Keep your Metabolism Stoked with these tips from Texas Fit Chicks

Many of our clients (and me!) are between 30-50...those wonderful years where our metabolism s.l.o.w.s. down. Especially after the age of 35 - then, from what I hear, 40 is also another awesome milestone for the metabolism. There are steps we can take to rev it up and work against the clock! Here are smart tips on keeping it stoked....

Tips On How to Increase Metabolism:

Eat (a good) breakfast. Every. Single. Day. If you don't, your body goes into starvation mode. The heartier the better! Fill up on lean protein and complex carbs to get your day going and rev up the fire burning furnace (aka metabolism). Here's a great example of a power breakfast that will keep you stoked:
Egg White omelet made from one egg and two egg whites: half cup of mixed peppers and onions, plus a half cup of cooked steel-cut oats topped with 2T of flaxseed oil.

Include Protein each time you eat. Aim for about 30 grams of protein—the equivalent of about one cup of low-fat cottage cheese or a four-ounce boneless chicken breast—at each meal. Critical for maintaining lean muscle mass, and we all know that muscle burns more calories than fat, so we all WANT lean muscle!

Enjoy the magic of GREEN tea daily. The brew contains a plant compound called ECGC, which promotes fat burning. In one study, people who consumed the equivalent of three to five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent. Perfect for a mid-afternoon treat with a handful of raw almonds. Also great after dinner with a little melatonin for a good nights' sleep (be sure to use decaf in the evening)! For best effect, let your tea steep for 3 minutes before drinking.

Make it HOT - Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their mouth-searing quality, can also fire up your metabolism. Eating about one tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies boosts your body's production of heat and the activity of your sympathetic nervous system (responsible for our fight-or-flight response), according to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. The result: a temporary metabolism spike of about 23 percent.

Don't leave out your multi-vitamin - It's critical for everything to be in sync for your body to be at its best. Super important for us women to get the nutrients we need daily to stay healthy. Low levels of certain vitamins can lead to slower metabolism.

Make the workout count - Nothing gets the metabolism revved like interval training. At Texas Fit Chicks Bootcamp, all of our workouts are created with this in mind. Our chicks enjoy amazing results since our workouts are geared specifically for women.

Don't be scared to lift - So often we hear women say that they don't want to 'bulk' up, so they're scared to lift weights. Lifting is critical to weight loss! You've got to build lean muscle mass to change your body. Lifting also revs up your metabolism and burns calories long after the workout is over!

Eating small meals every 2-3 waking hours will increase your metabolism and reduce fat storage. Make sure that these are healthy meals containing balanced amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat. This meal plan is created with YOUR metabolism in mind! Stick to the guidelines and turn your body into a fat burning furnace!

Don’t Eat 3 hours before Bed. It has been proven that not eating three hours before bed reduces fat storage throughout the night.

The average Venti sized Frappuccino weighs in at 530 calories. This staggering number equals 2.5 bagels or one third of the recommended daily calories for an average woman. Beverages such as this contain high amounts of sugar should be consumed rarely since the extra calories they contain are readily stored as fat. (Think one a WEEK if you need to indulge).

During your workouts do exercise that incorporate compound movements rather than simple ones. This will not only help in burning more calories, but will also tone more muscle at once! A few good compound movement exercises include: squats, clean and press, dead lifts, bent over rows, and lunges. The workouts in this plan will help you get the most burn in the least amount of time. At Texas Fit Chicks, we make sure that our innovative (and FUN) workouts include both cardio and strength in the perfect balance for women. 

Ditch Soda. Millions of people drink an average of 2 regular soft drinks a day, which is a total of 300 calories. When you add these extra 300 calories up over a year, they result in over 30lbs of weight gain! Say no to soft drinks, and say goodbye to your unwanted pounds!

Fat free foods, when eaten in excess, will still be stored as fat! Fat free cookies and crackers are made up of a whole lot of SUGAR!

Set fitness goals for yourself, write them down and post them where you will see them every day. Your goal may be to lose 5 pounds, to lose 5 inches off your waist. Make sure that you are very specific with your goals, vague goals will get you nowhere. Our trainers will help guide you to your goals and keep you accountable to your fitness program!

Pump some iron! Did you know that 1 lb of muscle burns 30-50 calories per day, while 1 lb of fat only burns about 9 calories per day? The more muscle your body contains the more calories you burn each day. Resistance training has been called the fountain of youth – and it really is! Don’t be scared to lift girls J Lean muscle mass is what we all WANT!

Eat a small meal and wait 20 minutes before deciding if you need more food. This will give your stomach and brain time to communicate. If you have eaten enough food, your brain will alert your body and you will find that you don't desire anything more. If you are still hungry after this period, eat a small amount more and wait another 20 minutes.

Drink a large glass of water before every meal. It may seem like a chore, but drinking a large glass of water before eating is a great way to partially fill you up and prevent you from overeating.

Eating right when you wake up is vital to breaking the fast your body goes into every night. 2- 3 hours after you eat your body shuts down your metabolism and acts as if it needs to store food. In order to communicate with your body that it is healthy, well fed, and not in need of extra fat storage you need to start your day off with a small meal and continue to eat small meals every 2-3 hours.

Eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple sugars for a leaner body. Your body is in constant need of carbohydrates to be converted into glucose and used as fuel. When your body has extra glucose it will be stored as fat for later use. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, and vegetables, take longer to break down into glucose, and will therefore be less likely to be stored as fat than simple carbohydrates such as table sugar, or fruit sugar.

Make sure that you are exercising in your "Fat Burning Zone" during cardiovascular workouts by checking to see if you can hold conversation without breathlessness. Your body needs oxygen to aide in fat burn, so make sure that you are breathing deeply.

Water is needed for every function of your body, including the burning of fat. Try drinking a big glass of water in the morning, before meals, while exercising, and before bed. Drink up – it’s good for you!

Let's head into middle age and OWN IT - I'm more fit now at 39 than I was at 19. Check this out....

20 years apart. Yes, Age is JUST a number :)

Stay healthy chicks!

~Melody CPT Founder Texas Fit Chicks Boot Camp

Serving chicks in Dallas,Houston,Spring,College Station, Temple coming soon to Waco