Body Builders will tell you that a strong, lean body is MADE in the kitchen, not the gym. Well here’s an exciting bonus – certain food CAN boost your metabolism and help you burn fat just by EATING THEM!
What Is Metabolism?
Metabolism is the amount of energy or calories needed by your body to maintain itself throughout the day. Everyone’s metabolism is different and affected by your body’s composition -people with more muscles will have a higher metabolism, while those that are less muscular have a lower metabolism. Old adage to get you motivated to go to the gym (or SpinGym regularly) muscle burns fat for fuel!
A person with a higher metabolism (due to working out and greater muscle mass) will be able to eat more calories daily than another person with the same weight and height that does not workout or have the same amount of muscle mass. Great news for those of us who LOVE to eat.
The foods listed below can literally scorch calories as you chew – they are ones with
very high thermogenic properties. SO! Feed your metabolism with these…
Hot peppers
Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their kick, heats up your body, which makes you melt additional calories. You can get it by eating raw, cooked, dried, or powdered peppers -Add as much cayenne or hot sauce as possible to soups, eggs, and meats and one of my favorite cleanses – the Master Cleanse utilizes lemon, maple syrup and Cayenne pepper – I try to do that detox 2 times a year… if you want more info on this PLEASE comment below.
Along with its slimming effects, capsaicin is shown to work as a blood thinner, helping to prevent blood clots. Capsaicin is also thought to work as an anti-inflammatory and help to control pain. t may be a bit fiery but it works!~
Whole grains
Your body burns twice as many calories breaking down whole foods (especially those rich in fiber such as oatmeal and brown rice) than processed foods.
The mighty grain is a seed and part of the grass family. It has inherent fibers, minerals, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, phytochemicals and proteins — all healthful contributors to the human diet. When you buy foods such as oatmeal, quinoa, barley, rye, bulgur, millet, buckwheat, popcorn, and brown or wild rice, you’re selecting a whole grain (which is considered whole because it hasn’t had the bran and germ removed and still contains fiber and nutrients like selenium, potassium, and magnesium). The key is to look for the word “whole” and see if it’s listed as one of the first few ingredients.
Lean meats
Protein has a high thermogenic effect: You burn about 30% of the calories the food contains during digestion (so a 300-calorie chicken breast requires about 90 calories to break it down). Your body has to work hard to digest and process protein, which boosts your metabolism because a lot of energy is expended just to digest the protein you eat. Adding protein to every meal will give you the largest possible boost to your metabolism. Good protein sources are lean chicken, turkey, fish, and lean cuts of beef and pork. Vegetarian alternatives would include beans, lentils, and tofu.
Green tea
Drinking four cups of green tea a day helped people shed more than six pounds in eight weeks, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports. Credit EGCG, a compound in the brew that temporarily speeds metabolism after sipping it. To up your intake, keep a jug of iced tea in the fridge. Experts tell us that the catechins in green tea help to inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells. It helps to slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal. This prevents high insulin spikes (lots of insulin promotes fat storage) and the subsequent fat storage. SO drink up – hot or cold it works wonders
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