Why would you want to boost your metabolism? Maybe you want to lose weight. Maybe you want to increase your productivity at work. Maybe you want to avoid getting sick from allergies or the common cold. Or maybe you want to build more muscle mass and see the effort you are putting in at the gym pay off.

All these are great reasons for wanting to boost your metabolism. So how do you actually do it?

A huge piece of the metabolic puzzle is you have to start eating. Yes, you have to eat to fuel you metabolism. You actually burn about 10% of your daily calorie intake just through the digestion process therefore causing an uptick in your metabolic rate. So if you ever find yourself skipping meals in order to lose weight or in trying to stay productive by working through lunch, remind yourself that actually the opposite is true!

Now that you know you need to eat, what foods should you eat to get that boost in metabolism? There are SO many. Foods that contain protein and fiber all will give you an added boost. Drinking water helps as well. But I’ve decided to round up a top 5 foods that give you that extra bang for your buck when it comes to revving up your metabolism.

Beans

Protein and fiber are two building blocks of boosting your metabolism. Beans are rich in both! Protein takes more calories to digest than other nutrients so you will actually burn more calories by eating protein than carbohydrates and fat.

How to eat more beans:

Make this black bean and quinoa bowl for dinner and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Blueberries

Full of antioxidants, blueberries can protect your body from free radicals, a technical term that means your cells are being damaged from a host of things like environmental toxins, exercise, or being sick. When free radicals build up in your body, it leads to inhibited muscle growth, fat loss, and can even cause disease. The antioxidants in blueberries help prevent this damage from taking place protecting your body and helping you to achieve you big health goals.

How to eat more blueberries:

Add frozen blueberries to your morning protein smoothie or fresh ones to your morning bowl of oatmeal.

Spinach

Fiber, iron, and calcium are all great nutrients that support your metabolism. All are found in spinach! High fiber foods can increase your fat burn. Iron helps transport oxygen to your body optimizing cellular energy so you can think clearly, exercise, and feel good throughout your day. Calcium supports muscle performance. Enough said, right?!

How to eat more spinach:

Make a powerhouse metabolism boosting salad for lunch: 2 cups of spinach, 3 ounces of grilled chicken, 1/2 cup of blueberries, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon helps your body burn more calories throughout the day. It can help your body metabolize carbohydrates which in turn stabilizes your glucose giving you energy throughout the day and enabling all your cells to work properly (therefore increasing your productivity, improve your immune system, developing muscle mass).

How to eat more cinnamon:

Add cinnamon to your morning coffee or an afternoon herbal tea for quick pick-me-ups.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is full of medium chain fatty acids, which is more easily converted to energy than other types of fatty acids, giving your metabolism a boost. They are also less likely to be stored as fat, a plus in helping prevent weight gain! What I love about coconut oil is that it is supportive of the thyroid gland which is essential to proper metabolic functions. I know so many people with thyroid issues that have trouble losing weight and experience major fatigue. By incorporating a little coconut oil in your day, it can help alleviate some of these symptoms.

How to eat more coconut oil:

Cook with it! Coat your pan of eggs or stir-fried chicken and vegetables with coconut oil for great flavor and for the health benefits. *Make sure to buy organic and virgin coconut oil. 

Other pieces of the puzzle to increasing your metabolism include cardio exercise, strength training, and sleep. All are so essential. If you want guidance or coaching in how to eat, move, and rest to boost your metabolism, contact me here. I would love to help customize a plan that fits your specific needs and lifestyle.

How will you start incorporating some of these foods into your daily eating plan to give your metabolism that extra boost?