If you are looking to speed up your metabolism to lose some weight, there are several natural ways that allow you to do that. You can simply eat certain foods that lead to a boost in the body's metabolism. The way you eat and your activity level also play a part in the body's metabolism level. By making a few conscious choices about these things, you can boost your metabolism on your own naturally.
B vitamins
B vitamins, such as B12, B6, thiamin (B1), folate and niacin (B3), are key in the body's metabolism. If there is a deficiency in these B vitamins in the body, a person can feel depressed and fatigued. The result of this is that the body's metabolism actually slows down. To boost the body's metabolism with B vitamins, you can take supplements or eat more foods that have these B vitamins naturally occurring in them. Some foods that have high amounts of B vitamins are spinach, beans, asparagus, poultry, melon, fish, broccoli and eggs. Multivitamins or individual B vitamin supplements can also be taken to increase the amount of B vitamins in the body, thus increasing metabolism. The recommended daily allowance varies by B vitamin. According to Nutrient Facts, the amounts are 1.5 mg for B1, 6 micrograms for B12, 1.7 mg for B2, 20 mg for B3, 2 mg for B6 and 400 micrograms for folate.
Magnesium
Magnesium is used by the body to boost cell energy that is responsible for the body's metabolism. If you have a magnesium deficiency, your metabolism will suffer. Getting more magnesium in your body can speed up your metabolism naturally. A number of foods are high in magnesium such as spinach, nuts like almonds and cashews, halibut, edamame, oatmeal, lentils, black-eyed peas and whole-grain cereals. Multivitamins typically have magnesium in them as well if you need to take a supplement to reach your daily amount of magnesium. According to Nutrient Facts, the recommended daily intake of magnesium is 400 mg.
Green Tea
According to Vitamins to Health, when a person consumes green tea, it increases the amount of energy the body uses in heat production by up to 4%. The catechin polyphenols in the green tea are the catalyst for this. The result is that the body's metabolism is increased when green tea is consumed.
Build Muscle and Exercise
According to Gary Miller, PhD, of Wake Forest University, exercise boosts the body's metabolism during the activity and for a few hours afterward. Using weights to build muscle also results in an increased metabolism because of the extra energy it takes the body to repair stressed muscles.
Eat several small meals
Instead of eating only three meals a day, Nick Flynn, PhD, of Angelo State University advises grazing throughout the day or eating several small meals. Eating several times instead of three times keeps your body constantly working, which results in the increase in metabolism as there are no low-energy periods for the body.
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