11 ways to boost your metabolism

kanonxbou47

I got these from a link at the bottom...
Feel free to post any more ways that you might have.

1. Build Muscle
Our bodies constantly burn calories, even when we’re doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily. That small difference can add up over time. In addition, after a bout of resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate.

2. Step Up Your Workout
Aerobic exercise may not build big muscles, but it can rev up your metabolism in the hours after a workout. The key is to push yourself. High-intensity exercise delivers a bigger, longer increase in resting metabolic rate than low- or moderate-intensity workouts. To get the benefits, try a more intense class at the gym or include short bursts of jogging during your regular walk.

3. Fuel Up with Water
The body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack. In addition, try munching on fresh fruits and vegetables, which are full of fluid, rather than pretzels or chips.

4. Have Your Drinks on the Rocks
Ice-cold beverages prompt the body to burn more calories during digestion. Research suggests five or six glasses of water on the rocks can use up an extra 10 calories a day. That might not sound like much, but it adds up to a pound of weight loss per year -- without dieting. You can get the same benefit by drinking iced tea or coffee, as long as you forgo the cream and sugar.

5. Sinless Snacking
Eating more really can help you lose weight -- eating more often, that is. When you eat large meals with many hours in between, you train your metabolism to slow down. Having a small meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours keeps your metabolism cranking, so you burn more calories over the course of a day. Several studies have also shown that people who snack regularly eat less at meal time.

6. Spice Up Your Meals
Spicy foods contain chemical compounds that kick the metabolism into high gear. Eating a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can boost your metabolic rate. The effect is likely temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red-pepper flakes.

7. Power Up with Protein
The body burns many more calories digesting protein as it uses for fat or carbohydrates. Protein may require almost 25% more energy to digest compared to fat. Although you want to eat a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can jump-start the metabolism at mealtime. Healthy sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.

8. Booster Shot: Black Coffee
If you're a coffee drinker, you probably enjoy the increased energy and concentration that follows your morning ritual. Taken in moderation, one of coffee's benefits may be a short-term increase in your metabolic rate.

9. Recharge with Green Tea
Drinking green tea or oolong tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple hours. Research suggests that drinking two to four cups of either tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories than normal for a short period of time.

10. Avoid Crash Diets
Crash diets -- those involving eating fewer than 1,000 calories a day -- are disastrous for anyone hoping to quicken their metabolism. Although these diets may help you drop pounds (at the expense of good nutrition), a high percentage of the loss comes from muscle. The lower your muscle mass, the slower your metabolism. The final result is a body that burns far fewer calories (and gains weight faster) than the one you had before the diet.

11. working out in the morning has the benefit of revving up your metabolism for hours.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/slideshow-boost-your-metabolism

ChantalGG

I do all of that already!! I am awesome.

LadyOfOceanBreeze

I would like to add a twelfth: eat RAW foods! it really works wonders!

i_love_vinegar

I'm totally gonna throw a jar of chili peppers in my curry I'm eating tomorrow xD mwa ha ha ha ha!

hush7hush

Thanks for posting!

xraychick77

i just read that you cant boost your metabolism from the mayo clinic.

RiseWayward

awesome

lcarter25

I do all of that already!! I am awesome.

Ha ha!! Love this! 'I am awesome' love the confidence and you sure are!!

x

Heidi1987

some great tips! thanks for sharing!

:flowerforyou:

kettlenic

Bump - thanks

honkadelic

Morning is one of the greatest things you can do you boost metabolism as well as loose weight the fastest. The best approach is to do a split routine of where you do a morning cardio workout and then an evening weight lifting workout. Usually very hard schedule to follow since we all have demanding lives, but that will get you to your goals faster and healthy then any other approach (including a healthy diet of course!).