The Metabolism Hack!

Let's first discuss what metabolism is. Metabolism is a big word for how our body breaks down what we eat and drink and then turns it into energy. Our body needs energy for everything it does, including things we may not think about, like keeping our hormone levels right, repairing cells in our body, and, yes, breathing! The faster your metabolism, the more calories your body will burn. If your metabolism gets out of whack, it can lead to disease. Therefore, keeping your metabolism working at a healthy rate is vital.

Here are a few ways to boost or hack your metabolism. :-)

1. Don’t skip breakfast and eat more often

Your body needs energy and fuel when you wake up in the morning. Therefore break the fast and give your body the nutrients to replenish your body to be alert and have energy—snack throughout the day with healthy snacks. Eating 5-6 times a day by snacking in between meals will let your body know that you're not going to starve it, and your metabolism will increase.

2. Eat fat-burning foods

Keep it spicy, eat more protein, and eat more foods that burn fat. My favorite is avocadoes. Even though they're considered high in fat & calories, it burns belly fat! They also turn off hunger and are perfect when paired with your workout. It's a good fat for your body. There's plenty of protein and fiber to help you build muscle and burn fat. A few others are walnuts, Salmon, whole grains, grapefruits, and coconut oil.

3. Exercise

Yes, I said it! Exercise is a must for your overall health. Cardio training burns more calories quickly, but weight training adds muscle mass to your body. It will continue to burn calories long after your workout is over. This was the missing piece for me for a long time. Once I realized this, it was the game changer in achieving the goals that I have thus far. Therefore mix it up and add weights.

4. Drink water

Water is life, and we have to drink it. If your body is just mildly dehydrated, it will slow your metabolism, and our bodies need water to process calories. A good gauge of how much to drink would be half your body weight in ounces.

5. Get some rest

A lack of sleep kills dreams physically, mentally, and financially. Our bodies need rest, and a lack of sleep slows your metabolism down, packs on pounds, and affects your decision-making process.

As you can see, these tips aren't hacks; they are things we should be doing anyway to have healthy bodies. Speed up your metabolism, and let's hack our way to health!

~Pam McCray

"Fit Coach"