ADN

Being in good health is all the rage these days, as it should be...Please use this thread to share your little to no effort tips on having a healthier life, be it by eating, exercising, or that little extra to push you over your hump, and to make sure you're on AF for as long as possible...

:)

I am a first hand example of what increasing your metabolism will do for weight loss and building muscle...Here's a tip:

Have Your Drinks on the Rocks



Ice-cold beverages prompt the body to burn more calories during digestion. Research suggests five or six glasses of water on the rocks can use up an extra 10 calories a day. That might not sound like much, but it adds up to a pound of weight loss per year -- without dieting.

Snack Time..!



When you eat large meals with many hours in between, you train your metabolism to slow down. Having a small meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours keeps your metabolism cranking, so you burn more calories over the course of a day. Several studies have also shown that people who snack regularly eat less at meal time.

Try fruits, yogurt, carrots, a handful of almonds, and whole grain items like crackers with cheese for example...

Keep Things Spicy



Spicy foods contain chemical compounds that kick the metabolism into high gear. Eating a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can boost your metabolic rate. The effect is likely temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red-pepper flakes.

Be Pro Protein



The body burns many more calories digesting protein as it uses for fat or carbohydrates. Protein may require almost 25% more energy to digest compared to fat. Although you want to eat a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can jump-start the metabolism at mealtime. Healthy sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.

Green Tea



Drinking green tea or oolong tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple hours. Research suggests that drinking two to four cups of either tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories than normal for a short period of time.

Avoid Crash Diets



Crash diets -- those involving eating fewer than 1,000 calories a day -- are disastrous for anyone hoping to quicken their metabolism. Although these diets may help you drop pounds (at the expense of good nutrition), a high percentage of the loss comes from muscle. The lower your muscle mass, the slower your metabolism. The final result is a body that burns far fewer calories (and gains weight faster) than the one you had before the diet. If you are on such a diet, make sure to get PLENTY of exercise..!

Work out in the A.M.



Working out in the morning has the benefit of revving up your metabolism for hours. The impact of different foods and drinks on the metabolism is small compared to what you need for sustained weight loss. Your best bet for creating a mean calorie-burning machine is to build muscle and stay active. The more you move during the day, the more calories you burn.

Snack smart! Some people say snacking is bad, but when I was on my regimented diet for gestational diabetes, I had to snack at 10, 3, and 9 as part of my meal plan. They were small snacks like an apple and peanut butter or salami and a cheese stick. I lost 6 pounds while I was pregnant. The day I got pregnant I was 6 pounds heavier then the day I gave birth to a 9 lb 3 oz baby. Snack and snack healthy.

Ps: My wedding ring finally fits again after 3 years of it being too small!