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If you're planning on having a tipple this long weekend, we'd suggest you opt for gin.

As well as being oh-so-delicious, a new study has found that it actually speeds up our metabolisms too.

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According to new research, which was published in Food & Nature, gin apparently helps our bodies to burn calories more efficiently.

The study, which was carried out in the University of Sigulda in Latvia, saw scientists give two groups of mice the equivalent of a shot of water and a shot of gin.

Image result for gin gif

The mice who were given water saw no increase in their metabolism, however, the mice who were given gin saw a 17 per cent increase in their metabolic rate.

One of the authors of the research paper, Professor Thisa Lye, said: "Consumption of gin resulted in a marked increase in metabolic rate, which indicates the spirit may have a slimming effect on the body."

Hands up who's having a G&T tonight?!

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Whether you just can't beat the bloat, or feel sluggish at the end of each day, there are a number of reasons why your metabolism might be slowing down.

So, to start you off on the right track this week, here are a few tips on how to speed yourself back up and feel as fresh as a daisy.

Don't skip breakfast

We've heard this time and time again, but it really is the most damaging.

"Starting the day right is key to revving up your metabolism and keeping you energised throughout the morning," Lindsey Passaic, a wellness coach, told Delish.

We know it can be easy to hop crawl out of bed and head straight to work, but you'll just end up munching on crappy food throughout the day, which we all know ain't great.

Food Gourmet on Top of Brown Table

 

Not drinking enough water

Ladies, drink ALL the water. It's not only great for boosting your metabolism, but it'll make you feel more energised and clear out your skin too.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that drinking around two litres of water increases metabolic rate by 30 per cent.

If it makes it handier for you, jot down how many times you drink water per day and try to reach the two litre mark if you can.

Fruit Juice

 

Yoyo dieting

Many of us resort to crash diets if there's a big event coming up, which is probably one of the worst things you can do.

You really need to get your head into the long-term healthy eating game. It's not about dieting or losing weight – it's about making sure your body gets what it needs.

So, cut out the crappy food, follow a sensible eating plan, and stick to a good exercise regime.

 

Bedtime

This can be super frustrating if sometimes you just can't sleep.

But, it turns out that a lack of zzzs can really mess with your metabolism. Michael Breus, a sleep specialist, told The Daily Burn that just 30 minutes of sleep loss makes you more likely to gain weight.

“The more sleep-deprived you are, the higher your levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which increases your appetite," Michael said.

 

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Most of us know by now that not all foods were created equally.

Yup, some are adept at getting our metabolism REALLY fired up – while others do little except slow everything down.

Still, with (whisper it!) Monday morning now looming once again, we're frankly eager to kick-start the week in the best possible way: and that means getting our diets in order.

But did you know that there are a load of metabolic rate rumours that continue to fly despite having somewhat questionable origins?

Here, SHEmazing! examines the cold-hard evidence so you can separate foodie fact from foodie fiction… shedding excess bloat without going hungry. Hurrah!

 

1) Sleep keeps you slim: FACT

Just one night of bad sleep can slow down your metabolism the next morning, reducing the energy you expend for tasks such as breathing or digestion by up to 20 percent, according to one US study.

On top of that, disturbed shuteye can throw off hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin, which means you'll be hankering for junk food by lunchtime. 

 

2) Breakfast is the most important meal of the day: FICTION

This is definitely a healthy habit – but those who eat breakfast are not necessarily thinner than those who skip it.

Actually, research has shown that there’s no difference in the metabolic rates between those who eat breakfast every day and those who fast until noon. 

 

3) Chillis burn calories: FACT (sorta)

Adding in lots of spice to your food is seen by many as a great way to burn calories and fat. And it's true – the spice does help… though not by very much.

Indeed, studies in the area show that even a lot of chilli only eliminates about 50 extra calories a day.

 

4) Weight-training trumps cardio: FACT

Since pumping iron increases your calorie burn long after you stop working out, it's by far the best thing you can do for your metabolism.

In fact, one study showed you can actually burn up to an incredible 450 additional calories in just 24 hours after lifting weights. 

 

5) Eat little meals throughout the day: FICTION

This trend has really taken off in recent years, but there is no evidence to suggest that eating your calories throughout the day is necessarily better than sticking to three meals.

In fact, some dieticians say the former is only a sure-fire way to over-eat and pack on the pounds. 

 

6) Green tea helps you stay slim: FACT

Ever since Victoria Beckham was cited as a fan more than a decade ago, dieters have eagerly been tucking into green tea.

And with good reason: although it only burns around 50 calories a day, there is research that proves it also keeps it fuller for longer – which is great for cutting out snacking. 

 

7) B12 supplements are requisite: FICTION

Lately a load of celeb-types (Rita Ora being just one) have been singing the virtues of B12 pills – or even injections.

But there’s no evidence that B12 actually has the power to rev up your metabolism. In fact, unless you have a deficiency as identified by a blood-test, you're wasting your money.

 

8) Black coffee ftw: FACT

Caffeine raises your heart rate so your metabolism actually starts burning calories immediately.

Better still, sipping on any source of caffeine an hour before your workout has been shown to help you burn around 15 percent more calories once you finish up in the gym.

 

9) Protein-loading is better than calorie-counting: FACT

The likes of chicken breast or fish is tough to beat, primarily because they take far more energy to digest than carbs or fat.

And that means you end up burning more energy while digesting. Plus high-protein foods contain amino acids that lean muscle needs to grow.

 

10) Eating late at night makes you fat: FICTION

Sure – if you're munching on fatty snacks late into the evening in addition to your usual meals, you're not going to be slim. But if you're just the type who prefers to dine at 9pm rather than 6pm?

Our slimmer Mediterranean neighbours confirm that alone will not cause excess weight gain.

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Believe it or not, your body actually doesn't want to store fat. 

 

And the secret to lasting weight-loss does not come down to complicated calorie-counting or weight-loss gimmicks. Instead, it's all about finding your body's own natural rhythms.

 

 

But sometimes it's alright to have a little help – especially when that help is from tasty fat-burning foods. Who doesn't want to lose weight while you actually chew your food anyway? 

 

It's the best of both worlds!

 

With these little wonders, your metabolism is going to get a major boost and you will be on your way to trim-ville in no time.

 

Here are our top picks:

 

Whole grains

 

 

Your body burns twice as many calories breaking down whole foods – especially those rich in fibre – so stick to whole grains rather than anything processed.

 

Lean meat

 

 

Protein has a high fat-burning effect: You burn about 30 percent of the calories the food contains during digestion. So a 300 calorie chicken breast takes about 90 calories to break down.

 

Green tea

 

 

Drinking four cups of green tea a day can help people lose up to six pounds in two months. There's a compound found in green tea called EGCG, that speeds up your metabolism after sipping it. Brew anyone?

 

Lentils

 

 

One cup of lentils equals 35 percent of your daily iron needs – which is great because 20 percent of us are iron deficient. When your body doesn't get all the nutrients it needs, your metabolism slows down, so make sure to carry a bag of lentils where ever you go!

 

Hot peppers

 

 

Capsaicin is the compound found in chilli peppers that give them their kick – and in turn heats up your body and melts additional calories. Sweet.

 

 

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Whisper it – beach bod season is officially in the offing. And if the prospect of slipping on last year’s bikini currently fills you with dread, fear not; there’s plenty of time to get in tip-top shape. But rather than slave away in the gym (boring), or limit yourself to meals consisting of lettuce and celery and little else (as if), why not fire-up your metabolism with these five easy tips…

Be a breakfast devotee

We’ve long been told it’s the most important meal of the day – and mammy was right for a reason: kicking off your day nutritiously is vital if you want to stay slim. Opt for the likes eggs on wholemeal toast, porridge made with water or a dairy-free milk (coconut, almond or soya), home-made smoothies, or smoked salmon and grilled tomato.

Don’t skip your caffeine hit

The jury’s long been out on the health benefits of your cuppa. Thankfully for sleepy-heads everywhere, heaps of recent studies say a – moderate – coffee habit definitely does lots more good than bad. It contains riboflavin and potassium, and – even better – it raises your metabolic rate, helping you to burn fat.

Fire up your food

Chillies contain capsaicin which naturally helps to convert the food we eat to heat. Not only that – but chillies reduce your appetite and encourage you to eat less too. If that wasn’t enough, the fieriness adds heaps of flavour to food, meaning you’ll be less likely to resort to unnecessary oils or fats during cooking.

Stay hydrated

Feeling peckish? You might actually be thirsty. That and dehydration slows down your metabolism significantly. Keep it active by drinking 2-3 litres of water daily, with extra brownie points if it’s chilled or iced: your body will be forced to warm up the cold water, burning a few extra calories in the process.

Eat more protein

You might think that green salad and soup is as good as it gets in dietary terms, but without a decent source of protein – think lean meats, eggs, avocados, nuts and fish – you’re not doing your body many favours. Protein helps you maintain lean muscle and keeps you fuller for longer. It also makes your digestive system work harder, fuelling a lightning-quick metabolis

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Now, this is news we like to hear on a gloomy Monday morning.

Food giant Nestlé reportedly has plans to create a drink or pill that recreate the fat-burning effects of exercise.

Scientists at the company's Swiss HQ say they have found a way to potentially mimic the actions of an enzyme in charge of regulating our body's metabolism. 

Nestlé's ultimate goal is to create a product that could help to burn fat without exercise, especially for people with limited mobility, diabetes or obesity. 

The enzyme in question, called AMPK, is like a "master switch" that boosts metabolism and burns fat when our body is low on energy, according to Professor Kei Sakamoto. AMPK is usually activated by exercise, but research has shown that there ways to activate it artificially.

So could it be a replacement for that dreaded Abs Burn class? Not quite – although the enzyme would help to burn fat, it won't tone muscles or give that great endorphin high that only comes after physical exertion.

"Exercise has so many different effects – a cognitive role and physiological function – we'll never be able to mimic all those effects in a single product," says Professor Sakamoto.

All the same, we wouldn't say no to a wonder drink next time the alarm goes off for that 6am spinning class!

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The mere thought of eating high-calorie food can boost your metabolism, according to research.

Scientists have claimed your metabolism speeds up when you believe you are eating something very indulgent and high in calories – regardless of how fattening it actually is.

Apparently, our metabolisms slow down when we we eat something our bodies believe to be low in calories.

Psychologist Alia Crum, at Columbia Business School in New York, conducted a ‘Milkshake Study’ to test this theory.

Dr Crum measured levels of the ‘hunger hormone’ – ghrelin – before and after a group of people drank a milkshake.

She gave each participant the same 380 calorie milkshake but half were labelled as containing 620 calories, while the other half were said to contain 140 calories.

Dr Crum discovered that people who drank the ‘high-calorie’ milkshake saw their ghrelin levels drop three times as quickly as those of the people who thought they were drinking low-calorie milkshakes.

The ghrelin hormone not only makes people feel hunger, it also influences the speed of metabolism.

The study suggested that it’s not just actual calorie consumption, but also perceived calorie consumption, that influences the body’s level of the hormone and, in turn, our metabolism rate.

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