As winter arrives and the cold weather rolls in, it gets a lot harder to kick-start your weight loss drive.
Be that as it may, the minds at MH have got your back with five essential tips to set your fat-burning genes to autopilot. With a few minor changes, you can get your body doing the legwork for you, ensuring more time to chill in the winter months.
(Not so) slow and steady
These days steady state cardio gets a bad rap – but it's still excellent for cranking up your metabolism for hours at a time. "Get above 85% of your max heart rate and you see a significant rise in post-exercise metabolism," says PT Christian Finn. "Try cycling for 40-45 mins at 85% of your max heart rate, it's an uncomplicated way of burning hudreds of extra calories." Maybe we're playing pretty fast and loose with the term 'easy', but there's a reason Chris Froome hasn't got a spare tyre. On yer bike.
Spice up your life
Tucking into a spicy curry has fast become one of the nation's favourite pastimes – and for good reason. A study published in the journal Human Nutrition Clinical Nutrition found that the capsaicin contained in red chillies packs enough punch to send your fat burning into overdrive. Now there really is no excuse for ordering a korma.
The golden ratio
Plates piled high with pasta bring your metabolism to a carb-induced halt, but up your portions of protein and you'll see your weight loss rate rocket. Protein has a higher thermogenic effect than carbohydrate or fat, which means your body needs to expend more energy digesting it. "If you're having spaghetti bolognese, replace a spoonful of pasta with one of mince and your metabolic rate will be raised long after the meal has finished," says Finn. Balance your meals at 1/2 protein, 1/4 carbs and 1/4 veg to see fat fall off.
Above Average Joe
While tucking into a cream-topped frappucino is a dieter's death sentence a proper brew is perfect for perking up your metabolism in the morning. Research presented in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that the caffeine in coffee significantly increases fat oxidation and metabolic rate for up to 3hrs after your final sip
Pretty NEAT moves
NEAT or non-exercise activity thermogenesis is scientific spiel for tapping your feet. According to recent studies it may be all you need to boost your fat-burning throughout the day. "There’s a lot of interesting research at the moment about the effect of constant movement, no matter how small, on weight loss," says Finn. The Archives of Internal Medicine found that even trivial physical activities increase metabolic rate substantially, and simply switching from lying down to sitting up burns 25 percent more calories. Every little helps.
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