Metabolism refers to all the chemical reactions being carried out in our body; these reactions keep our body alive and functioning. Metabolism is also used interchangeably with metabolic rate, or the number of calories you burn. The high metabolic rate you have, the more calories you will burn and so the more weight you would be lost. Having a high metabolism also gives you more energy and makes you feel better. Here are some of the tips that can help you increase your metabolism naturally:

1. Eat more protein:

Some foods increase our metabolic rate more than others. When we eat, our metabolism increases for a few hours, it is known as TEF thermic affect of food. It is caused by the extra calories being used for the process of digestion, absorption and processing of your meal into your system.
Proteins cause the largest increase in TEF by upto 15% to 30% as compared to carbs which is about 5% to 10% or fat which is 0%. Proteins also make you feel fuller for early and also making you prevents overeating.
One study showed that people ate about 441 less calories in a day when they were given meals that constituted about 30% of protein.

2. Drink plenty of cold water:

People who drink water instead of sugary drinks are more likely to lose weight and maintain it as they do not consume extra calories which they would be consuming otherwise. Drinking plenty of water also increases your metabolism naturally. It was seen in a study that drinking 17 Oz, 0.5 litre of water increases your metabolism by 10 to 30%. This affect might be doubled if cold water is drank as our body has to heat it up to body temperature first. Drinking water half an hour before meal was shown to help overweight adults lose about 44% more weight than those who did not drink it.

3. Lift heavy weights:

Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, and if you have them, you would be burning more calories throughout the day even when at rest. Lifting weights can help you retain your muscle mass, and prevent the drop in metabolic rate which usually occurs during weight loss. One study consisting of48 overweight women who were kept on a strict
diet of 800 calories with either no exercise, aerobic exercise or resistance training showed that women who were on resistance training lost weight and had no loss in their metabolic rate or muscle mass, others lost weight but also lost metabolic rate and muscle mass.

4. Nurse some green tea:

Green tea also  boosts up your metabolism by 4 to 5%it  converts the fat stored in the body to fatty acids, which promotes fat burning by 10% to 15%. Green tea is low in calories so it also helps you lose weight and keep it in check afterwards. However, some studies show that green tea has no affect on weight loss or metabolism and so the affect might be very little or varies individually.

5. Switch to Coconut Oil for cooking:

Replacing your cooking fats with coconut oil can also be helpful in raising your metabolism. Unlike many other saturated fats, coconut oil contains plenty of medium-chained fats. Medium-chained fats were found to increase metabolism about 12% more than long-chained fats, which had only slight difference in metabolism of 4%. The unique profile of coconut oil might raise metabolic rate making you lose more weight and more energized.
So its time you improve your metabolism and health through your food!

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