You may be surprised to find that the foods you eat can affect your metabolism and your mood. In fact, adjusting your diet can actually help you to give your metabolism a boost while elevating your mood at the same time. As you improve your mood, you’ll be better able to stick to a good diet and you’ll also see an increase in your self-esteem as well. Boosting metabolism will help you to enjoy more energy and will help aid with weight loss as well. If you want to optimize your diet so you can enjoy that boost in metabolism and mood, here are a few important nutrition tips to remember.
1. Don’t Skip Meals
One of the most important nutrition tips for boosting metabolism and mood is to avoid skipping meals. It can be tempting to skip a meal, especially when you are in a hurry. However, when you skip meals, blood sugar can drop, causing you to feel lethargic and cranky. Try eating several smaller meals throughout the day, which will help you keep blood sugar at a steady level. If you prefer to eat three meals, try adding snacks in between to keep your blood sugar from dropping.
2. Eat-in Moderation
Another great tip to remember for better metabolism and better moods is to eat in moderation. This is especially important when it comes to low nutrient foods. Refined carbohydrates, salt, food additives, caffeine, and alcohol should be avoided. Each of these low nutrient foods can actually decrease the metabolic efficiency of your body. Eating too many carbs can give you an energy rush, but then you will have a crash. If you eat too much salt, you can disrupt the body’s fluid balance and increase certain health risks too. It’s best to eat in moderation and to really limit foods that are low in nutrients.
3. Keep Hydrated
Keeping hydrated is definitely important if you want to boost your mood and metabolism. If you are dehydrated, you’ll begin to feel lethargic and sluggish. You should be drinking throughout the day, even when you don’t feel thirsty. If you start feeling thirsty, you are probably already dehydrated. It’s important that you at least get eight glasses of water each day, and more if you are extremely active.
4. Eat “Good Mood” Foods
You’ll want to start eating “good mood” foods, which will help you to give your metabolism and mood a boost. Foods that contain tryptophan, which is an amino acid, are known to increase the levels of serotonin within your brain, which can make you feel calmer and optimistic. Foods that contain tryptophan include bananas, walnuts, avocados, sunflower seeds, and dried apricots. You’ll also find that Omega 3 fatty acids also help to elevate your mood and they are known to reduce problems with depression and anxiety. You can find Omega 3s in walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and fatty fish, such as mackerel, tuna, and salmon.
5. Get a Good Balance of Foods
Last, you need to get a good balance of foods if you want to enjoy good metabolism and a better mood. You should be combining healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein when you eat a meal. A healthy, balanced diet should include protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. However, each person can vary a bit depending on stress factors, physical activity, sex, body size, and age. If you are not sure how to balance your diet, it may be a good idea to get some nutrition tips from a licensed nutritionist.
