Weight loss results from a simple formula: eat fewer calories than you expend and the weight comes off, right? Not so fast.
While this basic formula is correct, the hidden variable lies in the number of calories expended. This varies based on exercise, as we all know. But it also changes based on your base metabolic rate, and that's something you can change. When your metabolism is running faster, you are burning more calories no matter what you are doing--even when you're lying on the couch watching T.V. When you boost your metabolism, it turbo charges the impact of diet and exercise.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Your basal metabolic rate is the basic energy needs of your body to keep your heart beating, your lungs breathing, your temperature steady, and your body functioning. Your metabolism is effected by a number of factors some of which you can control, and some of which you're born with. For example, your metabolism generally slows by about 5% per decade after the age of 40. You also inherit a tendency to have a slow or fast metabolism from your family. And thyroid disorders can also greatly slow or quicken your metabolism, but this condition is rare.
What's Your BMR?
The World Health Organization has worked out a mathematical formula to determine your BMR.
Female: [655+(9.6 X Weight in kilograms) + (1.7 X Height in centimeters) - (4.7 X Age)}
Male: [66 + (13.7 X Weight in kilograms) + (5 X Height in centimeters) - (6.8 X Age)]
To determine your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2
To determine your height in centimeters, multiply your height in inches by 2.54
This number is the total number of calories your body needs every day to sustain your basic physical functioning. If your metabolism gets faster, this number goes up.
Turbo Charging Your Metabolism
If all that math has given you a headache, you're probably anxious to cut to the chase. What are the best ways to ramp up your metabolism?
1. Eat small, frequent meals.
Contrary to what you might think, snacking steadily throughout the day can actually help you to lose weight. Many dieters make the mistake of trying to cut down on frequent eating and end up slowing their metabolism further, making it even harder to lose those extra pounds. The reason for this is that your body goes into "starvation mode," and begins conserving energy to carry you through a potential famine. Frequent small meals lets your body know there's plenty of food around and no need to hoard calories.
2. Drink lots of water.
As with food, if your body doesn't get enough water it goes into famine mode. You want to encourage your liver to focus on metabolism rather than hoarding water which results in water retention, so make sure you are drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water each day.
3. Get enough sleep.
If you don't give your body enough shut eye, it can alter your metabolism, according to Sanjay Patel, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University. Lack of sleep disrupts your metabolism, resulting in your body burning fewer calories even when you are at rest. So be sure to give your body adequate sleep.
4. Exercise.
Exercise helps you lose the pounds in several ways. It burns calories, but it also helps you put on muscle. Lean muscle burns calories faster, even at rest, which is why men tend to have higher metabolisms, since male hormones encourage the body to bulk up on muscle mass. Each pound of muscle you put on will burn an additional 48 calories a day, every day. A pound of fat will only burn a measly 2 calories during the same period!
5. Eat your fruits and veggies.
Fruit and vegetables are naturally lower in calories. Many veggies are so low in calories you could practically eat them all day long and still lose weight. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins, minerals and micronutrients that your body needs for optimum performance. If you are deficient in these essential elements, it can lead to food cravings as your body tries to find these needed nutrients. So make sure you're giving your body everything it needs to get you in optimum shape by eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
6. Eat metabolism boosting foods.
Certain foods can actually help speed up your metabolism. Capsaicin, the chemical in hot peppers that makes them spicy is known to boost metabolism. Hot peppers are easy to add to any diet. So spice up your favorite salsa, or add a bit more zest to pasta and veggie dishes.
7. Drink green tea or take a green tea supplement.
Green tea is another booster for your metabolism that has been extensively studied in clinical settings. It can boost your metabolism and "at rest" calorie expenditure, and also seems to specifically target body fat. Additionally, it has been shown to lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels, reduce the chances of developing type-2 diabetes, and it contains high-levels of antioxidants, which help fight cancer and heart disease.
While there are some green tea connoisseur who love the subtle flavors of this Japanese tea, for most people, green tea is somewhat of an acquired taste. Additionally, to get the metabolic benefits of green tea, you have to drink quite a bit of it. For these reasons, you're probably better off taking a green tea supplement. An excellent choice is Avatrim, which is formulated to maximize the weight loss benefits of green tea with biotin, alpha-lipoic acid and l-carnitine, which help support weight loss in conjunction with green tea.
