There are a number of factors which contribute towards an
increased metabolic rate. Exercise, diet and lifestyle all
play their part. In this article I discuss how a well
planned diet can super charge your metabolic rate and
increase the number of calories that you burn. In planning
your diet you first need to think about the meals you are
going to be eating each day. Then you need to look at this
diet and find ways that you can improve it further.
So first you need to actually plan your meals. Many people
eat three large meals each day and maybe some snacks
aswell. However, in doing this you are not maximising your
metabolism. Eating three large meals which are relatively
high in calories means there is a high chance that a lot of
these calories are stored as fat.
What you need to do is break these three large meals down
into five or six smaller meals (which are lower in
calories). By doing this you are boosting your metabolic
rate in two ways. First, each meal is relatively low in
calories (compared with the three larger meals) so less
calories are stored as fat. Secondly, your body's
digestion process is called into action more frequently
throughout the day and so an increased level of calories
are burned each day digesting food.
But how do you convert your three meals into five or six?
It really does not have to be that hard. Each meal can
contain the core components of the standard breakfast,
lunch and dinner, just with each portion being a little
smaller. If you are not sure how small these mini meals
should be, take a look at the food packaging which often
serves as a good indicator. If you are still stuck I have
outlined some basic ideas for small meals below:
1) BREAKFAST:- This is thought by many to be the most
important meal of the day as it is the first thing that
kick starts your body's metabolism into action. Some good
options for breakfast include; fruit, whole grain cereal or
whole wheat toast.
2) LUNCH:- This is another important meal because it boosts
your energy levels midway through the day. Ideas for lunch
include; half sandwiches (to reduce the portion size) on
whole wheat bread, fruit, nuts or a yoghurt.
3) DINNER:- With dinner you have to pay particular
attention to portion sizes because it is so easy to eat.
Try to include a lot of vegetables and lean proteins in
your dinners.
4) SNACKS:- Snacks are a great way to supplement your
meals. Ideas for snacks include; fruit, raw vegetables and
yoghurt.
As the above shows, you can still base your six mini meals
around the traditional three but instead just reduce the
portion sizes and use snacks as supplements. Once you have
your meals sorted out there are a couple of additional
things you can do to make your diet more metabolism
friendly. I have outlined these below:
1) FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS:- This requires you to look at foods
in your diet which can be substituted for healthier
options. For example, you can swap the crisps for a bag of
nuts or substitute a chocolate bar with a banana.
2) INCREASE PROTEIN:- Increasing the amount of protein in
your diet can really fire up your metabolism. Studies have
shown that high protein diets can burn an increased number
of calories after consumption compared with diets high in
carbohydrates. The reason behind this is that your body
requires more energy to digest proteins so there is less
chance that excess calories will be stored as fat.
I hope this article has shown you that a well planned diet
can work wonders for your metabolism. An effective diet is
one of the most important factors in helping you boost your
metabolic rate and it should not be ignored. It is OK to
cheat sometimes and have the occassional chocolate bar or
burger, but make sure your overall diet is improved. If
you plan your diet carefully it really does not have to be
difficult to make the changes outlined in this article.
Take action today and you will soon start to realise the
benefits of an improved metabolic rate.
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The Free Fitness Tips Blog provides you with fantastic,
free advice on all aspects of fitness. To find out more
about your metabolic rate and how to boost metabolism head
over to http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/
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