This is the time when many people begin to think that it is time to go on a diet, visualizing that moment in which they have to put on their bikini. However, it is better to take it little by little, modifying small things in our routine to have healthier habits in the long term. A good way to do this is by trying to activate the metabolism since, in addition to burning calories in a more significant way, we can educate our body and ourselves so as not to have to think about aggressive diets anymore.

It is important to keep in mind that there is a genetic component that determines to a certain extent how your body burns calories. The good news is that regardless of that, we can help you do it in the most optimal way possible, just by changing a few habits in your lifestyle.

We must start from two fundamental things: one, that the number of calories we need per day depends on our age, height, weight, and daily activity, and that there is a minimum that the body needs to maintain its vital functions (that is, being in resting), called basal Metabolism. It is assumed that a person needs an average of 2,400 to 2,700 calories a day, and although the idea is not to be counting them every time we put something in our mouths, we can take into account some 'tricks' to burn them faster :

have breakfast

Regardless of whether you do intermittent fasting, the body needs 'gasoline' to start the day, and the best thing is not to give it a coffee and that's it. Leave things ready the night before so you don't waste time thinking about what to eat, and include whole grains (you know I love oatmeal ), whole wheat bread, fruit pieces and not juice, and dairy products (not necessarily skimmed).

Feed it in a balanced way

Over time I have learned that eating in a balanced way means eating practically everything, but giving priority to 'real' Food, as it is called in many places: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and proteins, but also including guilt-free whims because if it does not become a completely unworkable diet. Avoid binge eating and if you go overboard at one meal, make up for it at the next.

Include thermogenic foods in your diet

Thermogenic foods are those that increase the heat and the basal metabolism of your body, going to the fat deposits to obtain the calories they need (that is why these foods are said to help lose weight). Among them, we find cayenne, chili, black pepper, curry, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, green tea, and coffee.

Avoid ultra-processed foods

The biggest reason why we should avoid them is basically the number of hidden sugars they have within their list of ingredients. Masked by other names, they trigger the number of calories we eat even in small portions, so with just a little, we can be consuming the recommended amount of sugar for the whole day. Precooked food, sauces, industrial pastries, and cold cuts are some examples.

drink more water

Although we all know the theory of two liters of water, I dare to say that not all of us carry it out as we should. Drinking water helps to digest food better, increases the amount of energy we consume, and also, it seems that just half a liter of water a day can increase the metabolic rate by 30%.

Move more

Another pending that many of us have is to practice a sport regularly. Walking a little more can indeed help the body, the truth is that the optimal level should include aerobic and strength exercise (translating this to walking would give us an average of 10,000 steps a day, a figure that is quite difficult to reach), so If you are looking for a sport that motivates you, put on your shoes and jump in... you will notice the change right away.

Run away from stress

Have you noticed that the more anxious, sad, worried, or stressed the body asks you to eat less healthy or more quantity? many theories attribute it to the fact that sugar acts as a quick 'comforter', so it is expected that at those moments the body wants to eat it (either in the form of cake or chips).

If stress is present in our lives, the best thing we can do is attack the root problem: practice some sport ( yoga is fantastic for that purpose), rest, disconnect from the mobile, give yourself a good dose of field, and relativize the problems until you get to see them from a calmer perspective. Always keep in mind that to get in shape, the first thing we must exercise is the mind.

If you look at any of the items, it is an exaggerated change in our day-to-day life (unless you sign up for the gym, of course). I always tell you to plan your menus, to go to the market more and to the supermarket less, and to avoid the car as much as possible. I assure you that little by little, without pressuring or overwhelming us, we will be on the path to healthy habits.

Did you know these 'tricks'? Do you usually put them into practice?

Have a great day and thanks for reading!