If you want to lose weight, you should consider the following metabolism boosting tips. Your metabolism controls how many calories you burn while you are at rest.

If you have a sedentary job, then you seriously need these metabolism boosting tips. The good news is that you don’t have to become a star athlete to boost your metabolism significantly.

Exercise is one way to kick start your metabolism

Remember, I said you don’t have to be a professional athlete. You do, however, need to get your heart beating faster than normal. There are many ways to achieve this during your daily schedule at work and at home. You should strive to walk 10 000 steps each day (measure this with a pedometer). Walk up the stairs instead of using escalators and elevators. Make sure that you stretch every 60 minutes or so. This can be done at your place of work without drawing too much attention to yourself.

0 Breakfast = 0 Metabolism

The best way to ensure a sluggish metabolism is to skip breakfast. Not only will it slow your metabolism down,  it will help cause your body to retain fat.

Research has shown that most people who have lost 30 lbs or more have kept the weight off by starting the day with a balanced breakfast.

The key is to eat a balanced breakfast consisting of proteins and carbohydrates. The process of eating and digesting food burns calories. You will have more energy if you eat breakfast, and this allows you to burn calories throughout the day.

How you start your day affects the rest of your day in more ways than one. Pastries and sugar riddled cereals only cause a spike and dip in your sugar levels, and you will be hungry by tea time. They are also incredibly fattening and eat into your calorie allowance for the day. Protein is a great way to keep satiated and to boost your metabolism throughout the day.

[The cereal killer of your diet comes in a box]

Sleep your way to a healthy metabolism… AH!

Depriving yourself of sleep serves only to awaken your appetite stimulating hormones and will cause you to make poor food choices. This ultimately leads to a slow metabolism.

Sleep deprivation also plays havoc with your insulin levels, which results in a slower metabolism. You should strive for about 7-8 hours sleep each night. Lack of sleep is the catalyst for ghrelin which is your hunger hormone and 9 times out of 10, you will seek simple carbohydrates instead of more sensible choices.

Drinks for a fast metabolism

Green tea is beneficial on so many levels. It has health benefits and boosts metabolism as well. Green tea contains minimal if any calories, is good for heart health and is a great antioxidant.

Many people drink green tea to lose weight. Research has revealed that people who drink green tea instead of only water, experience a 3 % boost in metabolism. Depending on how much green tea you drink, you could lose about 6-7 lbs per year. Green tea has been shown to dilate the arteries and restrict the formation of plaque on the artery walls. So at the risk of sounding cliched, GO GREEN.

Spice and all things nice boost your metabolism

Spice up your food if you want to boost your metabolism. Salsa, chili peppers, hot sauce and mustard are known to accelerate your metabolism long after you have eaten. These spices also enhance your mood as they release the “feel good” hormones endorphins in your body.

Finally, not only is stress counterproductive to good heart health, it slows down your metabolism significantly. Stressed bodies often have slow metabolisms and tend to retain weight and calories. This is in spite of attempting to eat less to avoid becoming overweight. If you want to de-stress, listen to music, have a regular massage, go for regular walks, chill out with good friends and do breathing exercises.