10 Ways To Speed Up Your Metabolism

Go To Bed Earlier
Studies have found that the stress on the body from sleeping less can lead to an increase in visceral fat. Visceral fat is fat that is stored in the abdominal cavity and surrounds a number of important internal organs.

Eat More Protein
Your body needs protein to maintain lean muscle mass. Researchers now recommend an amount around 2 grams daily per kilogram of body weight. Boost your protein intake with lean meat, nuts, protein powder or low-fat yoghurt. Research showed that protein can increase post-meal calorie burn by as much as 35 percent.

Go Selectively Organic
Pesticides from produce can be stored in the fat cells and can interfere with metabolism. But you need to know when organic counts, and when it's not that important. Organic onions, avocados, grapefruit? Not necessary. But choose organic when buying celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, capsicum, spinach, kale, cherries and potatoes - they tend to have the highest levels of pesticides. A simple rule of thumb: If you can eat the skin, go organic.

Stand Up
Whether you sit or stand at work may play as big a role in your health and your waistline as your fitness routine. In one study, researchers discovered that inactivity (four hours or more) causes a near shutdown in an enzyme that controls fat and cholesterol metabolism. To keep this enzyme active and increase your fat burning, break up long periods of downtime by standing up - for example, while talking on the phone.

Drink Cold Water
German researchers found that drinking six cups of cold water a day can raise resting metabolism by about 50 calories daily - enough to shed 2.5 kg in a year. The increase may come from the work it takes to heat the water to body temperature. Though the extra calories you burn drinking a single glass don't amount to much, making it a habit can add up to weight lost with essentially zero additional effort.

Get Into Chili
It turns out that capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their mouth-searing quality, can also fire up your metabolism. Eating about one tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies boosts your body's production of heat and the activity of your sympathetic nervous system. The result is a temporary metabolism spike of about 23 percent.

Don't Skip Breakfast
Eating breakfast jump-starts metabolism and keeps energy high all day. It's no accident that those who skip this meal are four and a half times as likely to be obese. And the heartier your first meal is, the better.

Get Your Caffeine Fix
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, so your daily java jolt can rev your metabolism five to eight percent - about 98 to 174 calories a day. A cup of brewed tea can raise your metabolism by 12 percent, according to one Japanese study. Researchers believe the antioxidant catechins in tea provide the boost. Healthy sources of caffeine also include Herbalife Tea Concentrate.

Fibre Fights Fat
Fibre can rev your fat burn by as much as 30 percent. Studies find that those who eat the most fiber gain the least weight over time. Aim for about 25 grams a day - the amount in about three servings each of fruits and vegetables. Herbalife Fibre Complex is an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fibre.

Eat Iron-Rich Foods
Iron is essential for carrying the oxygen your muscles need to burn fat. Unless you restock your store, you run the risk of low energy and a sagging metabolism. Shellfish, lean meats, beans, fortified cereals and spinach are excellent sources. (But it's not always a good idea to take a supplement. Too much iron has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease in men. Get this essential mineral in natural doses from real foods.)