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This week Disha Widge, 17
Disha asks: What can I do to boost my metabolism?
Wynnie says: There are many different ways to rev up your metabolism.
Make sure you eat breakfast. You may have heard the saying 'breakfast like a king and dine like a pauper'. By breaking your overnight fast, you're sending signals to your body that you're not in starvation mode and don't need to hold on to every calorie by slowing down your metabolism.
A bowl of wholegrain cereals with fruit and a handful of seeds and nuts is a great way to kick-start your metabolism for the day.
Eat small, frequent meals. This keeps your blood sugar levels on an even keel and so provides a steady source of energy to fuel metabolism. Each time you eat, you stimulate your metabolism, which burns calories.
Aim to eat every four hours; great mini-meals or snacks include cottage cheese with pineapple chunks on wholegrain toast or crackers, or a small serving of chickpeas with naan bread.
Build lean muscle. Lean tissue or muscle burns more calories than fat, even when you're resting. While 450g of fat burns only a couple of calories a day, the equivalent weight of lean tissue burns around 35 calories.
The great news is that your metabolism stays revved up for many hours after you finish your workout. Try to fit in a couple of sessions of weight or resistance training every week.
Using weights means your muscles have to work harder to lift those extra kilos. By making your muscles work harder than normal, the amount of muscle mass in your body increases, and your body burns more calories.
Remember, if you're not used to resistance or weight training, you should consult a trainer before you start to avoid injury.
Keep hydrated. Mild dehydration can slow down your metabolism by as much as 3 per cent. Water is needed for the metabolic process to work efficiently and effectively, so aim for those eight glasses of liquid every day experts recommend.
Get enough sleep. Teens need at least nine hours of kip every night. Research has shown that children who sleep less are more likely to be overweight.
Lack of sleep lowers the level of a hormone called leptin that stimulates metabolism and decreases hunger. What's more, sleep deprivation boosts levels of another hormone called ghrelin that increases hunger.
Disha's diary
Breakfast: Glass of milk and toast
Snack: Fruit or biscuits
Lunch: Sandwich
Snack: Curry and rice or dinner leftovers, fruits
Dinner: Lentils, vegetable and chapatis, pasta or Thai curry and rice
Exercise: Hockey practice twice a week, one or two yoga sessions a week, walk and go to the gym when free



Boost the rate your body breaks down food