6. Eat Spicy Foods
Spicy foods contain compounds that can kickstart your metabolism into high gear. For example, a large spoonful of chopped chili peppers can temporarily boost your metabolic rate by 23%. Although some studies suggest this effect only lasts for about half an hour, regularly eating spicy foods can create a cumulative effect. To quickly increase your metabolic rate, you can add some chili peppers or sprinkle red pepper flakes when cooking stews.
7. Increase Protein Intake
The body burns twice as much energy digesting protein as it does digesting fat and carbohydrates (this process is known as the thermic effect of food or specific dynamic action, which consumes energy without producing it). While you may aim for a balanced diet, during meals, you can replace some carbohydrates with lean meats or protein-rich foods to quickly increase energy expenditure. Healthy sources of protein include lean pork, beef, fish, white meat (chicken, duck, etc.), tofu, nuts, soybeans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.
8. Drink Black Coffee
If you enjoy coffee, after your regular morning cup, you might experience an increase in energy and improved focus. Part of this is due to a temporary increase in your metabolic rate. A study showed that the caffeine in two cups of coffee could prompt a 145-pound woman to burn an extra 50 calories over the next four hours. It's important to drink pure black coffee without cream, sugar, or flavored syrups, otherwise, you'll consume more calories than you burn.
9. Green Tea
Drinking green tea or oolong tea provides the combined effects of caffeine and catechins, substances that can boost your metabolism for several hours. Studies suggest that drinking 2 to 4 cups of green tea or oolong tea per day can cause the body to burn an additional 50 calories. If maintained for a year, this could result in losing 5 pounds.
10. Avoid Crash Diets
Crash diets refer to consuming fewer than 1,000 calories per day. This is not advisable for anyone looking to speed up their metabolism. While such diets may help you lose weight (at the cost of malnutrition), much of the weight lost comes from muscle mass. The less muscle mass you have, the slower your metabolism becomes. Ultimately, you'll end up burning fewer calories than before the diet, and your weight will likely rebound quickly.
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