Maximize Your Metabolism Naturally!

For people who struggle with their weight, metabolism and calories are seemingly partners in crime. Metabolism, after all, determines the rate at which calories are burned. This crucial body function also dictates the rate at which a person either loses or gains weight. Experts believe that a person's metabolism is composed of a complex network of enzymes and hormones. This network converts food into fuel and also determines how efficiently a person burns that fuel. Metabolism is impacted by a number of factors, including age, sex and proportion of lean body mass. As such, individuals with more muscle have higher rates of metabolism. However, other ways also exist for naturally maximizing metabolism. These work regardless of a person's size, and can help improve overall health.

You Are What You Eat

Breakfast is one of the most underrated, but also most important, ways to effectively boost metabolism. Remember two key points with this meal: it needs to be light and should supply only a couple hundred calories. Breakfast can therefore be something as simple as two eggs and a slice of fruit. This sounds like a very small amount of food, but multiple studies have indicated it is sufficient to get the metabolism going.

In line with food is how often one eats. Dieticians now recommend eating a small meal every two or three hours instead of three large meals per day. This keeps the metabolism going at a smooth and even pace without over burdening the body. A smart way to calculate required calorie intake for each of these meals is to multiply one's body weight by 10 or 12. That number should then be divided by six for the calorie estimate.

To this end, persons are also strongly advised against trying to starve themselves. No one should ever drop to fewer than 1,000 calories per day. Not only is this an extremely dangerous way to increase metabolism, but it is also highly ineffective. When the body does not receive adequate nutrition, it goes into starvation mode. This can drop metabolism to a slow crawl, thereby causing more harm than good.

Water is also a critical mainstay of the metabolism. This fluid is required to help metabolism work effectively. Experts recommend at least eight to 10 glasses per day. Another beneficial drink to try is mate tea, pronounced "mah-tay." This is an herbal tea native to South America. Holistic health officials consider this drink far more nutritious than coffee or black tea. In addition, its caffeine content is energizing rather than nerve-wracking.

Vitamins and Supplements

Vitamins often play a critical role in one's metabolism. Among the most essential is vitamin B-12, which is known for its energy potential. Other beneficial supplements include the following:

• Co-enzyme Q10, which provides energy to muscles
• Flax seed oil
• Monounsaturated fats, as found in olive oil
• Fish oils
• Soy protein, which positively impacts the body's natural output of fat-burning thyroid hormones
• L-Carnitine

Some holistic health experts also recommend the use of Chinese herbs to naturally boost metabolism. Green tea extract is one of the most popular herbs to fight fatigue. Ginseng is another herb known to naturally stimulate energy. Before ultimately deciding upon any of these, however, a person should consult with a physician or health expert. Some conditions preclude the use of ginseng, for example.

Body Work and Exercise

Despite the media surrounding food and supplements, exercise still remains the foremost way to maximize metabolism. Experts recommend twenty-minute sessions of aerobic exercise three to five times per week. People are further counseled to exercise in the morning to keep metabolism running high throughout the rest of the day. As it has already been established that muscle helps maintain optimal metabolism levels, people are also advised to partake in weight training or resistance exercise two or three times per week. Yoga, tai chi and Reiki are other useful ways to gain and balance natural energy.

Sources: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/make-most-your-metabolism http://www.ultimatefatburner.com/articles/boost-your-metabolism.html http://thyroid.about.com/cs/dietweightloss/a/12ways.htm

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