We all know the things we have to do to maintain our health but rarely do we incorporate the little things. We try to go extra hard for a few weeks then lose momentum and end up right back where we started which is not good. If you get a little traction and then resort back to doing the same things then you'll get the same results. With that said it's the little tricks that can help fight time and push back against your slowing metabolism. That along with little things such as walking or jumping rope for 15 minutes a day or investing in a kettlebell so that you can do little reps at your own pace may help but also try to include these subtle changes to your workout routine and you'll be happy that you did.
1. Don't eat less, eat more but include more fiber and raw veggies. Don't skip meals because if you're skipping meals to lower your calorie intake you're training your body to slow your metabolism and it's the opposite of what you actually want. You want to train your metabolism to increase so add more fiber and raw veggies to improve what you're eating. Try this smoothie (beet smoothie) which includes beets as the main ingredient for breakfast. You can add oats to really fill you.
2. Drink green tea and add a cup of coffee to your day. The caffeine in these drinks is what actually works to boost your metabolism. The trick is to limit your intake because your body can become tolerant to the caffeine and it will loose the effect if you consume too much.
3. Eat spicy foods. Try adding cayenne pepper to one of your dishes 2 times per week but make sure you're using it moderately. You don't want to go crazy with it. This is the reason you've heard of that cayenne pepper lemon drink that celebrities use so faithfully. It's the cayenne that kicks up the metabolism slightly and the lemon purifies. You can try the drink too but I personally think it's gross but adding a small amount to shrimp with lemon butter sauce is great.
4. Sleep in a little longer and make the room cooler. For some reason cooler temperatures increases brown fat in humans and more brown fat means faster metabolism. Exercise also has the same effect. So for those in cooler climates try taking a jog in the cool brisk air or try sleeping with your window cracked for those who prefer to limit their exercise.
5. Add weights or resistance bands to your day. A simple trick that works well are resistance bands.Try bringing a resistance band to work and periodically throughout the day do some leg strengthening exercises. Do this with both your arms and legs. Do a set of 20, 3 times throughout your day. You'll be surprised at the results you'll start to see.