10 ways to boosting your metabolism

1. fish. the heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids which are found in many common oily fish like mackerel, trout, sardines, herring, tuna, and salmon, can also be taken in capsules by those adverse to seafood. Fish consumption has been known to boost your calorie burn by as much as 400 calories per day, plus it's also a great low fat muscle building protein (which requires your body to burn more calories to digest it).

for vegans like me. plant based omega 3's like algae oil are a great substitute as well as flaxseed oil and hempseed oil, to name a few.

2. dark green leafy vegetables. arugula, chard, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, and spinach. They are full of vitamin a, vitamin c, calcium, and lots of fiber. the vitamins act as great antioxidants but the fiber is the kicker for your metabolism. your body expends a lot more calorie burning digesting fiber and protein than it does digesting carbohydrates. the thermic effect comes into play when the amount of calories to digest the food could be as much as the number of calories in the food itself. Dark greens also contain b vitamins, which are necessary to produce the enzymes for your metabolism.

3. tomatoes. containing high levels of antioxidant lycopene, tomatoes have several anti-carcinogenic properties and are also a good source of fiber. tomatoes are also are friend for their fat flushing properties given their citric, malic, and oxalic acid makeup. they support kidney function which helps your body eliminate more waste and fat from your system.

4. blueberries and other whole fruits. whole fruits blast fruit juice out of the water because the amount of fiber each cup contains. fruit contains so much fiber that most can be considered having negative calories as it takes your body that much more to break them down. for instance one cup of blueberries is 80 calories but 4 grams of fiber, so in digestion your body will actually burn much of those 80 calories. dark berries also contain lots of antioxidants and are believed to lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. mash up some berries for a pb&j, throw them into a smoothie or top your yogurt or cereal, and enjoy!

5. whole grains. whole grains are one of the best sources of dietary fiber. this is where careful label reading comes in. you should be looking for 100% whole wheat or whole grain. packaging is deceiving with claims advertising whole grain, but when you look at the ingredients you will see "enriched flour" and sketchy sounding ingredients. look at the fiber content and the serving size too. it may help you pick out the phonies more readily.

6. chillies, curries, and other spices. the capsaicin found in hot peppers and many other spices can fire up your metabolism. some studies have shown as much as 50% increase in metabolism for 3 hours after eating capsaicin. so stock up on the spicy condiments and take an inventory of your spice rack. using these spices may even keep you away from the salty or fatty alternatives.

7. green tea. researchers have found that green tea consumption can raise the metabolism as much as 4%. green tea is a great friend as it helps to increase metabolic rate as well as fat oxidation. studies have also shown that green tea reduces sugar cravings and help inhibit enzymes that slow digestion. it is also loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols. so if you are still looking for something to replace your diet coke, i think this best friend of a drink should make your loser friend seem rather unappealing.

8. ice water. on top of your recommended 8-10 glasses a day, making it ice water your body will burn an extra 9 calories per glass, or 90 calories a day....that's 10 minutes on the recumbent bike, btw. 16 calories for room temperature water, yet 25 calories for ice water. getting your daily dose of water can be a burn of 250 calories....that's a half hour on the treadmill or the eliptical. water is also necessary for all your bodily processes including those that control your metabolism. if you're underhydrated your body will under-perform. water also flushes out fat deposits and toxins. so between the water and the green tea....we won't have time at all this week for diet coke and alcohol.

9. eating regularly. drinking 16 ounces of water upon waking up is very important to rehydrate yourself after 8 hours of dehydration, and it will charge your metabolism for the day. eating breakfast within the first hour after waking up is important to "break the fast". it is another way to get the fire churning and burning to use your natural digestion calorie burn of 30%. eating regularly, small portions, throughout the day is the best way to feed the fire and burn calories while enjoying delicious whole foods. it is when we skip meals and go too long without eating that we are in fact lowering our metabolism and hurting our efforts. some people say, "well i'm just not hungry"....well it is because you have taught your body not to be. you have taught it that there isn't enough to eat so it will slow down the fire until you have hunted to find more food. i am giving you permission to eat people, and to eat more than some of you are thinking possible. i'm talking good foods, whole foods....you will be surprised what you will find.

10. a good night's sleep, exercise, and reduced stress. sleeping regularly is a fantastic way to keep your body in balance, because essentially that's all it really wants. while imbalanced your body is under stress and while under stress it produces hormones or chemicals to get itself back on track. we know one in particular cortisol, a steroid, actually inhibits the metabolism. so getting enough sleep and remaining as stress free as possible is the way to go. a great way to reduce stress is exercise. exercise is one of the best ways to charge your metabolism as some workouts can weigh in as much as 1000 calories burn per hour. so finding workouts that are challenging and diverse will keep your body burning and hungry for more;)