Metabolism Boosters

I saw on Dr. Oz not too long ago that hot peppers and other spicy food is just one way to boost metabolism. Since I heard that, I've been working spicy food (those with capsaicin) into my menu as much as possible. Problem: I don't like spicy food. I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) so I pay for that spiciness over and over and over again. But... it's necessary. Here's what I try to work into my rotation (about 4-5 times a week):

-Chili (ground beef, tomato paste, onion, garlic, chili powder, tobasco/hot sauce)

-Taco quiche (ground beef, eggs, cheese, onion, garlic, medium salsa)

Here's what I have read: If you've abused your body over a long period of time, chances are your metabolism is damaged. Don't expect to repair it overnight. Here are a few more ways to boost metabolism:

(1) Exercise long and slow and steady as opposed to quick and intensely.

(2) Drink caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, and especially green tea) to get that rush. Hmm.. is this really a good idea?

(3) Never skip breakfast (break-the-fast) because you've "starved" all night. It's time to jump-start your body and your day or else your body will decide to go into "starvation mode". Even if it's just peanut butter crackers or a piece of fruit or boiled egg... eat!

(4) Eat small frequent meals, but start with a glass of water first. It fills you up, and gets things moving. Eat a small meal (a few bites of veggies and fruit, a credit-card-sized bit of protein and a couple oz of starch), then do it all over again 2-3 hours later.

(5) Drink ice water because the body will burn calories adjusting to the temp of the water inside your bod.

That's just a few things to help you speed up how fast you burn calories (boost metabolism). If you have more suggestions, feel free to leave it in the comments! I'm gonna try as many as possible!

8 comments:

Lanie said...

Thanks for the advice.

I drink a lot of icewater throughout the day. I'm glad it's helping!

Scuttleboose said...

These are good tips! I also have a hard time eating spicy foods, so I try to eat eggs with a little bit of hot sauce and a little dollop of RF sour cream. Cholula (with the ketchups) is actually pretty mild when used in small quantities!

Twix said...

Love spicy foods. Taco quiche sound yummy - I'm going to have to play with that one. Thanks for the idea!

I've heard that vinegar works as an appetite suppressant. Pickles anyone? I think there may be something to boosting the metabolism with spicy foods and it's a good concept. But I'm curious as to how much you need and how much of an actual boost you can expect. Cinnamon is supposed to be another one that works. Love cinnamon cookies! Not sure how that's supposed to work, hee!

Happy Friday!!

Karen said...

I did not see that show but have heard that before about spicy stuff. And ice water. Why not:)

Lori said...

I eat so much hot sauce I am surprised I'm not a stick LOL! I put it on a lot of my food.

Cathy said...

Hi Vee, thanks for visiting my blog. Congratulations on your weight loss.

Cathy

Lexie said...

Good advice! I drink lots of ice water but am working on not skipping breakfast.

Michele said...

Really agree with you about the water thing. It is really making a difference in curbing my appetite. I also agree with eating little meals and spreading throughout the day. I do 3 smaller meals and two snacks to get around 1200-1500 calories. Michele