There is a dizzying array of things that you can eat these days. A trip to the grocery store can truly be an adventure. Everywhere you turn, there is yet another food promising you a healthy way to lose weight.
Added to this confusion is that there are some foods that are beneficial for metabolic boosting, and some that are not; and the differences are not always well-known. Fortunately, we are going to tackle this problem right now and describe the basic food groups/types that are good for a speedy metabolism; because boosting your metabolism is one of the most incredibly easy ways to lose weight there is.
In terms of protein, studies have shown that having enough protein in your system can actually increase the speed of your metabolism. This is because protein is difficult to break down. Or rather, it requires more energy to break down. It is a bit like feeding the body a knot, it needs time to unravel it.
And, as you may know, when your body spends time on something, it spends energy (calories). And so the more time it can spend breaking down protein, the more calories it uses.
People will require different amounts of protein on a daily basis, but those who exercise and build muscle will typically need more than the average amount. The United States Food and Drug Administration Food Guide suggest around 50 grams of protein a day for a reasonably active adult. As a rough guide this equates to around 0.8grams per 2.2 pounds body weight.
Keep in mind that there are different sources of protein, some lean, and some high in fat. Fast food burgers may deliver up to 20 grams of protein (sometimes more), but they also deliver a great deal of fat; which makes them almost nutritionally worthless.
The benefits you enjoy from the protein are far outweighed by the immense fat intake; which, for some fast food burgers, can exceed 40 grams! And that is not including the fries (we will not even go there!). So try to ensure that your source of protein comes from lean protein, which you will typically find in chicken, and fish such as salmon, cod, sole, flounder and canned tuna (in water). Additionally shell fish such as clams, lobster, scallops and shrimps provide good sources of lean protein.
If you are a vegetarian, or simply looking for non-meat lean protein alternatives, low-fat cheese, legumes (lentils), and yogurt are all good sources. Simply check the food labels to determine if the source of protein is lean or fatty (does not deliver high fat content).
In terms of carbohydrates, there probably is not a more battered around micronutrient than this. It has gone from being the greatest thing in weight loss history, to one of the most reviled. And really, it is not the fault of the innocent carbohydrate! It is really just a matter of information and knowledge, instead of speculation.
The thing to try to remember is that when carbohydrates are refined, such as white bread and potatoes, they are what the diabetic world refers to as high glycemic index (GI) foods, because they require spikes in insulin in order to be digested.
As you may know, when insulin is released into the system, it promotes the storage of fat and some experts believe that it also pushes down metabolic speed (which makes sense).
Therefore, the good kinds of carbohydrate to consume are those that are high in fibre, and those from fruit and vegetable sources.
Why?
Because these sources of carbohydrates do not score high on the glycemic index. In other words, they do not cause a spike in insulin levels, and therefore, they do not promote fat storage.
So, for an easy and healthy way to lose weight, just make sure you have plenty of lean protein with high fibre carbohydrates, and you will find food lovers fat loss really become a reality for you!
Till next time, where you'll discover why building muscle isn't so scary and can boost your metabolism exponentially.
Bye for now
Sandra
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