Metabolsim boosts

Metabolic Boosts

Don’t cut calories too low

Tip: Lose weight by cutting 250 calories a day and burning 250 calories per day through exercise. That will help retain - or even gain - muscle while you lose a greater percentage of body fat.

Do more interval training

Tip: Infuse your workout with bursts of speed. Gradually work your way up to two-minute intervals, three days a week.

Lift weights

Tip: Focus on exercises that use the largest muscles and use two-part movements. They help you build more lean mass. Favorites include squats, push-ups, and any exercise that combines upper- and lower-body.

Protein takes more calories to digest

Tip: Try to eat between 10 and 20 grams of protein at each of your meals. Eat an 8-ounce cup of low-fat cottage cheese with breakfast (about 16 grams), a 1/2-cup serving of hummus with lunch (about 10 grams), and a 3-ounce salmon fillet for dinner (about 17 grams).

Drink green tea

Tip: Try a cup of green or oolong tea in place of your morning coffee for a dose of caffeine to perk your metabolism too. Instead of milk or sweetener, add a squeeze of lemon, which may help your body absorb more catechins.

Stay hydrated

Tip: Dehydration causes us to burn up to 2 percent fewer calories since metabolic mechanisms rely on water. In the study at University of Utah those who drank either eight or twelve 8-ounce glasses of water a day had higher metabolic rates than those who had four.

Add chili powder

Tip: Capsaicin, the bioactive compound that makes chile peppers exude heat, can raise metabolism while decreasing hunger and enhancing satiety. Sprinkle red pepper flakes onto pasta dishes and into chilis and stews; fresh chile peppers work well in salsas and add a fiery flavor to many other dish