Energy Saving Solutions

Step-Up Your Metabolism   by Jon Bjarnason

Your body burns calories every minute. The rate of “calories-oper-minute” is your metabolism, and it changes throughout the day. Your metabolism is highest after you exercise, and usually lowest when you’re sleeping. You can’t lose weight unless you burn up calories, so here are some simple changes you can make to the way you eat that will raise your metabolic rate throughout the day.

Not enough as bad as too much

You may be surprised to learn that eating too little, or going too long between meals, slows down your metabolism. Rather than suddenly cutting your calories drastically, think about dropping some of the processed foods from your diet — candy, packaged goods, soda, juice. These foods are often high in fat but missing vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Partake of a good breakfast

We don’t mean just a cup of coffee! Eating a breakfast with complex carbohydrates such as whole grain granola or oatmeal, and some protein and fat such as yogurt (get the low-fat kind) and milk will start your metabolic engine in the morning and help prevent bingeing later. Coffee will give you a short-term boost with caffiene and sugar, but without other food it will often cause hunger and overeating later in the day. A good breakfast will keep your energy levels up and your hunger under control.

Eat regularly

You should eat four times a day, every three to four hours, to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Going a long time between meals may feel like a victory, but your body will automatically compensate by lowering your metabolic rate To Conserve Energy. Your blood sugar level will drop and you’ll be hungry … so hungry that you will likely eat more than you would have on a regular schedule. Keep your blood sugar at about the same level all day.

Get protein with every meal

Simple carbohydrates are metabolized quickly, and you’ll be hungry again soon. Protein takes more time to be digested, and you will feel full longer. You can lose weight, researchers have shown, without cutting any calories if you substitute protein for carbohydrates. Try protein snack bars (with at least 12 grams of protein per bar), turkey on whole wheat bread, hummus and pita, vegetarian chili, fruit and nuts.

Munch on fewer snacks

It’s easy to confuse hunger with fatigue. If you are really hungry, eat something with protein and complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat crackers with peanut butter or cheese. But if you are just tired, don’t grab a snack. Go for a brisk walk for 15 to 20 minutes to raise your heart rate and give your energy a boost. A glass of cool water afterward will fill your stomach.

Your metabolic rate is controlled by many factors, and you can control them to a large extent. In this article, we have talked about changes you can make to your diet. The most important other factor is exercise and movement.

About the Author

Achieve Chiropractic Clinic
Dr. Jon Bjarnason
1720 Westminster St Ste 100
Denton, TX 76205
(940) 566-8605
Denton Chiropractic
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