Metabolism, Stress & Weight Loss

Your metabolism is the engine that drives weight loss. Are you geared up for keeping your body health, or are bad habits throttling back your metabolism?

A fast metabolism uses more of the calories you eat to fuel your body. If your metabolism gets sluggish, that means your body uses fewer calories to survive, even if you still consume the same amount. Extra calories are turned into fat, which can increase your weight and lead to health issues. Eating too few calories can be as bad for your metabolism as eating too many. Balance your diet with care.

Here are three ways you can give your metabolism a boost and help prevent weight gain.

Get plenty of sleep. Sleeping helps regulate your hormones, which in turn have a big impact on how hungry you feel and how efficiently your metabolism works. The National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each day to feel their best.

Say yes to (moderate) caffeine. Drinking a cup of coffee can increase your metabolic rate for several hours after you drink it. During that time, the rate that fat is processed for energy increases. This is especially true for those who are already near their ideal weight.

Let go of stress. The stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine interfere with the body's ability to use carbohydrates for energy, slowing your metabolic response. Excess stress also slows digestion, encourages your body to store calories as fat and may lead you to make poor dietary choices. Managing your stress levels and stress response can help.

When you think of ways to boost your metabolism, relaxing may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But the effects of long-term stress can wreak havoc on your body's ability to efficiently use energy. This breathing exercise can help you reduce stress.

Step 1: Find a soothing location. Choose somewhere quiet and calm, away from distractions. Use headphones to cancel out sound if needed.

Step 2: Close your eyes and calm your thoughts. Focus on your breathing.

Step 3: Breathe in deeply through your nose for a count of 10. Hold the breath for a count of five and then slowly release it for a count of 10. Focus on counting or repeating a soothing phrase.

Step 4: Repeat this exercise 10 times. Make time to practice deep breathing daily, or use this technique to calm yourself during stressful times.

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