5 Nutritionist-Backed Ways For Faster Metabolism

Improving your metabolism isn’t as easy as working out or eating less. Here’s how to get in the best shape ever

Small changes can mean large payoffs! (Photo: iStock)

Calories in, calories out doesn’t even begin to cover it. Sure, metabolism slows with age but you don’t really have to take that sitting down! There are ways to burn calories faster.

Is that your honest wish too? Read on for a realistic approach

These are my top 5 picks:

1. Just One Night Of Poor Sleep Can Slow Down Your Metabolism

If you’re aiming for a fast metabolism then count the number of hours you sleep along with the food you eat

Not getting enough sleep is a known factor in gaining weight. According to scientists, just one night of sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain. It slows down the body’s metabolism the next morning – meaning less energy, in the form of calories, is burnt off. When you sleep less your body doesn’t metabolise sugar in the same way as when you’re well rested.

2. Stress Is a Factor Too

Anxiety is a powerful trigger for weight gain (Photo courtesy: Tumblr/SQUISHYMART)

Stress is a fact of life but it can cause the levels of hormone cortisol to rise which tells your body to replenish energy even when you haven’t consumed many calories. This can make you hungry and let me tell you, very few will reach out for a carrot in a stressful situation.

3. Pack On Protein & Rev Up In the Morning

(Photo courtesy: Tumblr/ DISNEY) 

This should be on the top of your list. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and supper like a pauper - you’ve heard that to death but do you follow it in the morning rush?

Eat a high protein diet in the morning because you need it to build muscles, the metabolic powerhouses in your body. Every pound of muscle zaps six calories a day just doing nothing, while a pound of fat burns a measly two.

Did you know that women who skip breakfast are 4.5 times likely to be obese?

I am wary of all packed breakfast items including cereals. Some of them might pack in more sugar than a can of cola!

So cook some poha, serve yourself some upma or make fresh daliya and a portion of protein like eggs. Top it with skimmed milk and you’re good to go.

Related Read: Why Some People Eat Like Pigs and Still Stay Slim!

4. Fight Fat With Fiber

(Photo courtesy: Tumblr/UCRESEARCH) 

You know that eating more fiber burns more calories but here’s why that happens:

The body cannot digest fiber easily so your system expends more calories than it would with other foods in an attempt to digest it. Therefore you spend more calories digesting high fiber foods than you do refined carbohydrates.

Science says that fiber can up your fat burn as much as 30%.

If most of your calories come from fibrous foods then you gain less weight over time. My recommendation is at least 25 grams a day, that’s roughly three servings of fruits and vegetables in a day.

5. Sitting Is a Sickness - Get Cured!

Let’s not sugarcoat it. Prolonged sitting for years will kill you sooner than you thought (Photo: iStock) 

Sitting is a good break from a busy day but considering most of us spend the entire work day at a desk, followed by downtime in front of the TV, one has to wonder, how is sitting affecting our bodies? The answer will shock you.

If you sit 11 hours or more in a day, you have a 40% increased risk of death in the next 3 years as compared to people who sit 4 hours or less! Not just that, if everybody sat for no more than 3 hours a day, the average lifespan would rise by 2 years!

(Ritika Samaddar lives by the mantra, ‘Eating healthy and living every moment to its fullest’. She is the Regional Head of Dietetics at Max Healthcare with over 17 years of experience in the field of Nutrition.)