As a Personal Trainer I have been aware for some time that there really are foods that will speed up your metabolism and help develop six pack abs?
Well, this will probably surprise the average reader but basically all foods speed up the metabolism to some degree.
“How is that possible?” you’re probably thinking right about now.
Okay well let’s take a quick look at just what is metabolism and how does it works. I’m hoping that this explanation might help you to better understand the process and how it can affect your body.
The first point that I want to make is that when you eat a meal, your body begins the process of digesting the food, drawing out the nutrients and processing them to help create energy that keeps your body functioning properly and running effectively.
Secondly, did You know that it takes approximately 4 hours just to absorb the nutrients? This is same for every meal that you eat. In a day, that comes out to 12 hours that your body is busy absorbing and digesting each meal’s nutrients.
My third point is that during the digestion process, our bodies are burning calories. This is especially true of foods containing carbohydrates and protein which take longer than other foods to digest. So you can now see that by eating, digesting and absorbing nutrients from the food, you are working your metabolism.
Does this mean you should eat more to constantly stimulate calorie burning so that we can get a set of six pack abs?
You are going to be shocked to hear this but, yes! But there is a condition to this now, so here me out. I know… hold on a minute before you eat that fat burger in hopes of developing abs. I have a bit more to say before you run out to a fast food place.
My fourth point is that when you skip breakfast or other meals, you reduce how quickly your body burns calories. What you must do is eat smaller meals more often throughout the day, so that you can keep your metabolism working so that your body is constantly in the state of calorie burning.
So for my fifth point, as I stated above, there are some foods that require more of your body’s energy to burn. The amount of effect they have on your body’s metabolism depends on the particular food choice. Caffeine, coffee, tea, chocolate and a chemical found in chillies are some foods that speed metabolism, but and I have to say this, only minimally.
As a personal trainer with over 20 years of experience, I have learned that carbohydrates and protein trigger the highest rate of metabolism. In fact, a protein meal can burn as much as 25% of that meal’s calories through digestion and absorption. Ah-ha! Yes that is the key. Protein meals! Let me continue.
While a high protein or steak dinner meal might sound all good, consider the fact that it would not provide your body with its required round of nutrients. Adding vitamin and mineral supplements is not always the complete answer either, because they do not provide the same quality of nutrients that are found naturally in foods.
Okay so let me finish by saying that your best decision or path is to eat well-balanced meals regularly that contain protein, non-starchy vegetables, low fats and very low on the heavy processed carbohydrates. This will help minimize fat production while keeping your blood sugar at a level that helps to burn fat and build muscle.
Here are the promised 8 foods that help speed metabolism and burn fat.
Chicken
Salmon
Eggs
Green Beans
Summer Squash
Cabbage
Asparagus and other non-starchy vegetables
And, of course, protein rich meats
Also, to help temporarily boost your metabolism by as much as 30%, I want you to drink lots of cold water.
Remember now, there are other factors beyond your control that can affect your body’s speed of metabolism, some of which include your age, sex and or any medical conditions that you may have.
Also, remember that these foods can speed metabolism, but the best way to lose weight is with a healthy combination of regular meals and physical exercise, especially those that build muscle because muscle burns calories too.
In conclusion, I want you to exercise regularly, stick with a diet of protein, non-starchy vegetables, low fats and very low heavy carbohydrates, and be sure to add some of those foods that speed metabolism, and I know you’ll soon see the results you want in the area of developing six pack abs.