How to boost metabolism?

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Replies

  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    I've been researching different ways of increasing my metabolism so that my net calories are reduced. It definitely matters what you eat and drink. A calorie is not just a calorie! I'm a scientist by profession (although not in anything relevant to weight loss), so I've looked for info that is well justified by scientific experiment.

    Here is what I've found. I hope that all of you will add to this list and/or ask good questions that lets us zero in on a great set of techniques for increasing our metabolic rate. For brevity, I've left out sources. If anything is unclear, please ask! Good luck to you!
    -DJA

    Boosting metabolism
    ==========
    Exercise in morning increases metabolism for hours

    Green or oolong tea (caffeine and catechins), two to four cups/day = 17% more calories for short period of time

    Black coffee = short term boost of metabolic rate

    Protein: requires almost 25% more energy to digest compared to fat. protein can up post-meal calorie burn by as much as 35 percent. 1 gram per pound of body weight. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts, or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack

    Chile pepper: 1 tablespoon of chopped red or green chile pepper can boost metabolic rate by 20%. The effect lasts 1/2 hour. Recommend take 20 minutes before eating. The "hotter" the better. Chile pepper causes a thermobaric reaction — that's why you feel hot. It burns calories to make you hot!

    Eat small meals every 3 to 4 hours keeps metabolism cranking so you burn more calories over the course of a day.

    Ice cold drinks prompt body to burn more calories during digestion. five or six glasses of water on the rocks can use up to an extra 10 calories a day. drinking 6 cups of cold water a day (that's 48 ounces) can raise resting metabolism by about 50 calories daily

    Body needs water to process calories. Drink a glass of water before every meal and snack.Those who drank either eight or twelve 8-ounce glasses of water a day had higher metabolic rates than those who had four.

    High intensity workouts gives bigger, longer increase in resting metabolic rate than low-= or moderate- intensity workouts. Short bursts of jogging while walking are great

    Add muscle: each pound of muscle uses 6 calories a day just to sustain itself.

    Fiber can rev your fat burn by as much as 30 percent. Studies find that those who eat the most fiber gain the least weight over time. Aim for about 25 g a day—the amount in about three servings each of fruits and vegetables.

    CALCIUM: consuming calcium in dairy foods such as fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt may also reduce fat absorption from other foods.

    Watermelon: The amino acid arginine, abundant in watermelon, might promote weight loss, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers supplemented the diets of obese mice with arginine over 3 months and found that it decreased body-fat gains by a whopping 64 percent. Adding this amino acid to the diet enhanced the oxidation of fat and glucose and increased lean muscle, which burns more calories than fat does. Snack on watermelon and other arginine sources, such as seafood, nuts, and seeds, year-round.

    FISH OIL: EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids found only in fish oil, may have the power to dramatically boost your metabolism -- by about 400 calories per day, researchers from the University of Western Ontario report. Fish oil increases levels of fat-burning enzymes and decreases levels of fat-storage enzymes in your body. For the best metabolism boosting benefit, choose capsules containing at least 300 milligrams of EPA and DHA total.

    Actually, to boost metabolism you simply need to be more active and if trying to lose weight be sure the deficit isnt too extreme.
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
    Bump
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
    Bump

    No idea why that posted twice! Lol!
  • zombilishious
    zombilishious Posts: 1,250 Member
    bump to read later!
  • simplysassi
    simplysassi Posts: 137 Member
    Help ! MFP has my recommended percentages to be: Carb: 55%, Protein: 15% and Fat: 30%.

    I know those have to be off because even a small amount of protein (eg, chicken) takes me over on protein. What's a good /recommended breakdown of these numbers to get protein up and carbs down? I don't want to make my carbs too low though because - well because I love me bread and popcorn, and if I try to give that up I will end up gorging on it later.

    Any advice is welcome.
    Thanks.
  • OpenHeaven
    OpenHeaven Posts: 275 Member
    bump
  • mummytobeslim
    mummytobeslim Posts: 367 Member
    thank you great info
  • toysbigkid
    toysbigkid Posts: 545 Member
    Very interesting, thank you for the information.
  • StephyJarn
    StephyJarn Posts: 34 Member
    Amazing! thank you so much
  • schlange11b
    schlange11b Posts: 105 Member
    Help ! MFP has my recommended percentages to be: Carb: 55%, Protein: 15% and Fat: 30%.

    I know those have to be off because even a small amount of protein (eg, chicken) takes me over on protein. What's a good /recommended breakdown of these numbers to get protein up and carbs down? I don't want to make my carbs too low though because - well because I love me bread and popcorn, and if I try to give that up I will end up gorging on it later.

    Any advice is welcome.
    Thanks.

    Personally, I swear by 40/40/20 carb/protein/fats respectively. I find that to help IMMENSELY in not only increasing metabolism and weight loss, but also in building lean muscle. You can change it in your goals page, just check custom and change the percentages. :) Hope that helped!
  • toysbigkid
    toysbigkid Posts: 545 Member
    phentermine??? People die from that stuff. I thought they outlawed phentermine!
  • westn
    westn Posts: 18 Member
    Great!
  • arsalak
    arsalak Posts: 40 Member
    phentermine??? People die from that stuff. I thought they outlawed phentermine!
    It is not used in UK at all. So I am not sure why people are taking it in US. I am very surprised about it. Only medicine which is recommended is Orlistat.
  • hsrunningmom
    hsrunningmom Posts: 134 Member
    Bump.
  • simplysassi
    simplysassi Posts: 137 Member
    @schlange11.... Thanks for that info. I can see based on your profile/pic/and results that you know much about this. I appreciate the help.
  • pdkc1
    pdkc1 Posts: 14
    Thanks! Bump!
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
    phentermine??? People die from that stuff. I thought they outlawed phentermine!
    It is not used in UK at all. So I am not sure why people are taking it in US. I am very surprised about it. Only medicine which is recommended is Orlistat.
    Fen-Phen is deadly and was taken off the market, not Phentermine. Phentermine is a drug that's been approved by the FDA since 1952. I think 60 years is long enough to be sure that under a physician's care, one might be able to safely take this drug.
  • thegoya
    thegoya Posts: 100 Member
    Bump
  • CoachB6
    CoachB6 Posts: 35 Member
    While you may be skeptical to some of these, there are things on this list that are true!

    Also in regards to ice cold water, it also ups your metabolism because the water naturally cools your internal temperature. In turn, your body has to "work" to get back to a normal temperature...hence more calorie burn.
  • smcesko
    smcesko Posts: 126 Member
    Thanks for the post!
  • lilababb
    lilababb Posts: 1 Member
    bump
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Chile pepper: 1 tablespoon of chopped red or green chile pepper can boost metabolic rate by 20%. The effect lasts 1/2 hour. Recommend take 20 minutes before eating. The "hotter" the better. Chile pepper causes a thermobaric reaction — that's why you feel hot. It burns calories to make you hot!

    This is the same misinterpretation that allows the infrared sauna makers to claim their products burn calories. Just because you feel hot and are sweating doesn't mean your metabolic rate has increased. The active ingredient in most hot peppers passes through your body undigested - why do you think you get ring sting after eating really spicy food?
  • nannabannana
    nannabannana Posts: 780
    bump for later reading..Sounds like a lot of good info..
  • lissrn
    lissrn Posts: 60 Member
    bump
  • offthedeependay
    offthedeependay Posts: 435 Member
    good read
  • kittymoney
    kittymoney Posts: 115 Member
    good
  • LadyRush
    LadyRush Posts: 95 Member

    FISH OIL: EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids found only in fish oil, may have the power to dramatically boost your metabolism -- by about 400 calories per day, researchers from the University of Western Ontario report. Fish oil increases levels of fat-burning enzymes and decreases levels of fat-storage enzymes in your body. For the best metabolism boosting benefit, choose capsules containing at least 300 milligrams of EPA and DHA total.

    I take this for depression. I have, uh, oily stools. I don't know if my body isn't absorbing the pills or other fats I'm eating.

    Make sure you are taking the fish oil with a meal and you can also add a digesive enzyme to help your body digest the fish oil...
  • gsdx7
    gsdx7 Posts: 14 Member
    Exercise in the morning,is also what my doctor has told me. I find this to be true, Set you clocks to get up 45 min. early and walk 30 you will fill great all morning long
  • sma83
    sma83 Posts: 479 Member
    bump...thanks for the info
  • boys3girl1
    boys3girl1 Posts: 4
    Bump:smile::smile:

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