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10 Ways to Get the Metabolism of a 20-Year-Old

Instead of being jealous of people in their twenties who seem to have a superhuman ability to keep their weight low with very little effort, why not try altering your habits and lifestyle instead? Below, we've listed 10 excellent tips that'll boost your metabolism, helping you shed plenty of pounds, and keep them off for good!
 

1. Eat More Protein

Metabolism
Eating sufficient amounts of protein is practically unanimously agreed upon as being essential to maintaining a rapid metabolism. Conforming to a high protein diet will make you feel fuller after eating, and will even help you maintain more lean muscle mass. However, you can only absorb around 30 grams of protein in one sitting, so we'd recommend spreading your protein intake over multiple meals throughout the day.

2. Drink More Water

Metabolism
Drinking enough water is not only essential for feeling fuller throughout the day, but it can also lead to weight loss due to its beneficial effect on your metabolism. According to nutritionist Lauren Pincus, "it takes calories to process water, because everything we do takes calories,” meaning that "the more water, the more calories you need to expend." She recommends drinking around two liters of water each day, but this amount may vary a little, depending on your age and activity level.

3. Begin Strength Training

Metabolism
Experts agree that strength training two or three times a week can help build lean muscle mass. “A pound of muscle burns up to nine times more calories than a pound of fat,” according to nutritionist Lisa Stollman. “Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle mass.” However, after building muscle you'll also need to maintain it. “As we age, we start to lose muscle,” says Pincus, and “strength training not only builds muscle groups to burn more calories, but also helps preserve them and prevent loss.”

4. Be Mindful of What You Eat

Metabolism
Make sure that you take the time to actually savor the food that you eat, since research shows that the faster you eat, the more you'll end up eating in the long-run. This is because the hormone that tells your brain that you're full, cholecystokinin (CCK) takes around 20 minutes to begin sending signals.

5. Get Enough Sleep

Metabolism
Getting a good night's sleep is an extremely important part of maintaining an efficient metabolism. “Too little sleep appears to wreak havoc with leptin and ghrelin, two hormones that regulate appetite,” according to nutritionist Elisa Zied. “When you don’t sleep well, you feel hungrier and you tend to eat more and choose more nutrient-poor foods.”

6. Drink Tea or Coffee

Metabolism
According to Stollman, "caffeine can increase your metabolism up to 8%" and "brewed tea kicks it up another notch by boosting your metabolism by 10%." Green tea is even better, due to the added presence of calorie-burning catechins. It is estimated that drinking between 3 and 4 cups a day can actually burn around 50 to 100 calories due to the kick your metabolism receives.

7. Limit Screen Time Before Bed

Metabolism
A recent study from Northwestern University shows that being exposed to blue light from screens at night can impact your metabolism. John La Puma, MD, recommends ceasing exposure to blue light at least 2 hours before going to bed, and says that “it resets melatonin levels so that getting to sleep becomes harder, and too little sleep means weight gain for most people.”

8. Don't Skip Breakfast

Metabolism
Dashing out of the door instead of eating a healthy and balanced breakfast could end up slowing down your metabolism throughout the rest of your day. “If you skip protein at breakfast, you lose the opportunity in your day to feed your muscles,” says Pincus. “You can’t double up at dinner since your body can’t utilize more than four ounces at a time.”

9. Use More Spices

Metabolism
Capsaicin, which is found in many spicy foods, such as red peppers and chili flakes, can boost your metabolic rate by up to 8%. Nutritionist, Keri Gans suggests that you “sprinkle on red pepper flakes on eggs in the morning,” She also says that “you could even make fish, chicken, or lean beef a little spicier for dinner.” Just be careful not to use this as an excuse to start eating creamy curries and spicy fried chicken pieces on a regular basis.

10. Keep Moving, Even When You're Sitting

Metabolism
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that non-exercise related activity, such as fidgeting at your desk or tapping your feet while sitting down, can help prevent you from putting on weight. In order to easily integrate more movement into your regular routine, Pincus recommends to use a transitional or standing desk when working, or to simply get up and walk about for a few moments every half hour or so.

Source: rd
Images: pexelspixabaydepositphotos
 
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