Boost Your MetabolismMove more all day

Rev up your metabolism throughout the day to enjoy the benefits of the after burn. You also build more lean muscle mass, which helps your metabolism work more efficiently. Small movements count, too. So fidget, take the stairs, stand when you are on a call, and trade the boardroom for walking meetings.

Eat a balanced diet

Skip the fads, but don’t skip breakfast. Skipping meals may actually slow your metabolism, thus robbing you of the calorie savings you thought would be your reward. Instead include protein, complex carbs and fat with each meal. Protein requires more work to digest and it helps you feel satisfied longer. That may mean fewer cravings. Add complex carbs (brown rice, quinoa) and fat for balance. The optimal mix will help your metabolism do its best work. Skipping meals actually slows your metabolism as the body goes into conservation mode. Adding the right balance of food feeds the furnace and keeps your metabolism burning.

Get a good night’s sleep

Sleep deprivation doesn’t just make you feel sluggish, it makes your metabolism sluggish too. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Skip the late night show and get some shut eye instead.

Add a little kick

Spicy foods boost your metabolism. So go ahead, add a little siracha to your eggs (protein helps your metabolism too).

green teaQuench your thirst

Stay hydrated to help your metabolism keep burning. Dehydration slows the metabolism and may send false hunger signals, causing you to eat more, even if you aren’t hungry. Combine extra calories with a slow metabolism and you’ve got weight gain. Hydration super stars are water and green tea. Sip these throughout the day. Skip the bottle and brew your green tea for better calorie burning benefits. Did you notice that diet soda isn’t mentioned here? Turns out this no calorie treat plays tricks on metabolism. Sorry, alcohol doesn’t do your metabolism any favors either. Don’t binge. If you drink, do it in moderation.

Snack on

Healthy snacks are like kindling for your metabolism. Long stretches without meals may mean you are so hungry when you do eat that you eat too much. Good options include cheese, nuts, hummus, veggies, fruit, peanut butter, and Greek yogurt.

Practice intervals

Add a few bursts of high intensity exercise to rev up your workout routine, calorie burn and metabolism.

Foods that help…apples, salmon, full fat yogurt, avocado, whole grains and broccoli. Coffee boosts metabolism, too.