One of the delightful things about being an active person is that while you're enjoying a Netflix marathon on a Sunday afternoon, your body is still working hard to help you burn calories. No lie! Science is super nifty! The even better part? You can speed it up to make sure it's burning the max number of calories by incorporating these 11 simple steps in to your day!
Good Morning!
When you wake up, make sure to eat breakfast within the hour. Eating breakfasts helps jumpstart your metabolism. Why? Your metabolism went into rest mode over night, so your first meal of the day revs it back up for the day ahead.
Park Further From Your Job
Parking farther away from your workplace may sound like a minuscule step but it can actually boost your metabolism in a big way. Getting your heart rate up for a short period of time keeps it elevated afterward, which causes an overall metabolism boost. Take it a step further by skipping the elevator and taking the stairs.
Go for Coffee
Research shows that caffeine boosts your metabolic rate! So not only will it wake you up, it'll help burn those calories. The calorie devils are what you put in to your coffee - so keep an eye on cream and sugars used!
Get Up On Those Feet
Especially if your job is sedentary - get up and move at every opportunity, even if it's just to get up to go to the bathroom. It keeps your heart rate going. Work in an office? Try walking across the office to talk to co-workers instead of e-mailing them.
Lunch Time!
Pick the right foods for a energy filled metabolism boost. Try for a nice protein filled sandwich with veggies on whole grain bread. The protein-carb combo will give you lots of energy to see you through to the end of your day. For lots of great lunch ideas, check out the
BodyRock Meal Plan!
Drink Cold Water
Your body burns more calories in colder temperatures because it has to work harder to keep you warm. This simple trick will ensure you end up burning more than if you drink room-temp H20.
During Your Workout
Cardio is so much more friendly when you set a steady pace - change it up with intervals. (We've got lots of HIIT here - so you should be good! )Short, high-intensity exercise boosts your metabolism. If you're on a treadmill, elliptical or cycle, try sprinting for 30 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds. Repeat this 10-15 times.
After Your Workout
You're going to love me chocolate fiends: drinking chocolate milk post-workout helps keep your metabolism going strong. Why? When you workout your body loses glucose. In order to keep your metabolism working in overtime, you need to restore it right away. Chocolate milk is ideal because it has the perfect combo of carbs and protein.
Dinner Time!
Tobasco lovers rejoice! Certain studies have shown that eating spicy foods can boost your metabolism. The added bonus? Spices are naturally fat free, so there's no need to fret about calories.
Down Time
Remember that whole rest is just as important as work thing? Yeah - that. Why? When we get stressed our bodies releases cortisol. Too much cortisol slows down your metabolism. So grab a movie, do some yoga, have a bath - whatever helps you relax!
Goodnight!
Sleep is key to boosting your metabolism, yet can often be the most overlooked necessity. In order to fully restore and recover from the day and keep your muscle mass and hormones circulating properly, you need to get some solid shut-eye. The goal is to sleep for seven to eight hours a night to keep your metabolism in it's prime.
