| The body needs fuel to function. Keeping your | | | | Salmon, tuna, and sardines: All of these contain |
| heart beating and your blood circulating, breathing, | | | | Omega-3 fatty acids, which lower the levels of |
| and even thinking all require energy. Your body | | | | leptin in the body. Lower leptin levels mean a |
| obtains this energy from the food you eat, and if | | | | higher metabolism. Studies indicate that fish oil |
| that is insufficient, from your body's fat storage. | | | | capsules may have a similar effect for those who |
| How efficiently or inefficiently your body burns | | | | do not like fish. |
| fuel depends largely on your metabolic rate. Some | | | | Oatmeal: The combination of fiber and complex |
| people have a high metabolic rate, which means | | | | carbs keep your insulin levels from spiking after |
| that they can seemingly eat all they want without | | | | you eat. Spikes in insulin signal the body to lower |
| gaining weight. Others have a low rate, and seem | | | | the metabolism. However, the oatmeal should be |
| to gain on almost nothing. | | | | rolled oats, not the instant kind, for best results. |
| Obviously, then, the higher your metabolism, the | | | | Other foods that can help your body burn calories |
| more efficiently you body will burn calories and | | | | are those that the body has trouble digesting |
| thus the easier you can lose weight. Foods that | | | | easily. Spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and |
| are hard for your body to digest also help you to | | | | celery are all filling choices that require your body |
| lose weight. Here are the top 5 foods to increase | | | | to expend a lot of energy to process. They |
| metabolism and how they work. | | | | should be eaten raw and without sauce. Grapefruit |
| Lean meats and poultry: Chicken, turkey, and lean | | | | also raises the metabolic rate, and studies have |
| beef and pork all require more energy to digest | | | | shown that there is some merit to the grapefruit |
| than carbohydrates and fat. | | | | diet. The calcium in low fat dairy products works |
| Green tea: Green tea has a combination of | | | | in two ways, first by keeping insulin levels from |
| caffeine and a chemical called ECGC. Caffeine | | | | spiking and second from the difficulty the body |
| raises your heartbeat, which makes your body | | | | has in processing dairy. Cold water is also a |
| burn more calories. ECGC also speeds up the | | | | metabolism booster, since the body has to warm |
| nervous system, again burning more calories. | | | | it to process it. |
| Coffee (without cream and sugar) can also help | | | | Your metabolism will increase every time you eat, |
| by raising the heartbeat. | | | | so it is best to eat several small meals each day, |
| Hot peppers: Cayenne, jalapeno, and habanero | | | | rather than one or two big meals. This will keep |
| peppers all contain capsaicin, which raises the | | | | your metabolic rate from slowing down between |
| heart rate and boosts metabolism. Studies have | | | | meals. Avoid sugar and simple carbohydrates, as |
| shown that even one hot pepper can boost | | | | they will make insulin levels rise dramatically and |
| metabolism by as much as 25% for as long as 3 | | | | are easy for the body to digest (and thus |
| hours after eating. | | | | convert to fat) as well. |