By Joe Wilkes If you spend any time perusing the fashion mags and
tabloid rags in the supermarket checkout line, you'll see a wide
array of articles claiming to have discovered the latest "miracle
food" that will burn off the pounds while you sit on your butt and
eat. Well, sadly, the news isn't quite that good. Without regular
exercise, a decent night's sleep, and a thought-out meal plan, your
metabolic rate is going to be dragging. However, there are some
things you can eat that will move the needle favorably into the
fat-burning zone. And most of these foods are delicious and
nutritious anyway, so why not? Here are eight of the best ones.
1.Fish. Most of us have read about the benefits of fish oil,
which is full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Found in many
common oily fish like mackerel, trout, sardines, herring, tuna, and
salmon, it can also be taken in capsules (at least 300
milligrams/day) by those who are averse to seafood. Fish
consumption has been found to boost your calorie burn by as much as
400 calories a day. Fish is also full of great, low-fat,
muscle-building protein (which requires your body to burn more
calories to digest).
2.
Dark green leafy vegetables. These include arugula, chard,
chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens,
and spinach. They are full of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and
lots of fiber. While the vitamins are great antioxidants and very
healthy for you, the fiber is where the rubber really meets the
road as far as metabolism goes. Your body expends a lot more
calories digesting fiber and protein than it does simply digesting
carbohydrates. This is called the thermic effect—the amount of
calories required to digest the food can sometimes be almost as
much as the number of calories in the food itself. Dark leafies
also contain many B vitamins, which are necessary to produce the
enzymes for metabolism. Most other vegetables are high in fiber and
low in calories and can boost your burn, but the cream of the crop,
nutritionally speaking, are the dark green leafy vegetables. So
listen to Popeye, and eat your spinach! Or
Drink
Shakeology!
3.
Tomatoes. Tomatoes have gotten a lot of good press lately,
as they contain high levels of the antioxidant lycopene, which has
been proven to have several anti-carcinogenic properties. And like
the dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes are also a good source of
fiber. But tomatoes can also work overtime to flush fat, as they
also contain citric, malic, and oxalic acids, which support your
body's kidney functions, which helps your body eliminate more waste
and fat from your system.
4.
Blueberries and other whole fruits. Whole fruits contain
lots of fiber, and many contain so much, they can be said to have
"negative calories," meaning your body burns more calories
digesting the food than it stores. One cup of blueberries only has
about 80 calories, but 4 grams of fiber. Your body will expend much
of those 80 calories digesting the 4 grams of fiber. Blueberries
also contain lots of antioxidants, and are believed to lower
cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. And they taste great! Try
adding them to a high-fiber unsweetened cereal or oatmeal in the
morning to get your metabolism up and running at the start of your
day.
5.
Whole grains. Well, if you've read this far, you've
probably gotten that fiber is key to keeping the metabolic fires
burning. Whole grains are one of the best sources of dietary fiber.
This is where careful label reading comes in. Lots of items
purporting to contain whole grains may only contain enough to make
the claim truthful, and may in fact be full of insulin-spiking
carbohydrates or sugars, which will take your metabolism in the
wrong direction. Check the ingredient list of your breads and
cereals carefully and make sure the preponderance of the
ingredients is whole grain.
6.
Chilies, curries, and other spices. Ever eaten a
particularly spicy meal and felt your heart race a bit faster and
your forehead start to perspire? The capsaicin found in many hot
peppers and other spices can fire up your metabolism while it fires
up your mouth. In fact, some studies have shown a 50 percent
increase in metabolism for 3 hours after eating capsaicin. So it
helps to keep a bottle of hot sauce on hand at mealtimes. You can
use spices to add flavor to recipes instead of salty or fatty
ingredients, which will also help kick your metabolism into a
higher gear.
7
.Green tea. Researchers have found that green tea
consumption can increase calorie burning by up to four percent. It
is believed to accomplish this by increasing metabolic rates as
well as fat oxidation. Studies have also shown that green tea can
reduce sugar cravings and can inhibit enzymes that slow digestion,
thus raising metabolic rates. Its thermogenetic properties were
convincing enough that Beachbody® includes it in its ActiVit®
Metabolism Formula Multivitamins. Besides the metabolic properties,
green tea is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols, making it
one of the most healthful beverage choices around.
8.Ice water. Almost every nutritionist will recommend drinking
eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, but did you know that if
you drink ice water versus room-temperature water, your body will
burn an extra 9 calories per glass? Drinking room-temperature water
can burn about 16 calories per glass—that's 25 calories per glass
for ice water. So, eight glasses of cool water a day can be
responsible for burning 200 calories! Plus, water is necessary for
all of your bodily processes, including the ones that control your
metabolism. If you're underhydrated, your body will underperform.
Water also flushes out fat deposits and toxins, which can hamper
your energy. And remember, a good night's sleep and smaller, evenly
spaced meals can be your best metabolic friends.
And the best thing to really get your metabolism going is exercise.
You can burn almost 700 calories in one 45-
minute Turbo
Jam® workout alone. Also, stress has been found to produce
cortisol, a metabolism-inhibiting steroid, so try and relax—have a
blueberry. Or a fish!
