Boost Your Metabolism

After the cold, dark winter months most of us have been hidden away in the warmth of our houses in baggy winter clothes and the time has come for us to start shedding some layers and preparing for ‘bikini season’. Tarryn Keep of Discover Health guides us through boosting our metabolism…

Unfortunately most of us do go into a mild panic about summer approaching. Since our bodies have been in hibernation mode over the last 4-6 months our metabolisms have slowed right down to keep us warm and more insulated in the colder months. So what can we do to change this? How can we give our metabolism a rev up to increase our energy and optimise our body composition?
Our metabolism needs to be constantly stoked like a fire in order to burn efficiently. Nutritionally I wouldn’t leave more than six hours between your meals, it is completely up to the individual whether three main meals suit or five smaller ones suit, but as long as no less than three meals are eaten and each meal is proportioned correctly.

Meals should not be too big or too small, and they should be able to fit in the size of our hands cupped together. This after all is about 20% bigger than the size of our stomachs and we need no more than that to satisfy us. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day - it kick-starts the metabolism so should not be skipped. In our meals it is essential to have adequate protein as this helps to increase energy production and maintain energy due to certain amino acids but also helps to regulate our blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrate portion should not be based on any starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread or be high in sugar. The carbohydrate portion of our meal should be in the form of nutritious seasonal vegetables and salads, and what better time of the year than spring to start having more colourful, tasty nutrient dense salads and stir fry’s?

Good quality fats are also important for each meal. Fats such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, avocado, and nuts and seeds all help to satisfy your cells after eating, reduce inflammation, and create satiety to reduce further cravings. If you desire to snack between meals your best option is to go for higher protein snacks such as tuna/salmon/meat/tofu/boiled eggs, nuts/seeds/protein shakes etc.

By keeping your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day utilising adequate protein in each meal this helps to keep your body functioning at its best and therefore assisting in continual energy production and increased metabolism.
Adequate water intake is also essential as it not only supports the kidneys but also assists the liver to flush out toxins aiding it to burn fat more efficiently. Around 30ml per kg of body weight is the ideal amount of fluid intake per individual.

Great foods, spices and drinks to include in your day to ensure your metabolism and body fire are continually burning are:

Ginger – added through meals or grated and put with some hot water and lemon in the mornings.

Cinnamon – great for balancing blood sugars, and a great metabolism booster, add to breakfasts for a good kick start to the day.

Cayenne – This spice definitely heats up your body thermostat, therefore helping to rev up metabolism. Add this to stir fries, as meat flavouring or even as herbal drops into a veggie juice.

Chilli flakes – Again another great thermostat heater, chilli is great to add through most meals.

Kelp flakes – these are particularly great for those with a sub clinical hypo thyroid, the nutrients in the kelp help to keep your thyroid functioning at optimal therefore assisting in metabolism.

Green or oolong tea – not only high in anti oxidants but it has been researched to be beneficial for cellular energy and metabolism. A great replacement for that latte!

The other important factor to ensure when trying to fire up our metabolism is to make sure we are getting regular exercise. At least one hour per day six days a week is essential for our bodies to continue burning fat and excess energy. Preferably at least 3-4 sessions of weight bearing exercise is done as this has a longer lasting effect on our metabolism keeping it boosted for over 12 hours due to the chemical messengers activated in our muscle cells. The more lean muscle tissue we have the more calories we will burn throughout the day. Cardiovascular exercise is a great fat burner but it does not keep our metabolism firing for as long as the resistance exercise. For most people who have more sedentary jobs it is important to try to keep moving during the day, it has been shown that continual movement keeps your body activated, so when sitting at your desk, ensure to keep getting up for water, go for a walk/jog/exercise class during your lunch break, clench your buttocks at your seat, ensure your posture is held strong and your abdominals continually activated etc.
Another great factor to remember is that sleep is absolutely necessary! Your body requires around eight hours per night to effectively repair, detoxify and regenerate. Without this sleep your body hasn’t had sufficient time to assist with liver detoxification which is essential for fat burning, as well as muscle repair and regeneration.

So welcome to summer, enjoy the increased activity and great fresh foods and keep moving!
Written by Tarryn Keep, Discover Naturopathy