Answer yes or no to these top metabolism questions. For every yes award yourself 10 points. For every no you get zero points. Add up your points then see where you stand and get tips on how to improve.
1. Do you eat breakfast within one hour after getting up in the morning (drinks except for smoothies don't count)?
2. Do you eat 5-6 balanced mini-meals each day?
3. Do all your meals have more than 10g of protein?
4. Do you drink at least 64 oz. of water per day?
5. Are most of your meals in the 250-350 calorie range?
6. Is dinner the lightest meal of the day?
7. Do you eat a majority of your starchy carbs before 3 p.m.?
8. Do you eat slightly less on less active days and slightly more on more active days?
9. Are you strength training at least 3 times a week?
10. Are you getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night?
11. Bonus points: Do you eat mostly unprocesssed foods?
A score of 100-110 means you are doing everything in your power to boost metabolism. If you want to boost fat burning further try having green tea in the morning and doing a monthly detox for a more effective digestive system. You may also want to try a boot camp style circuit to build more fat burning muscle.
A score of 70-90 means you are doing great but could use some improvement. Try increasing protein by a few grams at each meal. Eat most of your starchy carbs and heavy meals earlier in the day and cycle your calories to match your activity level. You may also try getting a bit more sleep.
A score of 40-60 means you are doing the bare minimum so you'll hardly get results and the process will be frustrating. If you want to get your body in fat burning mode then never skip breakfast and aim for balanced meals of 250-350 calories (250 for the less active and 350 for the more active). You may also want to add resistance training to your plan and drink lots of water every day.
A score of 10-30 means you are not doing what is necessary to lose weight and burn fat. Perhaps you need to re-consider whether this is the right time to start a diet and fitness plan. If the answer is no then try again later. If the answer is yes then look at your zero score questions and see if you can work on turning 3 of those no answer into daily yes answers.
A score of 0 means you are not ready to lose weight. It may be the wrong time, too stressful, or too painful for you to make changes. Think about the reasons why you would benefit from turning some of those no answers into yes answers then see if you can try to make one positive change over the next month. Hint: Eating breakfast every morning would be a great place to start.
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