This great article from Sheri Strykowski about metabolism boosting foods and how to increase metabolism that is sure to have you nodding your head in agreement but there are a few that will probably be new to you as well.
Here are 10 metabolism boosting foods that will increase your metabolism and help you lose weight by boosting metabolism
I have made comments in bold just to highlight some of my own opinions on how to increase metabolism.
Stoke your metabolic fire and burn calories faster with diet-friendly foods and beverages. Post this list on your fridge next to the photo of you in your “skinny jeans” and make a copy to bring with you the next time you shop for groceries.
Just remember: Calories count, portion control rules and there’s no substitute for a well-balanced diet and regular exercise. So get moving!
How to Increase Metabolism
1. Water – A new study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss and is a great way how to increase metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that subjects of the study increased their metabolic rates (the rate at which calories are burned) by 30 percent after drinking approximately 17 ounces of water.
Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloat as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. So drink up!
Make sure that you are starting your day with a big big glass of water and drink throughout the day not just all at one time.
2. Green Tea – Studies show that green tea extracts boost metabolism and may aid in weight loss. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease. It’s also a trendy drink among health-conscious celebrities.
You may Have already seen my green tea articles but this may be one really fantastic herb and it tastes nice too!
3. Soup – Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. In the study, women chose one of three 270-calorie snacks before lunch.
Women who had chicken and rice soup as a snack consumed an average of 100 fewer calories than those in the study who opted for a chicken and rice casserole or the casserole and a glass of water.
I used to joke that soup is not a meal but it really does fill you for very few calories and remember that when you eat a food with a lot of taste it really will satisfy.
4. Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Researchers at Scripps Clinic found that participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal in a 12-week period lost an average of 3.6 pounds.
The study indicates that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduce insulin levels, which promotes loss and boost metabolism. NOTE: If you are taking medication, check with your doctor about any potentially adverse interactions with grapefruit.
Grapefruit, because of the soft peel is a nice alternative to an apple of orange and study after study of the last 30 years has shown that it can really help burn fat.
5. Apples and Pears – Over women who ate the equivalent of three small apples or pears a day lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than women who didn’t add fruit to their diet, according to researchers from the State University of Rio de Janeiro.
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Fruit eaters also ate fewer calories overall. So next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this low-calorie, high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.
6. Broccoli – Study after study links calcium and loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption. This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fiber. And, at just 20-calories per cup, this weight-loss superfood not only fights fat but also contains powerful phytochemicals that boost your immunity and protect against disease.
7. Low-Fat Yogurt – Dairy products can boost weight loss efforts, according to a study in the April issue of Obesity Research. People on a reduced-calorie diet who included three to four servings of dairy foods lost significantly more than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of calories. Low-fat yogurt is a rich source of -loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein.
As far as superfood go Yogurt is right there. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria and probiotics for you digestive tract.
8. Lean Turkey – Rev up your fat-burning engine with this bodybuilder favorite. Countless studies have shown that protein can help boost metabolism, lose fat and build lean muscle tissue so you burn more calories. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast weighs in at 120 calories and provides 26 grams of appetite-curbing protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat.
With the price of chicken going up and up these days Turkey has become a great alternative. Remember that Turkey is a little tougher than chicken and the taste is a little different but it is not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas anymore.
9. Oatmeal – This heart-healthy favorite ranks high on the good carb list, because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
For many years now Pro Bodybuilders have relied on Oatmeal as a staple of their breakfast, it is amazingly high in nutrients.
10. Hot Peppers – Eating hot peppers can speed up and boost metabolism and cool your cravings, researchers at Laval University in Canada found. Here’s why: Capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism and causes you to burn more calories.
Metabolism Boosting Foods
Here’s how these 10 fat-blasting superstars help you lose and how to increase metabolism.
Each of these healthy weight-loss boosters fills you up and keeps you full longer on fewer calories.
Water-rich fresh fruits, veggies and soup dilute the calories in your food and allow you to eat more without breaking the calorie bank.
High-fiber fruit, vegetables and nutritious whole grains keep your digestive system on track and steady insulin levels, which prevents fat storage.
Lean meat boosts metabolism and burns calories because it take more energy to digest than other foods.
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Sheri Strykowski is a freelance journalist who specializes in health, fitness and lifestyle. Her articles have appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Lerner newspapers and National Safety Council publications. Tell us all your Metabolism Boosting Foods in the comments below.
I just read another article about this same topic here Foods That Boost Metabolism and found that their suggestions were very similar. The only food I’m not sure I agree with for boosting metabolism is soup. Soup, particularly if it is of the instant or canned variety, typically contains quite a bit of sodium. Also, I find that the portion sizes vs. calorie content of soups are very tricky. For example, I bought a bunch of Campbell’s Healthy Choice soups the other day thinking they were low cal, but when I got home I realized that those calories were only for half a can, or a third of a can, instead of the whole thing. Oh well, lesson learned. Thanks for these great tips. I learned a lot from the posts here too, thanks everyone.
I lost 40 pounds from dieting by eating healthier and smaller meals doing cardio mon, wed, fri (inbetween days are training).
It does work.
this is the bomb, it works greate and is easy. “TRY THIS”
Hey, there was some talk about calcium being a metabolism enhancer…. but no talk about milk. Does milk count? I hate it… but i’m willing to drink skim or whatever if it works! My little story: I cut out…. everything. Not very healthy. I had a glass of orange juice in the morning and one in the evening. For lunch I would have lettuce and tuna. That’s basically all I ate for 2 weeks and I have lost 13 pounds… but now i’m stuck and I dont feel very healthy. Oh yeah, I ride my bike a pretty good distance to work and back every day so that may have helped a bit. I am realizing that I was not eating healthy and my body thinks we’re in a famine so my metabolism is dropping like mad… bad idea. I really think this metabolism and portion control is the key. I’ll give it a try! I’m a 21 year old male…. and should be in my prime… however I’m positive that I hit my prime when I was 14!! So i’m trying to get healthy again to have a real prime! Thanks all for the words of encouragement! And thanks for this great article! Ps: morale of my story = starving yourself will work for a few pounds, but you will destroy your metabolism and plateau (the worst!) and then when you give up cuz you havent lost any more … the pounds will come back 2x as easy!!
I am still a kid, but I am too large for my tastes (no pun intended). I find that another way to raise your matabolism by 20% is to mix ground up mustard seed and nutmeg with any foods it can go with (soup, meats, etc.). I hope this helps people like I hope it will help me. GOOD LUCK!!!
i stopped running about 3 weeks ago and i gained 5 pounds but i can’t stop eating unhealthy foods! it’s a bad habit and i’m not even hungry!
i need help and i also want to know what would help me loose the .
I am an ex smoker, too. 21 days today. I quit smoking because I need surgery to replace a torn ACL in my right knee (among other things). Apparently the ligament graft (due to the co2 ) won’t take if i smoke. It was the final wake up call. Also, in the same call was the doc saying “you carry around some extra , you know, that’s hard on knees”.
So, here I am – awaiting knee surgery, 50 lbs over, scared of gaining another 30 (i gained 30 of this the last time i quit smoking and never lost it), eating the smallest, most healthiest portions of all of these foods listed above for over a month now, and working out (with a bar and bands the best i can, given my knee) every day.
It’s been a month since my injury and 21 since the wake up call. I haven’t gained any yet. Haven’t lost any, which amazes me because compared to what i ate and drank i was sure i’d see some loss.
I am hoping that means something, because I need some positive results. I couldn’t be more miserable. I can’t walk, I can’t smoke, I can’t eat, I can’t drink. What else pleasures do I get, or is this really it. Life is now officially over as I knew it.
I am *trying* to look at it like this -but it is so damned hard: if I dont manage this, it will be 80 lbs i have to lose. 50 is unimaginable enough.
I am about 60lbs over. I have tried many, many diet plans. I’m slowing down due to severe pain from arthritis. I try not to look at any mirrors. Every time they change my blood pressure meds. and increase my other meds. I gain . I am a vegeterian and don’t get much protein. Can anyone please tell me how to lose this ?! Please don’t respond to this if your not sincere. This is a real problem for me and I don’t need anyone to make a joke of it. I have 2 beautiful granddaughters and would like to be here to see them grow.
Colleen, you say your a vegan, but don’t get much protien. Have you tried adding QUINOA to your diet? It’s a great source of protien, vegan and gluten free. Actually considered one of the superfoods. Also, I eat plain, non-fat Greek yogurt every day to not only bolster my protien, but calcium as well. There are many vegan options to protien these days out there, but def. look up the Quinoa. I love it and add it to just about everything. (Even my oatmeal at breakfast!).
im vegetarian and want to tone up and lose . im deffinately going to try this – but will this make you lose fat etc from everywhere or just specific places as my thighs are a problem! (obvs with exercise, not just watching what i eat) Im quiet impatient, so would love to see results fast, is this possible or should i just persevere anyway?
x
Okay..i’ll try i have nothing to lose but 50 pounds. I hope.
Yes Chauncy, what an ass. There are a lot of people that really do want to raise their metabolism and get themselves in better shape. You continue with your diet and come back in a year and tell us how the pop and marshmallows went.
chauncy…you’re an ass.
i was looking at myself one day and realized that i had gained a lot of in the past couple of years, so I saw a fitness expert and this is what he told me. in the morning, eat a bag of potato chips, ice cream and a 40 oz beer. just before lunch, have a few slices of bacon. At lunch eat a pork loin with some fries, a chocolate bar, a ham sandwich with mayo and mustard, then drink a bottle of ranch dressing. Then for dinner, eat two t.v. dinners, a large pizza, and drink a 2 liter of coke. Just before bed, have a large bag of marshmallows. Using this diet, I was able to drop 20 lbs in four months!
I was a junk food junkie who knew, at 40, it was time to take better care of my body. Luckily, I also love fruit and vegees. I lost over 30 lbs. in under 6 mos., feeling better than ever. I happened across a fast in my Nutritional RX book (Bach), which I refer to for everything. I never did the fast, but here’s what I did. It says that 3 days before and after fasting, eat all raw food to ease your body into and out of the fast. I didn’t do 100% raw, but here’s what I ate for over a week, which changed my taste for so much junk…ALOT of salads with spices, olive oil, and fresh lemon or lime juice(I got very creative), ALOT of fruit. I allowed myself a little cheese, nuts, egg, or beans on some of the salads for protein. You can also make protein powder drinks…SPIRULINA is a great healthy supplement found in some protein powders, and it curbs sweet cravings and is high in nutrition. I also ate HEALTHY whole grain bread with a little olive oil, brown rice with sauteed vegees, and other whole grains. I admit, I got hungry alot, BUT, I got to eat WHENEVER I wanted, because almost everything was low-fat. The biggest secret for me is high flavor herbs and spices, satisfying the taste buds. After a few weeks, I started adding back meat and everything else over time, but my eating habits changed and I don’t crave so much junk food anymore, and I’ve kept the off for over 2 years now!!!
Hey there.. I love to eat!! and my big family does 2. all we do is surrounded by food. Within the past year i gained 30 pounds and I have already lost 20.. I started out with the Alli pills and I lost 5 pounds however I was constantly in the bathroom not good.. I stopped that and a really thin co-worker told me about the flat-belly diet. I told myself i would try it but did not expect it to work. In one month i lost 10 pounds!! omg.. I completely changed the way I ate. It was really hard at first.. I felt hugry just the first 4 days.. after that it became a routine and I changed it to what I like.. The book stated to cut out salt and each meal no more than 400 calories. thanks to Mrs. Dash and olive oil.. I am now 20lbs lighter.. I just have the problem of eating a cookie once a week or so.. I need that so it wont make e feel so deprived. My husband lost 15 pds. I still cant believe how much i have lost. I eat anything just in moderation and calorie counting.. it works for me.. I love my Dunking donust coffee and I was told not to have it.. yea right only for 1 week.. I just downsized… try the book go the website.. good luck
yeah i have already lost a small person like 95 to 94 pounds since i stated in my freshmen (now a senior) year yes it has been a struggle and i slacked from time to time learning from lessons and now i am at 164 and i have tried all the foods that they say help boost your system and this one sounds logical and i will deff. try it thanks for posting
After going through a divorce…the pounds were coming off great (unfortunately thanks to the stress!). But after a year and they are creeping up on me again…fairly fast. I have always heard that 5 smaller meals is great for boosing the metabolsim. It’s just the point of getting there. Growing up as a teenager I looked like a bean pole but ate ANYTHING I wanted. So still, years later… it’s hard getting into that mode. I will definitely try to consume more water and eat more meals…but smaller and healthier. Thanks for the Adivce!! (And to the person about commenting about getting off the computer and jogging….I regiously excercise 4x a week (1/2 hour to an hour). And without eating properly…jogging only stablizes your . Living proof.
I went to the doctor back in late September because I was experiencing a tingling in my fingers (I’m 49 years old, & 5’3″ tall). After my exam and blood test He told me that I’ve got high cholesterol and high blood pressure and I was 20 pounds over.
That was a wake up call for me and I went cold turkey for a lifestyle change. I was a big drinker but now I’ve cut my alcohol consumption to a glass of wine once a week on the weekends.
My usual daily foods consists of, green tea (2-3 cups), egg whites, apples, seaweed & tofu soup, turkey or fish, sashimi (no sushi with rice), oatmeal, hot peppers and water.
I get plenty of excercise at work for I work at a sheet metal company but I go for a walk and I do about 15 min of ab excercises when I wake up in the morning.
Now I know that food deprivation is not a good diet, choosing the right types of foods you eat is my way of life now and I don’t crave the burgers and beer anymore!
I was 185 pounds at my initial examination in September and now I’m down to almost 165, nearing my goal of 155. Thanks to your tips, Billyboy, I can lose the and live a little healthier.
Hey guys…Just wanted to share some encouragement. I know how hard it can be to lose and body fat cause i was there but i disciplined myself and started eating right and now 4 months later, i’ve dropped 5% body fat, lost fat and toned my body up really nice. I have a meal plan that consists of high protein for breakfast (usually eggs and a protein shake) a couple of small snacks between dinner (veggies, fruit) and a healthy, small portioned dinner. Also, Drinking COLD Water boosts your metabolism so drink up that water!! also, check out some health food stores or gnc type of store for some scientifically advanced loss pills. i didn’t think they’d work at first but now that i’ve seen it for myself, i believe it
I reckon I could do what’s on the list, I’ve been trying to get rid of 6kg for a while, and invariably put it back on haha. Gonna join a gym, but my lifestyle and eating habits could take some advice from this page lol. Most of my diets are two weeks of nothing but fruit and vegetables, which I have no problems sticking to – I don’t lack willpower, but the just doesn’t go dammit haha. Congrats all!