Part of a healthy exercise program is your diet. If your goal is to loose weight, your workouts are designed to burn fat – and to accomplish that, you need to ensure your metabolism is running at an optional rate. Although your metabolism runs at a preset speed based on your genetics, you can give it a bit of a boost by consuming foods that speed up your metabolism.
Celery – One of the great things about celery is it’s low in calories as well as high in fiber and water. Celery takes extra energy to digest, as well as acts as a diuretic – and it makes for a great snack as well!
Kimchi – A great way to help your metabolism run more efficiently is to eat foods that help your body break down nutrients properly – foods that are probiotic-rich. Foods that are fermented, like kimchi are great for your gut’s health! And, one small study of overweight and obese people, published in Nutrition Research, found that participants who ate fermented kimchi showed improvements in cholesterol and carbohydrate metabolism, along with increased weight loss.
Spinach – One of the main benefits of spinach is that it provides your body with a large dose of iron. When you think about how your body works – think about an engine. You need oxygen to burn fat. And, your blood carries oxygen to your muscles.Iron helps carry that oxygen to your muscles at a faster rate, speeding up your metabolism.
Water – Your body needs water to function. Dehydration can limit how well your body burns energy. Staying hydrated with plenty of water helps to maintain your metabolism – and if you drink cold water, your body has to use extra energy to warm it up for digestion!
Lean Protein – When you work out, your body breaks down muscle – and needs protein to rebuild and add new muscle. And, the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism burns! So, make sure you get plenty of lean protein like poultry (chicken), shellfish, beans, edamame, and fish to make sure your muscles have enough protein to rebuild and grow.
Chili Peppers – Adding spices, especially hot spices like chili peppers, not only adds some great flavors to otherwise boring foods, but chili peppers like Sriracha, cayenne, and red or green chili peppers, adds “thermogenic” foods to your diet that can help boost your metabolism by up to 5% and increase your body’s fat burning by over 15%!
So, try adding these foods to your diet – and enjoy!
