Your body’s metabolism plays a vital role in weight loss. Metabolism refers to how your body burns calories for processes like breathing and blood circulation. How many calories you burn, however, depends on your individual metabolic rate. The faster it is, the more calories you burn.

If you’re looking to shed some weight, here are four things that you can do to speed up your metabolic rate naturally.

1. Eat more protein

Any food you eat will increase your metabolism for a short time after. This is caused by the thermic effect of food (TEF), whereby your body burns extra calories to digest and metabolise what you eat.

Protein is shown to have the highest TEF out of all the food groups, increasing your metabolic rate by 20 – 30%. Protein is also shown to keep you full for more extended periods of time, so you won’t be overeating or binging on snacks! As such, including protein in your diet helps you to burn more calories throughout the day.

2. Do HIIT workouts

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts consist of short bursts of intense cardio and strength exercises with periods of low-intensity recovery. One benefit of HIIT, which makes it a favourite for weight loss, is its ability to burn a large number of calories in a short period of time.

However, HIIT provides a high ‘afterburn’ as well. After a workout, your body goes through excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC causes your body to draw oxygen and burn calories at an enhanced rate to restore itself to its normal state. HIIT is shown to cause a significantly higher EPOC than other exercises due to its high intensity.

3. Get your caffeine dose

 If you’re a fan of coffee, you’re in luck! Studies show that caffeine in coffee can boost your metabolism by 3 – 11%. The same goes for oolong and green tea, which are shown to increase metabolism by 4 – 5%. Caffeine is also a fat burner, as it stimulates the nervous system to signal fat cells to break down fats in the body. This fat burning causes an increase in metabolic rate.

Furthermore, coffee and tea are low in calories when drunk without sugar or milk, making them a good beverage option for weight loss.

Boost your metabolism holistically

Taking care of your body as a whole is another method to accelerate your metabolic rate. If you’d like to enhance your metabolism holistically, there are specialised TCM slimming treatments available in Singapore to do just that. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a popular form of holistic treatment as it’s a natural approach to curing specific ailments.

Slim Couture offers a non-invasive TCM slimming treatment that uses specialised techniques to help you lose weight healthily. One of the techniques used, Guasha, uses a special apparatus that stimulates blood flow and circulation to increase metabolism. And if you’re worried about maintaining your weight after your treatment, Slim Couture offers post-treatment support with a comprehensive diet plan to ease your worries.

TCM slimming is an effective treatment to speed up your metabolic rate and improve your overall health naturally.

Nowadays, you can find many ways to lose weight on the internet. Just with a click of a button, you will be able to find countless diet plans, supplements or hacks to lose weight. But – not everything you read online is factual.

Here we have 5 effective weight loss tips that have been tested and proven!

1. Have an efficient amount of sleep

Getting enough sleep is an important factor when it comes to weight loss. When your body doesn’t get enough sleep, you are running on low energy and will feel lethargic. Studies have shown that there is an increase in late-night snacking and you will tend to eat foods that are high in carbohydrate, calories and fats.

Being fatigue will also decrease your chances of getting any form of exercise because you will be less motivated. It is recommended to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep if you are trying to lose weight.

2. Increase your water intake

Water suppresses your appetite as it fills up your stomach and helps you burn calories. Studies have shown that drinking more water has a significant influence on the reduction in weight loss, body mass index (BMI) and body fat. An extra tip – cold water will give you more impressive results as your body uses extra calories to warm the water up to body temperature!

3. Drink some green tea

This is different from the sweetened drinks you get from your convenient stores! Green tea is one of the healthiest drinks, but adding sugar in them would lead to more unnecessary calories! Green tea contains caffeine and catechin (an antioxidant) which have been found to help speed up metabolism, thus having a small but positive impact on weight loss. So if you’re limiting yourself to sugary drinks but have gotten bored of just drinking water, try having some green tea!

4. Manage your stress levels

When you are stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol which causes your blood pressure to rise. This will lead to an increase in your appetite and cravings for sugary food, causing you to overeat or eat unhealthily. Now you know why you always crave for ‘comfort food’ when stressed! So don’t forget to destress and take a breather when needed! Here are some ways you can reduce stress levels:

• Yoga
• Meditation
• Exercising
• Doing the things you love
• Breathing techniques

5. Take Spicy food

Numerous studies indicate that spices like cumin, capsicum and peppers can raise your metabolic rate while slowing down your appetite. Spicy food can help decrease caloric intake, reduce body fat tissues, and have been shown to fight obesity. But remember not to go overboard!

Conclusion

There is no short-cut when it comes to losing weight. Although the above suggestions made have all been scientifically proven to work, a healthy diet and regular exercise are important too.

In fact, you can try our TCM Slimming at Slim Couture to shed the extra weight. We incorporate Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques in our weight loss programs and provide post-treatment support to help you in your weight loss journey.

Cellulite forms and appears when you have too much body fat and insufficient muscle, and many try getting rid of it by spending thousands on liposuction or purchasing expensive over-the-counter creams. If you’re tired of hiding your cellulite behind long skirts and pants, check out our tips to help you reduce its appearance.

 1. Dry body brushing

Start your day with dry body washing. Lightly and gently sweep a dry body brush all over your skin before you step into the shower, starting from your ankles and slowly moving up. Always brush in the direction towards the center of your body as this gives your circulation a significant boost, eliminating toxins at the same time. Before you get out of the shower, blast your thighs with cold water to get blood flowing to that area.

2. Eat foods which tackle it

 Often, toxins are the cause of cellulite. These toxins not only decrease skin elasticity, but also lowers the rate of circulation in the body, causing cellulite to form. Therefore, eat as many bright-coloured fruits and vegetables as they contain the greatest amount of antioxidants, helping our bodies shed toxins. A perfect example of such foods is berries, so eat some strawberries or blackberries daily. Mangoes and bananas also aid in enhancing blood flow, preventing cellulite. Foods containing a lot of vitamin C play a significant role too as they increase levels of collagen in the skin, promoting elasticity. Such examples include broccoli, tomatoes, cabbage and spinach. Don’t forget about skin-strengthening foods such as chicken and avocados.

To add on, ‘diuretics’ foods also ward off cellulite. They help lessen the occurrence of bloating and fluid retention. Accumulated fluid can possibly stimulate cellulite so apart from drinking water, include foods like cucumber and onions in your meal. Avoid consuming processed fatty foods like cheese, sausages and cake as they contain additives, salt or a high amount of sugar which can cause too much toxin in the body.

 3. Exercise 

Apart from helping you to lose weight, exercising can get your blood flowing better. Cycling and jogging are deemed as effective as they target the thighs, bottoms and hips. You can also try squats to reduce the appearance of cellulite on your bottom and thighs. Other exercises you can do include lunges and kickboxing.

 4. Cellulite cups

This requires a specialised type of therapy which utilises a rubber suction cup to stimulate blood flow, creating more oxygen getting rid of toxins by getting the blood to flow. The pressure and suction from these cups loosen the muscles and will help to relieve pain too.

5. Avoid caffeine 

Studies have shown that caffeine can deteriorate your cellulite situation because of the adverse effects it has on blood flow. It also prevents you from getting sufficient oxygen and sufficient nutrients to the skin tissue. Limit your coffee taking by drinking only one cup a day.

At Slim Couture, we adopt Traditional Chinese Medicine practices to help you slim down. Our signature TCM slimming treatment will stimulate blood flow and trigger increased metabolism to remove body toxins, improve cellulite appearance and lose weight. Start your weight loss journey with us and achieve your desired body today.

To lose weight within the shortest time, most people resort to intense short-term eating plans, also known as crash diets. These diets are inappropriate for those with a history of eating disorders because of their restrictive nature. Furthermore, your weight is likely to rebound after you’ve finished the program, making these diets unhealthy, ineffective and unsustainable in the long-run.

What you’re losing when following such eating plans, is water weight, not body fat. Drastic weight loss in such a short period lowers your insulin level, flushing out glycogen which is stored carbs which hold three times their weight in water. Reduced insulin leads to your kidney shedding excess sodium, therefore resulting in a drop of water retention.

Evidently, following such diets will cause detrimental and adverse effects. Instead, here are 4 ways you can make changes in your lifestyle that can help you to lose weight in a healthy manner.

1. Avoid consuming carbs and more lean proteins

Research has proven that you’ll definitely lose several kilograms just by simply following a low-carb diet. Apart from being effective, this also improves your health. Don’t forget to eat plenty of protein as they can further reduce your appetite while boosting your metabolism at the same time. At the same time, increase your intake of lean meats, egg and fish! Try to eliminate starchy carbs and sugars for the next few days and replace them with low carb vegetables.

2. Opt for whole foods and shun processed junk foods

Eat a simple diet on whole foods which allows you to lose weight quickly. As these meals tend to be filling, it’s easier to consume lesser calories without feeling hungry. Aim to consume mostly single-ingredient whole foods and avoid foods that are highly processed. Your health can stand to benefit from eating low carb vegetables and lean proteins.

3. Try high-intensity interval training and lift weights

Exercise is proven to be one of the best and most effective ways to burn fat and at the same time, improve your appearance. A prominent example of resistance training is weight lifting, which results in a sharp decline in weight. Furthermore, lifting weights can protect your metabolism and hormone levels. High-intensity interval training, HIIT, is another efficient method. Research has shown that 5 to 10 minutes of HIIT daily can lead to more significant health benefits and weight loss, which are five times more effective than regular exercises.

4. Increase your daily activity

How active you are throughout the day, excluding exercising, also plays a vital role in weight loss and obesity. For instance, there is a huge difference of 1,000 calories daily between a desk job and manual job, which also equates to 90 to 120 minutes of HIIT. From today, make simple lifestyle changes like taking the stairs, going for walks, standing more, or even cleaning the house.

At Slim Couture, we provide Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) slimming procedure for an effective weight loss program in Singapore which caters to your needs regardless of weight and gender. Embark on your weight loss journey with us today as we bring out your confidence!

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