Are You Doing It Right?

As the body grows older, our metabolism becomes slower and we need all the help we can get to boost it. If you feel tired easily or too sluggish to do your daily tasks, your metabolism is slow and you are in much need of energy to prep you up throughout the day. Not to mention the everyday onslaught of hormonal changes, muscle loss, free radicals, and stress – one can only wonder how to speed up the body’s metabolic process.

Most Common Diet Mistakes that Slows Metabolism

You are what you eat certainly holds true in this matter. If you are not eating the right type of foods, you are definitely not helping your body burn those fats.

1. You Cut Calories

You may want to lose extra pounds at the expense of not eating enough food. When your body’s on a starvation mode, it will preserve energy to keep you alive – which means slowing down your metabolism. Don’t skip your breakfast and eat light snacks to keep you satisfied and full.

2. You Ditch Caffeine

Ever wonder why people need a java jolt? Caffeine is a stimulant that raises your metabolism by 12 percent. If you don’t like coffee, you can opt for pure organic dark chocolate or tea – which are both rich in anti-oxidants.

3. You Love It White

From pasta to bread – you just love it white. Try boosting your fiber by switching to whole grains, fruits, and vegetables instead. Studies show that fiber can burn fat by as much as 30 percent.

4. You Hate Cold Water

Studies found out that drinking six cups of cold water daily can raise your resting metabolism, helping you burn 50 calories each day. The reason for this is because it takes more work for your body to heat up the water to body temperature.

5. You Skip on Iron and Protein

You need to make sure that iron and protein are part of your daily meal as they are both essential in burning fats away. You can always choose lean meat, shellfish, beans, or spinach to give you the nutrients you need.

6. You Miss Vitamin D and Calcium

Vitamin D has plenty of potentials – from building your immune system to making your muscle tissues stronger. You need muscles to help you burn those fats. Vitamin D also helps in proper calcium absorption and women need more calcium to help combat slow metabolism.

7. You Drink Alcohol

Know that alcohol slows down your body’s metabolism and its ability to burn fats. If you have a drink, try skipping on the second glass and hydrate yourself with water.

In the end, having healthy choices and good lifestyle habits will win. Carrying around some extra weight can be extremely frustrating, especially when you want to lose it. Instead of watching the numbers on your scale climb, try moving around and exercise with strength training programs that will help build better muscles for life. It’s Never Too Late!

Dr. Ann on Metabolism Boosters