The best ways to boost your metabolism

Every time you eat something, the cells in your body have to work to break down that food and turn it into the energy that keeps your heart pumping and fuels you to take on the day. Having a fast metabolism translates to more calories burned, but in many cases, the speed may be largely genetic. However, there are a variety of ways to speed up your metabolism and be on your way to trimming your waist. According to John Berardi, author of “The Metabolism Advantage,” you actually have a large amount of control over your metabolic rate. Check out a few ways you can amp up your metabolism and burn more calories:

Eat the right foods
Keeping up a healthy diet is going to help you torch the calories. However, what you’re putting into your body makes a difference. Prevention stated that foods like lean meats, nuts, whole fruits and vegetables take more time to chew and longer to leave your stomach. When eating takes longer, your stomach has more time to register that it’s full, which can prevent you from mindlessly consuming extra calories. In fact, just the simple act of chewing these foods can increase your calorie burn by up to 30 percent.

Think spicy
You may want to add a little spice to your next meal after hearing about the advantages that come with it. According to FitDay, indulging in a spicy meal can provide a temporary, 8 percent increase over an individual’s typical metabolic rate. Capsaicin, the compound that gives a kick to red chili peppers, creates the largest rise in body temperature, which helps burn more calories immediately after a meal. The New York Times also stated that black pepper and ginger have similar effects.

Get a blast of cardio
Health Magazine suggested amping up the intensity on fitness treadmills for about 30 seconds, then returning to your normal speed afterward. Using this interval strategy will help you take in more oxygen and you’ll work harder to burn energy. Keep an eye on your heart rate to ensure an intense workout with TRUE’s cardio fitness equipment. Many of the bikes, treadmills and ellipticals are equipped with wireless heart rate monitoring systems so you can lock into your target heart rate. Your speed and incline will automatically adjust throughout the duration of your workout to maintain your target heart rate and ensure you that you’re getting the proper amount of exercise for your fitness level.