Six small meals a day or intermittent fasting?
Here are my metabolism-boosting shortcuts: what and when I eat in a day and why it works!
Eat within one to two hours of waking.
Breakfastdetermines the metabolic pace of your day.
And when you skip breakfast altogether, you end up hungry, crabby, andcraving sugar.
Soon good judgment goes out the window, and youre reaching for the nearest muffin or sugary pastry!
No snacking between meals.
Forget everything youve heard about eating six small meals a dayits essentially scheduled snacking!
Every time you put something in your mouth, your insulin levels spike.
That sets off a cascade of hunger and stress hormones.
Among the harmful effects, it signals your body to store unwanted fat, especially around your waist.
To become a fat burner, go four to six hours between meals.
The key is to include what I like to call the"satiety trifecta"in every meal.
(“Satiety” is the medical term for feeling full.)
The only exception to the four-to-six-hour rule is when you work out.
Give yourself a 12- to 14-hour overnight fast.
The health and weight loss space has been buzzing about intermittent fasting (IF) lately.
Ive also found women to be more sensitive to skipping meals than men.
So obviously, IF is not for everyone.
Give yourself a 12- to 14-hour overnight fast to reap the amazing benefits of intermittent fasting without the drawbacks.
Drink a TON of water.
A refreshing glass of ice water canboost your metabolism up to 30 percent1andlower your appetite2.
Also, remember to stay away from those toxic plastic bottles, and stick with filtered water only.
Here’s what a day looks like on my optimal metabolism diet.
Breakfast
Upon waking, I sip on a mug of hot water with lemon.
Protein maintains muscle and keeps me energized.
The capsaicin in cayenne pepper revs upmy metabolism and helps keep my appetite under control5.
It alsodecreases inflammation7, which can further prevent weight gain while fighting premature aging.
Midafternoon drink
Its time for an unsweetened, decaf Americano with a splash of coconut milk!
Coffee helps you burn fat byincreasing your metabolic rate8andswitching on hormones that break down stored fat9.
Salmon is a lean, clean protein packed withomega-3s, a natural anti-inflammatory.
Wild rice is a slow-low carb that helps you feel full and burn fat.
(Remember, you need fat to burn fat.)
An hour before bedtime, I wind down my day with a large glass of water.
As you could see, rocking an awesome metabolism doesnt have to be complicated.
Plus, using thesethree ingredientsin every meal is the secret to balanced blood sugar!
