When you’re trying to shift those stubborn couple of pounds that seem to be going nowhere no matter what you do, something you can try that you might not have already is boosting your metabolism. Your metabolism is responsible for the breakdown of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. We’ve all got at least one friend who seems to eat so much and hardly ever puts on any weight because of it, and they’ll often pin it down to having a high metabolism. Higher metabolisms burn fat faster, and some people naturally have a higher one than others, but there are some things you can do to try and boost yours, starting today.
1. Eat breakfast!
It can be really tempting to skip breakfast and have an extra ten minutes in bed before a morning lecture, but trust me – it’s worth sacrificing a little sleep for even just a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast. Eating first thing in the morning gets your metabolism to start working right from the off, so it’ll be higher throughout the rest of the day than if you miss breakfast. And eating regularly throughout the day keeps your metabolism going for longer.
2. Green tea
Green tea is packed with health benefits and full of antioxidants, and another great advantage is that it also helps to boost your metabolism – so there’s another reason for you to start adding a cup of it to your day!
3. Exercise
It seems obvious now I’ve said it, I bet! Exercise – even something like walking that doesn’t have to be sweaty and strenuous but gets you moving – is a very simple way to start boosting your metabolism.
4. The Muscle-Metabolism Relationship
Having more muscle has been shown to increase metabolism. Muscle will burn more calories than fat, both when you’re exercising and when you’re sitting at your desk catching up on last week’s episode of Made In Chelsea. If you’re trying to lose some weight, it will help to do exercise that increases your body’s muscle mass – it might not lower the scales at first, but persist and you’ll see the benefits!
5. Eat more protein
Protein has less calories per gram than fats, you’ll have noticed on nutrition labels. And your body burns twice as many calories digesting protein than it does digesting fats and often carbs as well, so there’s another reason for you to try incorporating more high-protein foods into your diet.
6. Sleep!
Sometimes it seems crazy to think of trying to get more sleep – you’re swamped with studying and essays, maybe a job, and trying to see your friends besides; but your body needs rest, and scientists say that skimping on sleep can actually slow down your metabolism and hinder any attempt at weight loss!
A low metabolism doesn’t have to be a problem for you any longer, and doesn’t have to be blamed on your genes. Trying to lose weight with a busy student schedule can be tough, so incorporate some of these into your daily routines, and hopefully you’ll start to see results!
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