How To Keep Your 20's Metabolism In Your 40's
Do you remember when you were 18 and your grandma told you to enjoy the chocolate because once you hit your mid 20’s it would start to show on your waistline? Or do you remember when you were in your mid 20’s and all it took to burn off that chocolate was a swift walk! During your mid 20’s your slightly older friend also told you to enjoy it because once you hit your 30’s chocolate wouldn’t even be an option. For all the dramatic statements, there is some truth in the scare tactics.
As we age, our metabolism tends to naturally slow down (unless you fall in the bracket of the 1% genetically blessed men and women who claim to eat as they please and remain slim, we still don’t believe these creatures exist). Now it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some simple steps we can all take to speed up our metabolism – and keep the chocolate (in small doses of course).
1. Add fiber: High fiber foods take longer to digest and add up to an extra 10% increase in the calories burnt throughout the day. Choose whole and natural sources of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to keep your metabolism going throughout the day. That means not quitting sugar and carbohydrates, just quitting the refined options.
2. Spice it up: capsaicin, the chemical that gives chillies their pungency actually stimulates a natural process in the body, which automatically converts parts of the meal into heat. What does this mean for dieters? A boost to the metabolism and more calories burn rather than being stored.
3. Jump and give me 20: A short burst of exercise before consuming a meal can lead to an average of an extra 200 calories burnt throughout the day. All it takes is a short 5-minute burst of activity. Why not try some jumping jacks; Jumping Jacks: Jump off the balls of your feet as you jump your legs out and back in. Remember to jump wide, keep your core tight, back straight and the most important part – move quickly. – 2 minutes
4. Hydrate: Nothing will slow your metabolism down like dehydration. According to the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, drinking a minimum of 2l of water a day has been shown to increase metabolic rate by as much as 30% in healthy men and women.
5. Swap a coffee for a green tea: Green tea aids in boosting your metabolism as it contains catechin, an antioxidant which raises your resting metabolism by as much as 4%. What does this mean for your waistline? An extra 80 calories burnt a day.