20 Surefire Ways To Raise Your Metabolism For Easier Fat Loss

Good news! A slow metabolism is not a given. There are a number of effective actions you can take to give your metabolism a jump start.

One thing you need to know is that the bump in metabolism from each one is small to moderate. Therefore, it’s important to incorporate as many of these actions as possible into your life and do them on a daily basis—that is, make them a habit. The end result will be the fast metabolism you’ve always wanted.

#1: Protein should be the first thing you think about when deciding what to eat because it is very satisfying and requires the body to burn more calories during digestion. Eggs, yogurt, fish, chicken, beef, and turkey are all top quality high-protein foods to start your meal with.

#2: Include healthy fats at every meal: A few slices of avocado, a handful of nuts, or a drizzle of olive oil on your salad will improve satiety and stimulate calorie expenditure.

#3: Choose whole foods over processed foods: Eating foods in their most natural state (steak, salmon, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, mixed greens) increases the quality of your diet and requires the body to burn more energy during digestion.

#4: Banish cereal for breakfast: It’s made from highly refined grains, has added sugar, and little high-quality protein, setting you up for cravings and low energy during the day.

#5: Do strength training to build muscle and improve your body’s resting metabolic rate so that you naturally burn more calories daily.

#6: Avoid “compensating” for calories burned during training by eating more as a reward afterward.

#7: Be as active as possible in daily life: Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk for transportation, stretch during TV shows, and stand up regularly during desk work.

#8: Do intervals for cardio for a greater bump to metabolic rate during the 24-hour recovery period after your workout. Try 8-second bike sprints followed by 12 seconds active rest, repeated for a total of 20 minutes.

#9: Walk for 10 minutes after every meal to improve blood sugar levels and lower diabetes risk.

#10: Practice stress management with with deep breathing exercise, smart scheduling, and meditation.

#11: Counter cortisol spikes with regularly planned high-protein meals: Avoid going more than five hours without eating.

#12: Avoid relying on carbs and junk food for stress management. High cortisol triggers food intake, making it easy to overeat, while reducing sensitivity to insulin, for a poor metabolic environment.

#13: Avoid low-calorie diets: Anytime you go below your resting metabolic rate (around 1,600 calories for the average person), your body goes into starvation mode, reducing the amount of calories you burn daily.

#14: Avoid fasting for long periods: Although time-restricted eating in which you confine your meals to an 8- to 12-hour window can promote weight management, longer term fasting leads the body to slow metabolism in an effort to preserve fuel stores.

#15: Drink 16 ounces of cold water before every meal. The body burns extra energy to warm the water, bumping up metabolic rate by as much as 30 percent.

#16: Drink green tea or yerba mate: Both contain antioxidants that raise energy expenditure and promote fat loss.

#17: Cook with ginger and hot peppers: These spices raise body temperature, bumping up the amount of calories your body burns after a meal.

#18: Take whey protein post-workout. Because whey protein has the most powerful effect on stimulating protein synthesis of all protein sources it leads to the greatest elevation in energy expenditure while also improving insulin sensitivity.

#19: Cook with turmeric and black pepper: These antioxidant-filled spices stimulate central nervous system activity for a higher metabolic rate.

#20: Flavor foods with vinegar: Not only is it a delicious addition to meal, vinegar increases insulin sensitivity and fat burning, while also bumping up energy expenditure.