The end of the year is definitely the time when our metabolism is tested. Poor metabolism health can raise your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Study shows that metabolic health in American adults is very low, even in normal-weight people. Is there a way to boost your metabolism?
Signs that your metabolic health might be impaired
- Excess fat around your waist
- High blood sugar levels
- High blood pressure
- Low HDL (good cholesterol)
- High levels of triglyceride (fat stored in your fat cells) – sign that you are getting more calories than you consume
You can measure blood pressure and blood sugar levels at home, you get more reliable results when you measure them regularly. For cholesterol and triglyceride levels, you need to take blood work at healthcare. It could be a good idea to check the basic set of blood work once a year to make sure everything is in order, and that you can start making adjustments to your lifestyle if needed.
How can you boost your metabolism?
- Reduce sugar intake
- Avoid refined carbs
- Include vegetables and greens in your diet
- Add every day activity
- Maintain healthy weight
- Improve your sleep
- Avoid saturated fats
- Grow your muscles – the amount of fat-free mass of the body is more relevant than how much fat your body contains. The more fat-free mass you have (muscles and bones), the more effective your metabolism will be
- Eat a healthy amount of protein every day – protein spikes metabolism briefly and helps muscles to grow
- Stop doing calorie deficit diets – it kills your metabolism
- Try ketogenic diet – effective way to boost metabolism
Foods that may help boosting your metabolism
- Green tea – caffeine and catechins (antioxidants) in green tea can help support weight loss
- Good quality meat and dairy – contain L-carnitine that may be useful in treating diabetes, heart disease, and obesity
- Jalapeños and chili peppers- has capsaicin that may help you to burn more calories
- Fish, eggs, meat, legumes and nuts – high in protein, boosts your metabolism after a meal
- Omega- 3 fatty acid – from fish or as supplement
- Vitamin-D – the most important vitamin
- Ginger – try drinking hot water with ginger before eating
- Stay hydrated – drink enough water and add electrolytes if needed
- Apple cider vinegar (ACV) – may help boosting metabolism, read more about it here
Everything above can be helpful for boosting metabolism and losing weight when doing them regularly, but they do not compensate for poor diet and other unhealthy habits. There are no miracle tricks for good health, you need to be consistent about a healthy diet, sufficient sleep, and everyday activity and exercise.
Stay healthy❤️
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