Turn yourself into a fat-burning machine!
Do you pile on the pounds just looking at food? Speed up your metabolism – the rate at which your body burns energy and calories – and it will help you lose weight. As we get older, our metabolism slows by about 3 per cent a year, but happily there are ways to roll back the years. Read on...
1. Have a big breakfast
A recent study revealed that starting the day with a proper, healthy breakfast boosted the metabolic rate by an average of 10 per cent. Other research has backed this up, finding that people who skip breakfast have lower metabolic rates.
2. Eat spicy food
Ingredients such as mustard and chilli peppers are believed to raise the metabolism for up to 50 per cent for up to three hours after you eat them. This is because hot food increases our heart rate. But it’s no good just heading to the curry house and ordering a fat-laden Chicken Madras – the spicy food has to be healthy too…
3. Drink green tea
Sipping green tea has been shown to raise the metabolism by some 4 per cent. Scientists believe this is due to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols found in it, which help you burn fat.
4. Have a sauna or steam bath
The body burns energy trying to maintain its preferred temperature, so your metabolic rate speeds up if you subject yourself to high temperatures (as long as you don't have any health conditions that could be worsened by heat). This is equally true of low temperatures, though we don’t recommend prolonged exposure to ice-baths or freezing plunge pools!
5. Exercise
Exercise regularly and you will burn more calories even when you’re resting. This is because muscle uses up to five times as many calories per kilogram a day as fat does. High-intensity exercise that raises the heart rate will raise the rate of energy expenditure for several hours afterwards. Weight training builds up muscle bulk, which boosts the metabolism by around 15 per cent. A study at Limburgh University in Holland found that the average daily metabolic rate increased by 9.5 per cent as a result of twice-weekly strength training.
6. Eat sensibly
Excessive dieting or fasting can slow the metabolism because the body prepares itself for famine and tries to conserve energy preserves, so eat regular meals.
Fat-burning facts
Men tend to have higher metabolic rates than women – they will usually be up to 20 to 30 per cent higher than the average woman’s.
Pregnancy increases the metabolism, as the body adjusts to both carrying the extra weight and to catering for the needs of the growing baby.
About 70 per cent of our total calories burned per day are used up simply by being alive.