You’ve heard the word “metabolism” or the phrase “boost metabolism” a lot either in general conversation about health or by a GOQii coach but have you thought about why it is so important? Metabolism is the sum of chemical and physical reactions in our body or the amount of energy or calories our body burns to maintain vital functions. Raise your hand if you know it is important for weight loss but did you know that it has other functions as well?
Why Is It Important to Boost Metabolism?
- It works in 2 processes i.e. catabolism and anabolism which are the buildup and breakdown of substances, whether it is digestion of food or the elimination of food, if these two processes are disrupted by any means then you can imagine what health issues we might face.
- The better your metabolism, the more calories your body will burn and it will be easier to drop pounds.
- It is important for the biochemical process of combining nutrients with oxygen to release the energy the body needs to function.
- There are certain metabolic diseases and disorders like diabetes, thyroid (hypo/hyper), phenylketonuria (PKU), etc. that can be caused when the metabolism fails or decreases/increases than the body’s requirement. Although reason for these metabolic disorders is not just one but it is the reason and these are complex, but who wants to experience the pain of not losing weight, being obese or struggling daily with any other big or small issue caused due to the ups and downs of metabolism.
How Can We Boost It?
Let’s understand certain ways in which we can boost metabolism
- Protein: Eating more protein can boost metabolism to burn more calories.
- Mixing up certain exercises: can help us burn more fat by increasing metabolic rate.
- Water: If your body is dehydrated, then your metabolism may slow down as your body needs water to process calories.
- Eating small, frequent meals: like a small snack every 3-4 hours keeps your metabolism going.
- Adding spices: like green/red chilies, pepper, garam masala, etc. have natural chemicals that can kick your metabolism into a higher gear.
- Recharge with organic green tea: Research suggests that drinking 2-3 cups of green tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories during moderate intensity workouts.
- Eat enough calories: Eating less calories than our body’s requirement may give us quick results but this can cause your metabolism to slow down and that in turn, can make you gain more weight and create imbalance issues.
- Get plenty of sleep: Sleep disruptions or not getting adequate sleep has been known to have harmful effects on our metabolism.
- Manage stress: It has been seen that when we are continuously under stressful conditions, our body releases cortisol (stress hormone) which in turn affects our metabolism.
- Keep a check on B vitamins: as they play an essential role in the metabolic rate. So, make sure to meet your body’s requirement of B vitamins by including foods like eggs, bananas, orange juice, peas, spinach, whole grains, baked potatoes, etc.
All these points might sound difficult, but trust me we can make it happen with just small changes in our diet and lifestyle. It does not require inclusion of any costly, fancy food products. We hope this article helps you boost metabolism and make a positive lifestyle change. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!
For more on metabolism, gut health and digestion, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.
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Mary Roach, in her book, Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal describes the digestive system as a highly elaborate inside of the tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the anus.
