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Everybody wants to be able to burn calories even when you’re not working out.
It’s the Holy Grail of fitness.
Below are lists of metabolism boosters that work, are relatively straight forward and easy to do or use.
The metabolism is the chemical process your body uses to break down food and drink and turns them into energy.
Calories are combined with oxygen to release the fuel that keeps your body and mind running smoothly.
Some people are born with a high metabolism, meaning that their bodies burn the calories that they eat extremely quickly.
These people are usually thin, or at least very lean.
It would be easy for those of us who were born with normal to slow metabolisms to curse
Fate and the genetic lottery, but don’t despair – there are things you can do to speed that process up!
There Are a Couple on This List That May Surprise You
Do Cardio – Two to three vigorous, 45-minute-long workouts per week can result in weight loss. You can use watches like one of these that can help you track your workout and progress. 
- Eat Breakfast – Try to eat breakfast within one hour of getting up. Skipping slows your metabolism.
- Exercise – There are studies that suggest regular exercise can actually affect your body on a cellular level, all the way down to the DNA, to boost metabolism.
- Don’t Skip Meals – When you skip meals, you let your blood sugar levels drop, and your body thinks it’s starving. The metabolism grinds to a halt. Blood sugar levels need to be kept constant, so try to eat 6 to 8 small meals per day.
- De-Stress - The stress hormone Cortisol has been shown to have a slowing effect on the metabolism.
- Get an Afterburn – When you do very short, but very intense exercises during your workout, you can sometimes have what’s call an “afterburn.” Up to 200 calories can be burned after your workout is over.
- Snack Before Bed – Eating a snack with 100 to 200 calories just before bed keeps your blood sugar level nice and steady, and you’ll burn calories in your sleep. Who knew that having a snack before bed is one of the metabolism boosters that work?
Who Knew That Chocolate Can Be A Natural Metabolism Booster
- Eat Whole Grains – Grains are high in fiber, they take up more room in your stomach (making you feel fuller) and they take a little more effort to chew. In fact, just the act of chewing whole grains burns 10% more calories than chewing other foods.
- Add Intervals – During your cardio workout, add in some high-intensity intervals to surprise your body and shock it out of complacency
- Use Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne is one of the “warming” spices. In other words, it kicks up your body temperature and adds more heat to the metabolic processes in your cells.
- Do Strength Training – Muscle burns calories faster than fat does, and 120 minutes of strength training per week can build up those muscles.
- Eat Dark Chocolate – Dark chocolate contains two known metabolism boosters that work: caffeine and Catechin. A little can go a long way. Want to avoid the sugar and carbs that you’d find in a while candy bar? Then eat just eat one small square per day.
Sleep is Key To Many Positive Health Benefits
- Use Cinnamon – Like cayenne, cinnamon is a warming spice that can increase your body temperature and speed up your metabolism. Cinnamon also has antioxidants, helps reduce inflammation, and may protect against some forms of cancer.
- Drink More Water – Studies have shown that people who drank 8 to 12 glasses of water per day burned more fat that people who did not. In addition, staying hydrated is a good way to keep your body cool.
- Sleep Soundly – Weight gain has been linked to a lack of quality sleep. It’s best to get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night. Your body heals best when you sleep, and the muscles that get torn down during your daily workout rebuild while you’re resting. Practice what’s called “sleep hygiene” – avoid caffeine too close to bedtime, and keep your bedroom quiet, dark and cool. Power down electronics at least thirty minutes before you go to bed. Smart phones, computers, tablets and the like all emit light that can keep your brain active and prevent you from sleeping as deeply as you should.
If You're Allergic to Nut, There Are Other Options
- Eat Nuts – Almonds, cashews and walnuts all contain magnesium, which can calm your nerves, encourage good sleep, regulate calcium and sodium levels in your blood stream, and help keep your metabolism boosters that work another notch.
- Eat Your Broccoli – This green vegetable is full of folate, vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants. It’s also crunchy and fibrous, which means that it takes a little extra effort to chew. Its benefits might even include detoxing your system, which can only help your body to burn calories in a cleaner way.
- Limit Processed Carbs – Processed carbs (white flour, refined sugar) turn into excess glucose that your body holds on to in the shape of fat. These carbs are empty calories, because they don’t offer any nutrients to speak of. If you’re going to snack, don’t reach for something packed with sugar – reach for protein instead.
- Use Ginger – Ginger is another warming spice, which speeds up your metabolism. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and may reduce muscle pain and soreness.
Not a Coffee Drinker? Then Green Tea Can Work
- Eat Yogurt – Yogurt contains calcium, which boosts the metabolism. Try to get three servings of low-fat dairy and 1000 milligrams of calcium daily.
- Choose Lean Protein – Protein requires more energy to digest, which means that your body works harder to burn it. The more energy your body uses, the less you have stored as fat, and the higher your metabolism goes. Proteins also usually require more chewing, which can result in an additional calorie burn of up to 30%.
- Drink the Right Kind of Smoothie – A smoothie containing Greek yogurt, cinnamon and green tea can be another metabolism boosters that work and send it into high gear.
- Eat Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A and antioxidants, and they also have the hormone adiponectin, which helps to regulate blood sugar. Eat them boiled or steamed -frying negates the healthy benefits sweet potatoes have to offer.
- Take a Walk – Sitting for an hour or more reduces your fat-burning enzymes by as much as 90%. How to combat this? Get up! Taking regular walks can help keep your metabolism burning.
- Drink Green Tea – In one study, people who drank four cups of green tea per day lost 6 pounds in 8 weeks. Green tea contains catechin, which raises resting metabolism by 4%, or about 80 calories per day.
- Use Vinegar – Vinegar makes you feel fuller for longer, and it may help to boost your metabolic rate.
Veggies for The Win When It Comes To Metabolism Boosters That Work
- Eat More Fruits and Veggies – And the last tip on keeping your metabolism boosters that work is obviously, vegetables. Eat vegetables and fruits in their whole, natural state. Big chunks of fruits and veg require more chewing, which gives the brain time to register that it’s full.
