10 Ways to Rev Up Your Metabolism

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These are quick and easy ways to speed up the weight loss process. The best part is you feel great when doing these things!

1. Eat Clean and Don't Skip Breakfast

Some people think that skipping breakfast will help them lose weight but it actually causes weight gain. If you skip breakfast you usually ear more food for lunch or have high calorie drinks filled with sugar. Studies have shown people who skip breakfast accumulate more body fat then those who don't.

One of the best Magazines for Clean Eating

Eating Clean Spicy Tuna Melts Recipe       

Instead of the traditional lemon and dill lineup, our Spicy Tuna Melts take a cue from Tex-Mex cuisine and employ some southern flavor with a little kick.

By Joanne Lusted | Photo: Edward Pond

Serves: 4
Hands-on time: 9 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz pouched low-sodium tuna or canned low-sodium water-packed tuna, drained
• 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp each chile powder and ground cumin
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 slices whole-grain bread, lightly toasted
• 1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella-cheddar cheese blend

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, yogurt, celery, onions, lime juice, chile powder, cumin and cayenne. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Place bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread tuna salad on each slice, dividing evenly. Top each with 1/4 cup cheese. Bake in oven for 4 to 6 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling and tuna is warm. Serve immediately.

Nutrients per melt: Calories: 237, Total Fat: 7 g, Sat. Fat: 4 g, Omega-3s: 201 mg, Omega-6s: 490 mg, Carbs: 14 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 2 g, Protein: 25 g, Sodium: 390 mg, Cholesterol: 37 mg

Source:http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes/Recipe/Spicy-Tuna-Melts.aspx

3. Get Your Protein

Protein is important for influencing your metabolic rate in turn increasing weight loss. Protein helps sustain muscle during weight loss, improve muscle fitness, improve immunity, improve antioxidant function, build HDL Cholesterol High-density lipoprotein that is one of five lipoproteins that enable cholesterol and triglycerides to be transported within the bloodstream to the liver and to the adrenals, ovaries, or testes for the production of steroid hormones, and enhance insulin and leptin function – all of which contribute toward optimal weight management efforts over time.

Getting enough protein can be hard for a busy person. We are always on the go and no time to have a real meal. Well, you can now get enough protein just by adding raw protein powder shake and protein bars to your diet.

4. Eat Low Healthy Snacks
Avoiding snacks will not help you lose weight but later on help you weight gain. The trick is to choose a snack with about 100 calories and a mix of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. Aim to eat your snack about halfway between meals to keep energy levels consistent.

It will save you money if you make your own snacks. I love this magazine for great recipes.

Eating Well Chocolate-Cherry Snack Bar Recipe

From EatingWell: January/February 2011
These cereal bars are chewy, crunchy and delicious with good-for-you seeds, nuts, fruit and little explosions of chocolate. We like the flavor of dried cherries or cranberries, but any coarsely chopped dried fruit will work.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups unsweetened puffed wheat cereal
• 1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped medium-fine
• 1/3 cup salted roasted pepitas (see Notes)
• 1/4 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds (see Notes)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

Preparation

1. Position a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 300°F. Line an 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper, letting it overhang on two opposite sides.
2. Toss cereal, pecans, pepitas, cherries (or cranberries), sesame seeds and ground flaxseeds in a large bowl.
3. Combine honey, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the honey is more fluid and the salt is dissolved. Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and fold until everything is moistened and sticky. Let cool for 5 minutes. Fold in chips (or chopped chocolate) until evenly distributed. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a fork. Using the back of the fork, press the mixture very firmly all over. (Alternatively, cover with parchment paper and press firmly all over.)
4. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. (If in doubt, take it out so the honey does not burn.) Run a knife along the unlined sides of the pan to detach the bars. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Use the ends of the parchment to lift the bars from the pan. Gently peel off the parchment. Use a heavy sharp knife to cut into 16 bars or squares.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Store airtight for up to 1 week. | Equipment: parchment paper

• Notes: Hulled pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are medium-dark green and have a delicate nutty flavor. They are sold salted, roasted and raw, and can be found in the natural-foods section of many supermarkets.
• Look for ground flaxseeds (or flaxmeal

Nutrition

Per serving: 109 calories; 5 g fat ( 1 g sat , 2 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 12 g added sugars; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber;54 mg sodium; 66 mg potassium.
Carbohydrate Servings: 1
Exchanges: 1 carbohydrates (other), 1 fat
Source: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chocolate_cherry_snack_bars.html

If you want to buy a bar here is a great choice.

5. Drink Water

Many people avoid snacks because they are afraid that snacks contribute to weight gain. However, a healthy snack can offer health benefits. Snacks can even be included in a weight loss plan. The trick is to choose a snack with about 100 calories and a mix of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. Aim to eat your snack about halfway between meals to keep energy levels consistent.

Source:http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_water.php

Ok, so you and I both know you are supposed to drink more water. Half your body weight in OZ. is a good calculation. My mom, a profressional massage therapist, turned me onto Sweet Leaf Stevia. Oh my goodness, they are amazing. They have chocolate, root bear, Vanilla Cream, English Toffee... I am in love. They really freshing up the water perfectly.

Pure Stevia:

• Zero calories and zero carbs
• Safe for diabetics
• Alcohol free
• Can cook and bake with it

6. Green Tea

Green tea increases fat metabolism. It means it increases the body’s capacity to burn the fat faster. Various studies revealed the connection between caffeine and the green tea. Among the green tea nutrients EGCG is believed to be the most important factor for green tea weight loss. Epigallocatechine (EGCG) seems to work well for boosting the noradrenalin. It helps boosting the body’s metabolism and lowering the appetite.

Source: http://greenteaweightlossfacts.com/

7. Eat Fiber

Fiber makes us feel full sooner and stays in our stomach longer than other substances we eat, slowing down our rate of digestion and keeping us feeling full longer. Due to its greater fiber content, a single serving of whole grain bread can be more filling than two servings of white bread. Fiber also moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.

Source: http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_fiber.php 

8. Eat as Much Orgainic As Possible

One thing that might surprise you about organic food is the fact that it can actually be an important tool in your personal fight against obesity. Additionally, organic foods provide a higher concentration of nutrients, especially if you choose to steam your vegetables.

Most produce bought from a local farmers market or even your grocery store contain many different chemicals that your body must process and remove in order to keep these chemicals from ultimately poisoning your system. The bulk of the processing and ridding your body of these chemicals takes place in the liver, which is a key organ in the weight loss process.

By eating organic food exclusively you can seriously limit the number of toxins being introduced to your body, which will ease the burden on overworked systems leading to a new thinner you!

source: http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/health_food/organic_food/why_organic_food_is_better.html

9. Get Enough Sleep

To lose weight seems to be the number one resolution each new year. However, nearly 90% of these resolutions meet with either little or no success. Some people even gain weight instead. Most people never know there may be a very simple reason why: They don't sleep well.

Studies published in TheJournal of the American Medical Association and The Lancet suggest that sleep loss may increase hunger and affect the body's metabolism, which may make it more difficult to maintain or lose weight.

Sleep loss appears to do two things:

1. Makes you feel hungry even if you are full. Sleep loss has been shown to affect the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that regulates appetite. As a result, individuals who lose sleep may continue to feel hungry despite adequate food intake.
   
2. Increases fat storage. Sleep loss may interfere with the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates, which leads to high levels of blood sugar. Excess blood sugar promotes the overproduction of insulin, which can lead to the storage of body fat and insulin resistance, a critical step into the development of diabetes.

source:http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/cant-shed-those-pounds

10. Stay Active

Do you sometimes make any of the following excuses?

• 'I don't have time' - exercise doesn't have to be time-consuming. Find something you enjoy doing and build it into your daily routine.
• 'I'm too old' - anyone can get active at any age
• 'It's expensive' - not necessarily. You don't have to join a gym and you don't have to invest in expensive equipment
• 'It's boring' - then find something that you enjoy. Dancing round when you're vacuuming can be just as beneficial as working out
• 'It's dangerous' - it's certainly more dangerous if you don't exercise. But if you're worried, check with your GP first

Remember: an extra 30 minutes of activity a day will help you to manage your weight and improve your health. Try to build as much activity as you can into your daily life, aiming for a total of 60 minutes each day if you can.
source:http://www.bdaweightwise.com/physical/physical_active.html