Do
you want to lose weight, generate muscle growth or improve your
performance? An increased metabolism gets you to your goal faster and you
feel better and healthier overall.
Here
are five tips to get your metabolism going:
1. Only drink when you are thirsty. We are
often told that drinking a lot is healthy, but nobody really knows why. If
we ingest too much fluids without solutes like salt or sugar, we dilute our
extracellular fluids (those around the cells); this in turn means that we
have to go to the toilet more often, lose more salts and our body temperature
drops. Therefore only drink when you are really thirsty, hot or when you
are due to workout. Otherwise, excessive drinking is not necessary.
2. Monitor your body temperature and urine -
these are precise indicators of how your metabolism is going. A continuous
body temperature below 37 degrees is a sign of a slow metabolism. When
this happens, eat a salty, carbohydrate snack to get your metabolism
going. Also watch your urine: Do you have to go to the toilet often and
have light-colored, clear urine? Drink a little less and eat a little more
salt.
3. Your body is less stressed when it is given
several small snacks. When is this particularly necessary? Watch for
cold feet or hands, frequent urination, lack of energy, or sudden
headaches. It usually doesn't take much to fix that: just a small, salty
snack.
4. Eat enough carbohydrates. Low-carb diets
can slow your metabolism down regardless of salt or hydration. By the way,
glucose is an important factor in the intake of salt - this is also the reason
why many sports drinks contain carbohydrates and salt.
5. Eat enough salt. This will stimulate your
metabolism, provided you don't drink too much. Salt your food (but don't
over-salt it!). In no times you will notice an increase in your body
temperature, your concentration will improve and your performance will
increase.