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Author: Tom Parker

Boost your Metabolism with a Well Planned Diet

There are a number of factors which contribute towards an increased metabolic rate. Exercise, diet and lifestyle all play their part. In this article I discuss how a well planned diet can super charge your metabolic rate and increase the number of calories that you burn. In planning your diet you first need to think about the meals you are going to be eating each day. Then you need to look at this diet and find ways that you can improve it further.

So first you need to actually plan your meals. Many people eat three large meals each day and maybe some snacks aswell. However, in doing this you are not maximising your metabolism. Eating three large meals which are relatively high in calories means there is a high chance that a lot of these calories are stored as fat.

What you need to do is break these three large meals down into five or six smaller meals (which are lower in calories). By doing this you are boosting your metabolic rate in two ways. First, each meal is relatively low in calories (compared with the three larger meals) so less calories are stored as fat. Secondly, your body's digestion process is called into action more frequently throughout the day and so an increased level of calories are burned each day digesting food.

But how do you convert your three meals into five or six? It really does not have to be that hard. Each meal can contain the core components of the standard breakfast, lunch and dinner, just with each portion being a little smaller. If you are not sure how small these mini meals should be, take a look at the food packaging which often serves as a good indicator. If you are still stuck I have outlined some basic ideas for small meals below:

1) BREAKFAST:- This is thought by many to be the most important meal of the day as it is the first thing that kick starts your body's metabolism into action. Some good options for breakfast include; fruit, whole grain cereal or whole wheat toast.

2) LUNCH:- This is another important meal because it boosts your energy levels midway through the day. Ideas for lunch include; half sandwiches (to reduce the portion size) on whole wheat bread, fruit, nuts or a yoghurt.

3) DINNER:- With dinner you have to pay particular attention to portion sizes because it is so easy to eat. Try to include a lot of vegetables and lean proteins in your dinners.

4) SNACKS:- Snacks are a great way to supplement your meals. Ideas for snacks include; fruit, raw vegetables and yoghurt.

As the above shows, you can still base your six mini meals around the traditional three but instead just reduce the portion sizes and use snacks as supplements. Once you have your meals sorted out there are a couple of additional things you can do to make your diet more metabolism friendly. I have outlined these below:

1) FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS:- This requires you to look at foods in your diet which can be substituted for healthier options. For example, you can swap the crisps for a bag of nuts or substitute a chocolate bar with a banana.

2) INCREASE PROTEIN:- Increasing the amount of protein in your diet can really fire up your metabolism. Studies have shown that high protein diets can burn an increased number of calories after consumption compared with diets high in carbohydrates. The reason behind this is that your body requires more energy to digest proteins so there is less chance that excess calories will be stored as fat.

I hope this article has shown you that a well planned diet can work wonders for your metabolism. An effective diet is one of the most important factors in helping you boost your metabolic rate and it should not be ignored. It is OK to cheat sometimes and have the occassional chocolate bar or burger, but make sure your overall diet is improved. If you plan your diet carefully it really does not have to be difficult to make the changes outlined in this article. Take action today and you will soon start to realise the benefits of an improved metabolic rate.

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