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Being 40 feels confident, happy and stable. Nice! Then you try on a pair of jeans. It’s a tight squeeze. You’re not losing weight so easily anymore and you feel completely tired all the time. Time to bounce back quickly before those extra inches on your waistline become permanent. Your new goals: eat varied proteins, keep your muscles strong (it helps your body burn fat!) and sleep well. In addition, try these supplements to help boost metabolism.
[Photos: Shutterstock]
Calcium
“Calcium boosts metabolism which can prompt your body to shed fat by providing small increases in thermogenesis,” says Dr. Luiza Petre, MD, director of the Medi-Weightloss Clinics. That’s just a technical way of saying your body heats up and revs metabolic function. “When combined Vitamin D, calcium is even more productive!”
Vitamin D
“Vitamin D works with calcium to slow the production of cortisol, a stress hormone that triggers fat storage in the belly,” says Dr. Petre. Low vitamin D is attributed to insulin resistance, which leads to hunger and overeating. Sufficient D helps leptin, the stop-eating hormone, function properly.
Selenium
Your thyroid is in cahoots with your metabolism. In fact, a well-balanced thyroid means you have a great metabolism. But when it falters your body can’t process or use food properly. Dr. Petre says the mineral selenium regulates thyroid function and subsequently your metabolism.
Green Tea
When you rev metabolism you burn fat faster. Dr. Caroline Cederquist, founder and medical director of the Cederquist Medical Wellness Center, says studies show that catechins in green lead to weight loss. “Take a supplement containing green tea extracted from the leaf,” suggests Dr. Cederquist. Prefer your catechins in a cup? “Supercharge green tea with lemon or other citrus juice because the acid helps more catechins survive in your digestive tract.”
