ticket to your weight loss journey. But, your diet has to be in line with your exercise regime if you want to build more muscles. So, get into the habit of exercising at least three times a week. If you’re a complete beginner, you’ll see the results fast. If exercise is already your regular habit, try adding more weight training and resistance training into your routine to build more muscles.

Add in the right amount of cardio

When most people hear the word cardio, they think they have to run like crazy on a treadmill every day. Cardio is any exercise you do continually for thirty minutes without taking a pause. You can change the pace slightly but you shouldn’t pause because you will decrease your heart rate and step out of a cardio zone. Cycling is a great cardio activity and you can take your bicycle on a 45-minute ride at least three times a day. If you don’t have a bicycle, you can buy one of womens bikes because they have a lower top tube which increases the level of comfort. Cycling is also a non-impact cardio activity as it won’t put additional pressure on your joints.

Don’t forget about HIIT

A HIIT exercise is just like cardio, some hate it while some adore it. If you’re not on either side of the spectrum, you can stay in the golden missile and have at least one high-intensity workout a week. HIIT is also a great option if you’re short on time but you don’t want to break your exercise streak and fall into the old habits of skipping exercise. With HIIT exercise your body will use fat as fuel which aids weight loss and speeds up your metabolism. The more your body craves energy and HIIT will help with that, the more your metabolism will be engaged.

Weight training + cardio = faster metabolism

The secret to a faster metabolism is out! Commit to strength training at least three times a week, squeeze in one HIIT and add at least three different cardio sessions. You can ride your bicycle, take a brisk walk or hop on an elliptical at the gym. You will force your body to use your metabolism at a higher rate which will lead to desired weight loss results and a better shape.

Move whenever you can and as much as you can

Whenever you can, resist the urge to remain sedentary and just move. Take an elevator every day, walk before and after work, and take a two-minute break every hour at work to move around a bit. We can make a conscious decision to move more throughout the day which boosts our metabolism and reduces the side effect of our sedentary lives.

Coffee helps

While we use coffee to boost our energy it’s also known to help us burn more energy. Caffeine intake can speed up our metabolism just slightly, especially if we don’t overdo it. Green tea has the same effect so you can drink one cup of coffee between 10am and 12pm to give yourself an energy boost and take another cup of green tea later on.

Earn your cheat meals

Cheat meals are considered cheating if you haven’t earned them yet. Let’s say you reduced your calories by 200 hundred every day. So you follow your healthy eating regime six days a week and reduce your calories by 1200 calories. Your cheat meal is on Sunday, so you let loose and actually eat all those calories you tried so hard to reduce six days earlier. So, if you want to keep up your metabolism working the right way and stay in shape, eat a cheat meal once a month.

In conclusion – think long term, not short term

When people want to lose weight, they want a quick fix and a quick solution. So the diet, starve their body, lose the weight and get it all back fast. Instead of dieting, one can commit to a healthier lifestyle that is both active, and balanced and you can still look great and have a slice of cake here and there. These fifteen ways can be grouped into three categories – diet, exercise, and lifestyle. All these habits can help you lead a healthier life if you adopt them as a lifestyle, not a short-term strategy.