Diet accelerating metabolism (menus, rules, recipes), how to eat to lose weight?

Adiet that speeds up metabolism, that is metabolism filled with products that stimulate our body to burn calories more intensively, is a patent for losing weight without counting calories, without hunger and without eating monotony. However, the reduction of excess weight is not the only positive effect of following this diet. Thanks to this diet we can improve our health and improve the functioning of the whole organism, including regulating the carbohydrate metabolism, improving the digestive system, lowering cholesterol, preventing fatty degeneration of internal organs. If your slow metabolism prevents you from losing weight or has a negative effect on your health, read our article and learn how to increase the metabolic rate with simple changes in the diet.

What is metabolism?

Metabolism is a set of biochemical processes occurring in the body, necessary for growth and development of cells and maintenance of all vital functions and accompanying these processes with continuous energy transformations. Metabolic reactions are divided into catabolic (reactions of breaking down larger, more complex molecules into smaller, simpler ones) and anabolic (reactions of growth, that is, combining smaller molecules into larger, more complex ones).

The term “metabolism” (used interchangeably with the term “metabolism”) is extremely broad and refers to all processes occurring in our body, including, among others, respiration, maintaining proper body temperature, digestion (and the breakdown of nutrients into smaller particles) or the removal of waste substances from the body. However, we most often use it in the context of the rate at which the body burns calories and an individual’s tendency to gain or lose weight.

Metabolism and its influence on weight loss

In the case of slow metabol ism, the body spends energy sparingly and pushes any excess into fat reserves, causing the phenomenon of weight gain. On the other hand, in the case of fast metabolism, the body uses energy intensively, calories supplied in food are burned on an ongoing basis, reserves in the form of fat tissue are practically not accumulated, body weight remains at the same level or even falls (if the need for energy is even greater than the amount of calories supplied in food).

Each of us has some inborn predisposition for fast or slow metabolism. There are people who can consume very large amounts of food and still remain slim. There are also people (and there are the vast majority of them) who have to watch their calories at every step, beware of any excess meals, too large portions of food, sweets, processed foods, etc., because any deviation from the dietary menu immediately results in weight gain.

The good news is that the metabolic rate is only to some extent dependent on genetics. Several other factors, including age and lifestyle, also contribute to its speed. Most importantly for those struggling with a metabolism that is too slow, there are effective and easy ways to speed it up, thus halting the weight gain process and burning excess body fat.

Factors influencing the metabolic rate

• age (the older we are, the slower the metabolism),
• level of physical activity (sedentary lifestyle slows down metabolism significantly),
• ambient temperature, climate in which we live,
• the content of meals (some foods have a thermogenic effect and cause postprandial elevation of body temperature, which helps to increase the metabolic rate),
• style of eating – number and frequency of meals (if we want to permanently speed up metabolism, 5 small meals a day will be better for us than 2-3 rich ones),
• composition of meals (processed food is a killer of fast metabolism, protein products, vegetables, fruits, healthy vegetable fats are the allies of fast metabolism),
• the amount of liquids consumed, especially water,
• disturbances in the hormonal balance,
• too little sleep, chronic stress.

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What are the characteristics of slow and fast metabolism?

We associate the term ‘fast metabolism’ with owners of ultra-slim figures who can eat for two, where there are no folds of skin or any traces of accumulated fat. However, there are more signs of fast metabolism and they concern not only the level of fat tissue, but also other aspects of the body’s functioning.

Symptoms of fast metabolism

• frequent, almost constant feeling of hunger, even shortly after a meal,
• difficulty in gaining weight, even when trying to increase the quantity and caloric value of meals,
• fast, regular bowel movements, trouble-free elimination of toxins and by-products of metabolism from the body, and as a result – better health, fewer diseases, infections and allergies, a nicer appearance of the skin,
• energy, liveliness,
• nervousness,
• sweating, feeling hot, elevated body temperature,
• faster breathing, faster heart rate,
• trouble sleeping.

Attention, although on one hand fast metabolism is connected with efficient cleansing of the body from toxins and other unnecessary substances and affects vitality, good health and well-being, on the other hand too fast metabolism is also an inadvisable phenomenon.

A very high metabolic rate leads to an excessive expenditure of energy and increases the risk of cell damage by free radicals. This can lead to an acceleration of the ageing process. That is why people with an excessively fast metabolism should take care to balance the rate of metabolism.

A much more common phenomenon is a too slow metabolism, characterised by an extremely sparing use of energy and a meticulous accumulation of fat reserves.

Symptoms of slow metabolism

• a tendency to put on weight,
• weight spikes even when eating so-called normal food, which does not exceed the daily calorie requirements for the given age, gender and lifestyle,
• difficulty in losing the excess weight, despite training and dieting,
• excessive craving for sweets,
• reduced energy levels,
• frequent feeling of fatigue and sleepiness,
• excessive dryness of the skin,
• hair loss and deterioration of hair condition,
• weak nails.

Along with slow metabolism, problems with concentration and memory, deterioration of mental fitness, decrease in physical condition, apathy, bad mood may also appear.

How to speed up metabolism and start losing weight more efficiently – 3 key methods

We can effectively speed up metabolism by using several proven methods. Our task is to mobilize the body to burn calories more intensively and more often reach for fat reserves to obtain energy.

There are 3 proven ways to turn up the metabolic rate, one of them being physical activity. It is worth knowing that some types of workouts give much more spectacular effects in this field, others less so.

The second way is to take diet supplements with thermogenic properties (they are usually used in combination with physical training). Thermogenics increase the production of heat by the body, forcing it to spend more energy, thus increasing the burning of calories.

The third way to speed up metabolism is an appropriately composed diet, but before we move on to it, it is worth saying a few words about physical activity which has a significant impact on our metabolism.

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How to speed up the metabolism through physical activity? Do we need strenuous workouts?

Intensive strength or interval training can be an extremely effective way to permanently increase metabolism. They have the advantage that they significantly increase the body’s energy expenditure not only during exercise, but also for many hours afterwards.

However, not everyone wants or can indulge in strenuous training plans. And also does not have to use them at all. Lighter forms of activity, such as cardio training, can also be a way to speed up metabolism, admittedly to a slightly lower degree, but still. Even walks in the park, dancing or dynamic cleaning are forms of exercise that promote increased metabolism.

The main thing is not to remain at a complete standstill for too long, and to treat yourself to at least small forms of activity as often as possible. Immobility is unfortunately a great ally of slow metabolism.

Metabolism-accelerating diet – rules

A diet to speed up metabolism will help us burn calories more effectively and “take care” of accumulated fat tissue. All we have to do is to learn how to choose the right ingredients in our menu and to introduce the habit of regular eating, if it has not been our habit so far.

Diet to speed up metabolism has the advantage that it is rich, colorful and interesting. It avoids monotony, does not introduce great restrictions and does not torment us with starving portions of food or low-calorie, characterless dishes.

Here are the most important rules of a diet that speeds up metabolism. Let’s find out what to eat and how to eat it, so that our metabolism serves the slim figure:

• We eat a decent breakfast, which does not lack protein products, fiber products (oatmeal, wholemeal bread or other whole grain products), as well as vegetables and fruits. You can also have a glass of water with lemon or other citrus juice before breakfast.

• Each day we eat 5 small meals (except breakfast, which should be more substantial) – breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Meals should satisfy hunger but not cause the effect of overeating.

• Try to keep regular intervals of about 3 hours between meals. This is an effective way to maintain a high metabolic rate. Do not take longer than 4,5 hours between meals, otherwise your metabolism will slow down considerably. The last meal should be eaten about 3 hours before going to bed.

• Drink about 1.5-2 l of mineral water every day. Divide this amount into smaller portions and drink between meals. Systematic water supplementation is not only a way to speed up the metabolism, but also to hydrate the body and block the excessive appetite.

• At least once a day we try to treat ourselves to a cup of drink with properties accelerating metabolism. It can be a vegetable and fruit cleansing cocktail from a blender, a good quality juice, for example from grapefruits or an herbal infusion – yerba mate, hake, green tea, purge, tea with ginger and lemon, etc.

• We try to add to most meals of the day products containing large amounts of protein: cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt, buttermilk, eggs, legumes, as well as fish and lean meat. Protein, the most of all nutrients, accelerates metabolism.

• When preparing meals, we use a lot of herbs and spices (apart from ready-made spice mixtures, which usually contain large amounts of salt and flavour enhancers).

• We try to base our diet on natural products with the lowest possible level of processing. Instead of products made of white wheat flour (bread, pasta) we choose equivalents made of wholemeal flour.

Diet accelerating metabolism – recommended and inadvisable products

If our goal is to permanently increase metabolism, we should base our menu on natural food without trans fats, preservatives, flavour enhancers and excessive amounts of simple carbohydrates. A menu filled with processed food is the best way to slow metabolism, accumulation of toxins in the body and carbohydrate imbalance in the system. So the first thing we need to do to ensure fast metabolism, health and a slim figure is to change the contents of our shopping basket, in which the following products will be leading from now on:

Products recommended in the diet accelerating metabolism

1) Protein products. As already mentioned, protein has a great potential in the field of increasing the metabolic rate. It is due to the fact that the body needs large deposits of energy to digest and assimilate protein. Therefore, it burns calories with redoubled power. Recommended products containing large amounts of protein include:

• skim dairy products (cottage cheese, buttermilk, kefir, yogurt, curdled milk, skim milk),
• feta cheese, mould cheese, yellow cheeses (in limited quantities),
• eggs,
• lean meat (e.g. turkey and chicken breast fillet, pork and beef tenderloin),
• lean meats (e.g. poultry ham, pork tenderloin),
• fish,
• legumes (e.g. soya, beans, chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, peas),
• sunflower seeds,
• amaranth,
• pumpkin seeds,
• nuts and almonds,
• quinoa.

2. products from whole grain cereals and vegetables. Thanks to the high content of dietary fiber, they improve the digestive process, stimulate intestinal motility, and facilitate the removal of toxins and by-products of metabolism from the body, promoting fast and effective metabolism. Recommended fiber foods are:

• all vegetables,
• all fruits,
• legumes,
• dried fruits (e.g. raisins, prunes, apricots)
• groats (preferably thicker varieties),
• brown rice, wild rice,
• wholemeal bread, rye bread, wholemeal bread, graham bread, pumpernickel,
• whole wheat pasta,
• bran,
• oatmeal, rye flakes and other cereals,
• nuts and grains,
• linseed. 3.

3 – Spices. Many spices are natural thermogenics, which, by increasing heat production in the body, promote faster metabolism and intensify calorie burning. The advantage of herbs and spices is also stimulating production of gastric juice and bile, improving digestion, eliminating flatulence and supporting body detoxification. All the more reason to use them as often as possible in your kitchen. Particularly recommended spices are:

• chili peppers,
• black pepper,
• ginger,
• curry,
• turmeric,
• cumin,
• cumin,
• cinnamon,
• cloves,
• nutmeg,
• cardamom,
• mustard,
• anise,
• oregano,
• dill,
• marjoram,
• basil,
• apple cider vinegar.

Products rich in iodine, zinc and selenium. All three elements affect the proper course of metabolic processes. Additionally, iodine regulates the production of thyroid hormones and supports the work of this gland, accelerating the disturbed metabolism.

Iodine can be found in, among others:

• sea fish,
• Seafood (e.g. shrimps, crabs, oysters),
• seaweeds (e.g. kelp, spirulina, chlorella).

Sources of zinc include:

• eggs,
• Meat and offal,
• milk,
• fish and seafood,
• grains.

Foods rich in selenium are:

• Brazil nuts,
• mushrooms,
• fish,
• garlic,
• poultry,
• eggs.

In addition to those mentioned, other products that speed up metabolism are:

• coffee,
• guarana,
• red tea,
• pickled foods (e.g. sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, pickled beets),
• flaxseed oil,
• coconut oil,
• olive oil,
• peanut butter,
• dietary fibre.

Products not recommended in a diet to speed up metabolism (slowing down metabolism)

• sweets,
• crisps and other salty snacks,
• processed food (e.g. convenience foods, powdered soups, instant soups, ready meals to be heated in the oven or microwave oven, canned food, pâtés, sausages, hard margarines),
• fast food,
• fatty meats, fatty processed meats,
• lard, butter,
• white bread and products made from white refined wheat flour,
• coloured, sugary drinks and other products containing glucose-fructose syrup,
• alcohol.

Metabolism accelerating diet – the effects

The most important result of the metabolism-accelerating diet is that the body burns calories more efficiently and more often reaches fat reserves for energy, which results in faster weight reduction, more efficient loss of folds and a slimmer silhouette.

The duration of fast metabolism diet is unlimited, because it is a healthy diet, based on low-processed products, eliminating products that are bad for our body. So it is a good idea to permanently introduce eating habits consistent with the recommendations of this diet. If you additionally engage in physical activity, you can count on rapid weight loss.

Other effects of a diet that speeds up metabolism are:

• more energy and vitality,
• a better psychophysical condition,
• a better mood,
• regulating blood sugar levels,
• lowering the level of bad cholesterol,
• suppression of excessive appetite,
• better functioning of internal organs,
• more effective detoxification of the body.

Also check out our review of a supplement that supports a thorough body detox: Spirulin Plus

Diet accelerating metabolism – menu

Here is a sample menu in the metabolism acceleration diet for a few days:

Day 1

• Before breakfast a glass of water with juice squeezed from one orange
• Breakfast: pumpernickel bread sandwiches with a paste made of eggs, chives, radishes, sunflower seeds (seasoned with natural yogurt and mustard), lettuce, cucumber, tomato
• 2 breakfast: salad from a mix of lettuce, smoked salmon, paprika and cherry tomatoes
• Dinner: buckwheat groats, chicken meatballs in Greek yoghurt and horseradish sauce, celery salad
• Tea time: strawberry mousse, handful of nuts
• Dinner: wholemeal toast with mushrooms, mozzarella cheese and ketchup

Day 2

• Before breakfast: a glass of water with juice from half a lemon
• Breakfast: oatmeal on skim milk with peanut butter, banana, chia seeds and cinnamon
• 2nd breakfast: salad with grits, radishes, celery, peppers, parsley and beans
• Dinner: cucumber soup (with wholemeal pasta instead of potatoes), courgettes stuffed with minced chicken meat and mushrooms, covered with spicy tomato sauce
• Tea time: kefir and blueberry cocktail with bran, apple
• Dinner: wholemeal bread sandwiches with hummus, olives, cucumber, radishes

Day 3

• Breakfast: omelette from 2 eggs with oatmeal, feta cheese, tomato and chives, grapefruit
• 2 breakfast: sandwich with parma ham, rocket or lettuce and olives, apple, handful of nuts
• Lunch: brown rice, pork tenderloin with natural yoghurt sauce and prunes, salad with white or Chinese cabbage
• Tea time: dessert with natural yoghurt and cocoa
• Dinner: cottage cheese with freshly ground black pepper, cucumber, radishes, pumpkin seeds, a slice of wholemeal bread

Day 4

• Breakfast: porridge on skim milk with mandarins, pear and kiwi
• 2 breakfast: graham with cottage cheese paste, smoked fish and pickled cucumber, tea with ginger and lemon
• Dinner: broccoli soup, chickpea cutlets, carrot and horseradish salad
• Afternoon snack: salad with feta cheese and watermelon
• Dinner: grilled chicken fillet, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, paprika

Metabolism-boosting diet – recipes

Metabolism-boosting white vegetable cream soup

Ingredients:

• 1l vegetable or poultry broth
• 1 celeriac
• 3 parsley
• 1 large onion
• 2 medium potatoes
• half a cauliflower
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 kohlrabi
• half a leek (the white part of the leek)
• spices: salt, white pepper, nutmeg, ginger, dill

Preparation:

Cut the onion, parsley, kohlrabi, celery and potatoes into cubes. Slice the leek and garlic and cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Fry the onion and leek in a spoon of oil. After 3-4 minutes add the remaining vegetables, fry for 2-3 minutes. Add broth, cook for about 30 minutes until vegetables are soft. After the soup has cooled down partially, blend it into a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg and ginger. Pour into bowls, sprinkle with dill and roasted pumpkin seeds. You can also add a handful of croutons (preferably from wholemeal bread).

Spicy soup a’la Mexico for quick metabolism

Ingredients:

• double chicken breast
• tin of red beans
• tinned corn
• 2 cans tomatoes in brine
• 2 large onions
• 2 carrots
• half a leek
• 3 coloured peppers
• 3 cloves of garlic
• fresh coriander or parsley
• Spices: salt, sweet paprika, chili pepper, cumin, thyme, oregano,

Preparation:

Cut the chicken into cubes, fry in a spoon of oil, remove from the pan. Then, also in a spoon of oil, fry the onion cut into half-slices and the sliced leek. After 2-3 minutes add large diced pepper and sliced carrot. Add a teaspoon of sweet paprika, a pinch of chilli and oregano, fry for a few minutes.

Pour tomatoes in marinade into a large pot, add fried chicken and vegetables. Add drained beans and corn. Stir, adding a little water or stock if necessary. Cook for about 30 minutes, add pressed garlic, season with salt, sweet paprika and chili, cumin, oregano and thyme. Cook for a few more minutes on low heat. At the end sprinkle the soup with chopped parsley or coriander.

Diet dessert to speed up metabolism

Ingredients:

• approx. 150 ml of natural yoghurt
• 3 tbsp rolled oats
• 2 tbsp shelled walnuts
• 2 kiwi fruit
• 1 peach
• 3 Tbsp blueberries
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp strawberry jam

Preparation:

Roast oatmeal and crushed nuts in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes. Yoghurt mix with honey. Peel and dice the kiwi and peach. In a tall glass or goblet arrange the following layers: jam, yoghurt, oatmeal with nuts, yoghurt, kiwi, yoghurt, peach, yoghurt, flakes with nuts, yoghurt, blueberries.