Did you know? Not getting enough of your beauty rest could take a toll on your metabolism. Here are a few things you may be doing to slow it down:
Related: 4 Ways to Get Fit Without a Personal Trainer
Not Getting Enough Water: Your body needs fluids to perform all of its functions. When it’s not performing those functions as well, it’s not burning as many calories. Something else to keep in mind: A lot of the calorie burn from drinking water comes from your body working to bring cold water to 98.6 degrees—so drinking hot water with lemon or hot tea all the time won’t be as good at boosting your metabolism as cold water will.
Skimping on Sleep: People who are sleep-deprived on a regular basis tend to weigh more than those who get a good night’s rest most nights. Why? Research shows it can throw the hormones that control appetite out of whack, making you hungrier and causing you to eat more. Striving to get a good seven hours, no matter how hard it may be, will do wonders for your health and metabolism.
Cutting out caffeine: Sometimes caffeine gets a bad rap but it can actually give your calorie burn a slight boost. This doesn’t mean that you should start knocking back the stuff like water but if you’re already drinking green tea or coffee most days, keeping it a part of your routine could help your metabolism run at top speed. Check out how our SuperFan Brittany Rowley debunked the caffeine myth!
Too Much Cardio: You know that exercise is crucial for keeping your metabolism fired up, but if you swear by running or indoor cycling—and only running or indoor cycling—you’re not building the lean muscle that’ll really give your metabolism a boost. Start incorporating strength training into your workouts to up your calorie burn even more.
