Although metabolism is partly determined by our genetics, we do have the ability to boost our metabolic rate by exercising right and eating well. In fact, the morning is an ideal time to give your metabolism a kickstart because you’ve just woken up and your body is in need of food and water.
Many people actually have a very poor understanding of what metabolism actually refers to. When you work out, your body taps into energy that’s been stored in your body, but you also use up energy for basic needs like cell functioning, pumping blood or breathing. In short, your basal metabolic rate (what most people mean when they say their metabolism is fast or slow) is the amount of energy your body uses up when you’re not doing anything in particular. People with a “fast metabolism.”
People with a “fast metabolism” require a lot of energy to function normally, often tapping into energy storage (fat). People with a “slow metabolism” don’t require that much energy when they’re not being very active, so their body continues to store energy in the form of fat. Your metabolic rate changes with age, and it can depend on things like your gender, family history, and size (larger bodies use up energy faster).
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Below are four simple water recipes that are great for mornings and in between meals to help increase your metabolism. While none of these are going to change the way your body looks overnight, they can help to support a consistent metabolism.
Metabolism-Boosting Water Recipes
1.Grapefruit Water
This recipe features 2 natural metabolism boosters: grapefruit and rosemary.
Rosemary is known to be a potent antioxidant, but it also enhances your metabolism and helps remove endogenous estrogens. One study showed how rosemary extract significantly increased glucose consumption in certain cells.
It is still unclear as to why grapefruit juice helps with metabolism, but in a study done in 2006, obese patients who consumed 8 ounces of grapefruit juice before each meal lost about 3.5 pounds after 12 weeks.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 cups boiling water
- ½ grapefruit
- ½ grapefruit sliced
Directions
Put rosemary in an infuser and let it steep in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the infuser, squeeze half a grapefruit, then add half a grapefruit, sliced. Finally, stir and drink!
2. Ginger Green Tea
In a recent study, researchers found that overweight men who consumed ginger displayed a warming effect of energy in their bodies that metabolized food, leaving them with lower levels of hunger.
This water infusion also features green tea, which has been shown to also have thermogenic properties and the ability to promote fat oxidation.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp of ginger grated
- Boiling water
- 2 tsp of green tea
- 1 tbsp of honey
Directions
In a glass, put in 1 tbsp of grated ginger and add boiling water. Then put 2 tsp of green tea into an infuser and let it steep in the glass for 5 minutes. After you remove the infuser, add 1 tbsp of honey to the glass, stir and finally, drink up!
3. Ginger Cucumber Water
This is another great take on a ginger water infusion. This time, combined with the more mellow taste of cucumbers.
Ingredients
- 1 slice of ginger
- Boiling water
- 1 tbsp of honey
- ½ cucumber sliced
Directions
In a glass, add 1 slice of ginger and boiling water. Let the ginger steep for 5 minutes then remove the ginger from the glass. Next, add 1 tbsp of honey to the glass and then add the sliced cucumbers, stir and drink!
4. Lemon Ginger Water
In addition to metabolism-boosting ginger, you can benefit from the vitamin C content from lemon juice. Lemons also contain flavonoids, an antioxidant.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp of ginger grated
- warm water
- 1 lemon sliced
Directions
In a glass, add in 1 tbsp of grated ginger then add warm water and then your sliced lemons. Stir and drink up!
*Article originally appeared at The Hearty Soul.
