Proper Food Combining Tips12 Food Combinations To Help Increase MetabolismProper food combining is one of the best ways to increase metabolism. Eating the ‘right’ food in the right combination, at the ‘right’ time is one of the surefire ways to increase metabolism or boost a sluggish one to burn fat faster and more efficiently. While every body utilizes proteins, carbohydrates and fats slightly differently, proper food combining, these food combinations in particular, have been shown to be most effective. Naturally, you want to ‘stack the cards in your favor’ so to speak, so here are 12 best food combinations: 1. Eat protein for breakfast every day. Your metabolism can slow down by almost 25% overnight and is highest in the morning, so the best time to start burning fat is first thing in the morning. Eating lean protein (like eggs) first thing in the morning will kick-start your metabolism after an all-night fast. You’ll feel fuller longer and your body will have the energy boost it needs for proper brain function. Skipping breakfast on the other hand, signals your body to slow down rather than increase metabolism – totally counterproductive. 2. Eat protein/carbohydrate meals during the first half of the day and preferably before 1 pm. In the morning and early in the day is when your body needs the most energy and when carbohydrates will be most quickly converted to energy to be used up during the day. Be sure to choose low glycemic carbohydrates. Use the Low Glycemic Index Foods List to help you make good choices if you’re not sure. Eating carbohydrates at night is what makes most people gain weight. That’s when your body least needs (and utilizes) carbs for energy – it’s winding down for the day. Metabolically speaking, our bodies just don’t handle carbohydrates well in the evening. 3. Eat your protein/fat meals during the second half of the day to help control insulin. Eat healthy fats later in the day – and always with a protein Fats eaten later in the day, when metabolism is naturally slowing down, will help boost and increase metabolism. Heart healthy fats include virgin olive oil, canola oil, organic coconut oil and safflower oil as well as Omega 3’s found in fish oil, flax seed, olive oil, and nuts. 4. Always eat carbohydrates with a protein. Protein will help offset the insulin response created when digesting carbohydrates. Protein breaks down slower and takes more energy to digest, so always include a protein when eating carbohydrates. 5. Eat some protein with every meal. While carbohydrates raise insulin levels, adding protein helps to keep insulin more balanced. The elevated insulin level will take protein’s components and use them to feed and build muscle. Eating protein rich foods speeds up metabolism. If you eat a protein rich food you’ll burn more calories just digesting it than if you eat the same amount of carbohydrates or fats. Your body has to work a lot harder to metabolize protein than it does to metabolize carbohydrates or fats. Meat and dairy together can be bad food combinations for some. The combination of both together is said to be too taxing on most digestive systems and reportedly slows down normal intestinal activity. 6. Don’t eat ‘protein only’ meals or ‘carbohydrate only’ meals. Instead have a protein/carb meal or protein/fat meal. Combining protein with carbohydrates or fats helps control insulin levels. 7. Avoid carbohydrate/fat food combinations. Muffins, cakes, pastries et al are good examples of carbohydrate/fat food combinations – this is proper food combining gone bad! Carbohydrates increase insulin production and you don’t want the free fatty acids from fats floating around in the bloodstream to more than likely end up in fat storage for future energy needs. 8. It’s ok to eat a larger amount of carbohydrates (along with protein) right after a workout regardless of the time of day. This is one time of day you’ll want a larger release of insulin. Exercise depletes glycogen stores so you’re body will make good use of those extra carbohydrates to feed those hungry muscles and refuel energy stores. Whey protein shakes or freshly juiced fruit and vegetable drinks are an excellent choice here. I mix my favorite whey protein powder with a glass of diluted orange juice and a handful of blueberries for a great tasting ‘after work-out’ re-fueler when I’m short on time. Otherwise I enjoy concocting my own fresh juices with a juicer.
Here’s some of my favorite juicing recipes for weight loss. 9. Vegetables should be included in every meal, with the exception of starchy vegetables like carrots, corn, potato, turnip and squash. Eat as many vegetables and salads as you want, but avoid starchy, high glycemic vegetables like carrots, corn, potatoes, turnips and squashes, especially later in the afternoon. Starchy vegetables are better eaten early in the day. 10. Fruits are best eaten in the morning and combined with protein. Most fruits are high in naturally occurring sugar so they’re best eaten early in the day and should always be combined with a protein like dairy products or nuts to help balance their insulin producing effect. Otherwise, drink freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices as an after workout drink. Once you remove the skin and fiber from fruit, it’s juice is a highly concentrated form of natural sugar. 11. Eat larger meals in daytime and smaller meals in evening. The body’s natural levels of hormones change and fluctuate throughout the day. Since most of our energy is produced in the daytime and slowly begins to decline in the evening, our eating should also follow this pattern for maximum fat loss benefits. Most of our body fat is burned when our metabolism is at its highest, and that’s in the morning. Eat your largest meals at breakfast and lunch when your metabolism is best able to convert the food to fuel rather then store it as fat. A smaller meal should be eaten in the evening. It should contain protein and low glycemic vegetables and/or salad. Avoid starchy carbohydrates like bread, rice, potatoes, and other starchy vegetables. A low insulin response to your last evening meal encourages fat burning all night long. Proper food combining also includes eating smaller meals more often to ensure your body is getting a steady supply of fuel for energy to keep your metabolism revved up and burning calories.
Stop eating 2-3 hours before bedtime. Your metabolism is slowing down as is your digestion and you’re likely not as active after dinner as you are during the day, so burning off those calories will be a lot harder. Drink only fluids like black tea, green tea, and water so that your last meal is digested before heading off to bed. 12. Drink lots of purified water and green tea. Keep your body well hydrated at all times.
Water Green tea Black tea has also been shown to have a positive effect on reducing blood sugar levels and keeping them steady throughout the day. Proper food combining is one of the best ways to increase metabolism, yet it’s so under-utilized by most women, except those who are athletes or body builders…which is where I originally learned many of these tips. Most of them live and breathe by these proper food combining rules, but there’s no reason average women like you and I can’t borrow a page from their "Proper Food Combining" book, right? Proper food combining works. Once you understand proper food combining principles and incorporate them into your weight loss diet plan, you’ll begin to experience some great results!
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