Incorporate tuna and other oily fish into your diet.
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Oily fish include herring, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna. These fish are high in vitamins and minerals as well as omega-3 fatty acids. They are a great source of protein and they reduce the level of something called leptin. Leptin is a hormone that can slow your metabolism.
Are you eating enough leafy greens?
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You know you should be eating them, but why? Leafy greens are high in vitamin C, calcium, and fiber. Oh, and they are low in calories. Your body works harder to break down fiber. Leafy greens you can eat include spinach, arugula, kale, microgreens, and cabbage.
Nuts are a great daily snack.
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Nuts are high in calories, so you might think you should stay away from them, but they can actually help speed up your metabolism because they are high in protein and fiber. Since they are high in calories, you want to stick to about a handful of nuts a day.
Drink your water cold.
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Water keeps your metabolism going period. So make sure you are drinking lots and lots of water. If you want to make the water work even better for you, drink it cold. Cold water boosts your metabolism because your body has to work to warm it up before it can turn it into energy.
Ginger can help you burn more calories.
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Ginger isn't all that pretty to look at, but what it can do for your body is beautiful. Ginger has compounds called gingerols that help with digestion. There are also studies that show ginger can help you burn more calories and stay full longer.
Garlic raises your body temperature.
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Not only does garlic make most savory foods taste better, it also helps raise your body temperature. A higher body temperature means your metabolism is working harder and thus raising the amount of calories you are burning just being you.
Berries are delicious little boosters.
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So many yummy berries to choose from. Pick your favorites whether they be strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a combination of all. They taste like candy and they boost your metabolism because they are high in fiber and low in calories.
Legumes are already a staple in many diets.
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What the heck are legumes anyway? They are the seeds inside of pods. Think lentils, peas, beans, and even peanuts. Legumes are awesome because they are high in protein, fiber, folate, and iron. They also keep you full longer and speed up your metabolism during the digestive process.
Seeds aren't just for birds.
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Flaxseeds and chia seeds have those great for you omega-3 fatty acids that we should all be consuming. They also are high in fiber and get your digestive system working to break them down.
Whole grains are the way to go.
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Whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, and whole wheat make your body burn more calories when they are being digested than processed foods do. Many of us are used to eating white rice and making the switch to brown rice might seem difficult. Consider doing a mix of brown and white rice to add some of the whole grain benefits to your diet.
Cinnamon is tasty and powerful.
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Cinnamon is a natural insulin reducer that helps slow the digestive process. That means it helps you feel full longer. Your body also uses more energy to digest it, which ramps up your metabolism. Sprinkle it on things like coffee or yogurt.
What is it about grapefruit that speeds up your metabolism?
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Grapefruit contains an antioxidant called naringenin. Naringenin helps lower blood sugar, which in turn helps with weight loss. Keeping your blood sugar at healthy levels boosts the number of calories you burn.
Avocados are life!
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Avocados are one of those foods that are high in fat that you shouldn't be afraid of because they still good for you. They are full of good for you fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants. Oh, and they can help you burn fat faster. As if you needed an excuse to keep eating avocados.
Seaweed is great for your thyroid.
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Your thyroid gland is pretty much in charge of your metabolism and metabolic rate. Seaweed provides you with iodine, which your thyroid needs in order to function properly. You can eat seaweed on its own or as part of a yummy sushi roll.
Coffee lovers rejoice!
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If you can't do anything before you have a cup of coffee, then you are well aware of the energy boost that coffee provides. Various stimulants in coffee kickstart your metabolic rate. Keep in mind that it is possible to have too much coffee, so be mindful of how much you are drinking.
Good news for green tea lovers as well.
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Green tea also has caffeine in it, which stimulates your metabolism. Plus it has catechins, which are antioxidants that can speed up your metabolic rate and help break down fat faster. Sip on that.
Eggs are great for your metabolism.
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Eggs give you protein and calcium--both of which boost your metabolism--in a low calorie form. They sometimes get a bad rap from people who are worried about their cholesterol and heart health, but a study in the American Journal of Nutrition found that eating one egg a day did not result in increased heart disease risk.
Coconut oil goes straight to your liver.
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The medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil are processed by your liver and turned into energy. Vroom, vroom! If you are not used to cooking with it, consider using it for baking or stir frying.
Lean meats help you be a lean mean metabolic machine.
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It's easier for your body to break down fats and harder for it to break down proteins. Lean meats are all about little fat and lots of protein, which means your body has got to work and work to break them down. Plus protein helps you feel full and stay full longer.
Chili peppers speed up your heart rate.
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Spicy chilis have capsaicin in them, which speeds up your heart rate. Increasing your heart rate, means you are increasing your metabolic calorie burn as well. Do we really need to tell you what you can add chilis to? Just in case, the answer is: EVERYTHING.
Why would you want to boost your metabolic rate/metabolism? Well, as you know, burning calories helps you lose weight, keep it off, or even simply maintain your weight as opposed to gaining weight. But it's not just about weight. Having a higher metabolism, can keep you from feeling sluggish and tired all the time. It can help you have more energy and who doesn't want that?
The speed of your metabolism has a lot to do with your genes. There isn't much we can do about our genes and some of us are gifted with naturally faster metabolisms than others. Still, there are things that we can do through diet and exercise to metaphorically put our foot on the gas pedal of our metabolism. Today, let's focus on foods that we can ingest that will rev up our metabolism.
