Don't Diet!

Don't Diet! 15 Easy Ways to Rev Up Your Metabolism

The Men's Health Diet isn't about eating less, it's about eating more - more nutrition-dense food, to crowd out the empty calories and keep you full all day. That's important, because restricting food will kill your metabolism. It makes your body think, "I'm starving here!" And your body responds by slowing your metabolic rate in order to hold on to existing energy stores. What's worse, if the food shortage (meaning your crash diet) continues, you'll begin burning muscle tissue, which just gives your enemy, visceral fat, a greater advantage. Your metabolism drops even more, and fat goes on to claim even more territory.

Go to bed earlier

A study in Finland looked at sets of identical twins and discovered that of each set of siblings, the twin who slept less and was under more stress had more visceral fat.
Learn 52 easy ways to control and conquer stress!

Eat more protein
Your body needs protein to maintain lean muscle. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts, or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack. Plus, research showed that protein can up post-meal calorie burn by as much as 35 per cent.
Munch on these 8 foods that pack on muscle.

Go organic when you can
Canadian researchers reported that dieters with the most organochlorines (pollutants from pesticides, which are stored in fat cells) experienced a greater than normal dip in metabolism as they lost weight, perhaps because the toxins interfere with the energy-burning process. In other words, pesticides make it harder to lose pounds.
Try the 20 best organic packaged foods


Get up, stand up
In one study, researchers discovered that inactivity (4 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.
Learn 7 easy stretches to do at work.


Drink cold water
German researchers found that drinking 6 cups of cold water a day (that's 48 ounces) can raise resting metabolism by about 50 calories daily - enough to shed 5 pounds in a year.
Watch out for the 20 worst drinks in America.


Eat the heat
It turns out that capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their mouth-searing quality, can also fire up your metabolism. Eating about 1 tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies boosts your body's production of heat and the activity of your sympathetic nervous system (responsible for our fight-or-flight response), according to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. The result: a temporary metabolism spike of about 23 per cent.
Flavor your food with the 6 most nutritious herbs.


Rev up in the morning
Eating breakfast jump-starts metabolism and keeps energy high all day. It's no accident that those who skip this meal are 4 1/2 times as likely to be obese. And the heartier your first meal is, the better.
Avoid these 11 terrible restaurant breakfasts.


Drink coffee or tea

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, so your daily java jolt can rev your metabolism 5 to 8 per cent - about 98 to 174 calories a day. A cup of brewed tea can raise your metabolism by 12 per cent, according to one Japanese study. Researchers believe the antioxidant catechins in tea provide the boost.
10 best foods you aren't eating but should

Fight fat with fibre

Fibre can rev your fat burn by as much as 30 per cent. Studies find that those who eat the most fibre gain the least weight over time. Aim for about 25 g a day - the amount in about three servings each of fruits and vegetables.
Try these 30 tricks to make fibre taste good.

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.)
Slim down on the go - blend up the 12 best smoothie ingredients

Get more D

Vitamin D is essential for preserving metabolism-revving muscle tissue. Unfortunately, researchers estimate that a measly 20 per cent of Americans take in enough through their diet. Good sources: salmon, tuna, fortified milk and cereals, and eggs.
Learn 6 ways to turn comfort food into muscle fuel.

Drink milk

There's some evidence that calcium deficiency may slow metabolism. Research shows that consuming calcium in dairy foods such as fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt may also reduce fat absorption from other foods.
Need a little motivation? Start with these 20 reasons to lose 20 pounds.

Eat watermelon

The amino acid arginine, abundant in watermelon, might promote weight loss, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers supplemented the diets of obese mice with arginine over 3 months and found that it decreased body-fat gains by a whopping 64 per cent. Adding this amino acid to the diet enhanced the oxidation of fat and glucose and increased lean muscle, which burns more calories than fat does. Snack on watermelon and other arginine sources, such as seafood, nuts, and seeds, year-round.
Check out 40 foods with superpowers.

Stay hydrated

All of your body's chemical reactions, including your metabolism, depend on water. If you are dehydrated, you may be burning up to 2 per cent fewer calories, according to researchers at the University of Utah who monitored the metabolic rates of 10 adults as they drank varying amounts of water per day. In the study, those who drank either eight or twelve 8-ounce glasses of water a day had higher metabolic rates than those who had four.
Try these 10 painless ways to upgrade your diet.

Source: http://lifestyle.ca.msn.com/health-fitness/diet/rodale-gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=27779491