6 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism This Fall!

Wednesday, 14 October 2009 19:58

Fall has arrived, and so has the mentality of the holiday season. You know exactly what I am talking about! With the comforts of warm, loose-fitting Fall fashions, it's easy to trade in healthy summer salads for delicious cookies, cakes, and pies! Afterall, your New Year's resolution will be to loose 10-15 pounds to get yourself back on track after the holidays have passed, right?  Well, not this year! We have included some great metabolism boosting tips to help battle the holiday bulge and keep you fit and feeling amazing through the rest of the year!

1. Know Your Daily Calorie Requirements

This is extremely important. Calculate how many calories you need to consume each day in order to shed pounds and keep your metabolism working. Your calorie intake level is determined by factoring in your age, weight, height, sex, activity level and body mass. Click Here to calculate.

2. Eat Several Meals a Day!

This sounds crazy, but it really works. Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, try dividing those meals into smaller portions and eating more frequently throughout the day. The key is to make sure your meals are nutritious. If you eat smaller 200-400 calorie meals every 3-4 hours, your body will expend more energy to digest the food and your metabolic rate will increase.

3. Stay Active

With cooler weather and rainy afternoons, it's easy to become lazy and skip a gym class or two. However, activity is key when it comes to boosting your metabolism. Afterall, physical activity accounts for 20%-40% of calories burned each day. If you have a hard time motivating yourself to go to the gym, try going for a brisk walk, clean the house, take the stairs... etc.

4. Hit the Weights!

Muscle burns more calories than fat. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more calories you body will burn! Weights aren't just for the jocks anymore!

5. Get Some Beauty Sleep

Did you know that your body burns calories while you sleep? Well, it's true! Sleep deprivation can have negative effects on your overall health. Be sure to get plenty of sleep each night. Sleep los may also increase hunger and slow down the body's metabolism; this can make it more difficult to lose weight.

6. Drink Plenty of Water!

Water is our friend! The energy-burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively. Water not only fills you up, but it helps to rid your body of toxins and bloat. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day.