Your body is constantly expending energy. Whether sleeping, performing a pushup, sitting at your desk, walking the dog, or eating popcorn, it doesn't matter. Somehow your body must muster enough energy, through one process or another, to sustain life and perform the activities of daily living.

Some energy-requiring processes are automatic. Your heart must beat. Your eyes must twitch. Your lung muscles must contract and relax. Your liver must process organic compounds. Your kidneys must filter your blood. While you have no direct control over these processes, dietary and lifestyle modifications can affect how much energy your body "automatically" burns.

Intermittent fasting-

While intermittent fasting benefits the most, a small subset of the population should avoid or consult your physician before adopting a fasting protocol. Fasting is not recommended if you have a history of disordered eating, known hormone or thyroid deregulation, or uncontrolled diabetes. A fasting protocol can help with weight loss and aid your body in cellular renewal (autophagy). A woman still menstruating can safely intermittent fast 5x per week; men and post-menopausal women can try this practice daily. (how too fast)

IF makes intuitive sense, enzymes in our gut break down the food we eat and, eventually, end up as molecules in our bloodstream. Carbohydrates, particularly sugars and refined grains (think white flour and rice), are quickly broken down into sugar, which our cells use for energy. But sugar can only enter our cells with insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas. Insulin brings the sugar into the fat cells and keeps it there. If our cells don't use it all, we store it in our fat cells as, well, fat.

The idea of IF is to allow the insulin levels to go down far enough and for long enough that we burn off our fat. Between meals, if we don't snack, our insulin levels will decrease, and our fat cells can release their stored sugar for energy. We lose weight if we let our insulin levels go down.

Cold Therapy

Our bodies have different ways of staying warm when exposed to cold: insulation, shivering, or non-shivering thermogenesis.

Non-shivering thermogenesis takes advantage of a kind of tissue called brown fat. Not all adults have it, but researchers think we can make it if routinely exposed to cold.

When activated by cold, brown fat takes up fatty acids and glucose from the bloodstream and oxidizes them. But because of a particular protein unique to brown fat called UCP1, the process creates heat instead of chemical energy (ATP).

Research shows that brown fat activation can benefit metabolic health, like increasing insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake.

There's no easy way to know if you have (or are making) brown fat, and getting the metabolic benefits likely minimal harm in trying it. The takeaway is to try cold exposure—gradually lowering your thermostat, regulating your temperature during sleep, or using a cold-water immersion (research suggests all three can activate brown fat). You want to feel cold but not be shivering.

NUTRITION

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NUTRITION

Energy comes from food. However, complex actions must occur inside your body for turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberries to become the energy needed to talk, stand, sit, walk, and breathe. Your body must break the food into small pieces, then absorb and move them through the membrane of a tiny cell to be broken into even smaller pieces. These pieces then enter into a minuscule cellular component called the mitochondria. Here, the electrical power of oxygen is harnessed to finally break that last tiny molecule of food apart and release energy! The mitochondria are the cell's powerhouse.

There are thousands of crucial steps leading up to this eventual release of energy, most of which require energy. This energy is derived from the calories, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you've previously consumed, combined with the oxygen you breathe. A sufficient number of necessary components results in an adequate amount of energy. Therefore, inadequate oxygen or inadequate food intake results in insufficient power. Inadequate energy results in a slow metabolism.

ROADBLOCKS

In the energy creation process, there are specific barriers to overcome. The more energy you require, the more oxygen you must utilize. Take free radicals, for example. Occasionally oxygen can mutate and escape from the cell in the form of a "free radical" antioxidant. When These Renegade Oxygen molecules combine with other molecules in the body, they can interrupt the processes associated with their "host" molecule.

Because they can interact with many different molecules, free radicals can wreak serious havoc by altering DNA, destroying sensitive protective barriers around the cell, and changing the fragile biochemical structures of proteins and fats. Even a tiny amount of damage to a cell's outside receptors and membrane can severely alter the movement of compounds in and out of the cell, eventually killing the cell. These disruptions and alterations of sensitive cellular processes can sabotage energy production.

Another severe barrier to boosting your metabolism is blood sugar stabilization. After consumption of a carbohydrate-rich meal, your digestive system breaks down the carbs into tiny glucose molecules.

Once these molecules enter the bloodstream, they trigger insulin release by an organ called the pancreas. Insulin ensures that the glucose is delivered to necessary tissues for energy. When these energy stores are full, excess glucose in the bloodstream or digestive tract is easily converted into fat.

Unfortunately, most of us walk around with chronically elevated insulin levels because of excess energy consumption, especially simple sugars. Constant exposure to high amounts of insulin results in "Metabolic Syndrome."

This condition is characterized by high levels of circulating fats in the bloodstream, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, uncontrollable appetite cravings, obesity, and increased diabetes risk. Even more critical is the decreased sensitivity to insulin, which means that the cells become so accustomed to high blood insulin levels that they grow non-responsive, so even more insulin is released!

We will focus heavily on improving your sensitivity to insulin and stabilizing your blood sugar levels, thus avoiding this metabolic roller coaster ride. 

Fasted Cardio

Determine what machine burns the most calories while on it, increasing your metabolic rate for the most prolonged period.

I've ranked some for you in order of their effective burn rate:

1) Running on a treadmill with a slight incline or climbing stairs

2) Rowing or swimming

3) Upright bicycle with hills

4) Elliptical with arms and legs

5) Elliptical with legs only

6) Recumbent bicycle with hills

7) Walking on a treadmill.

Although this will vary from person to person depending on weight, it's a rough estimate of how to get the most bang for your buck.

POWER TRAINING

While lifting or performing body-weight exercises at high velocities has an inherent risk factor, a large amount of energy is required. Did you know an Olympic power lifter burns as many calories in a typical training day as an Olympic marathoner? That's because explosive fast-twitch muscle motions burn a lot of energy and use a high amount of carbohydrates—a substantial post-exercise metabolic rate increase and an anabolic hormone response that vastly improves fat-burning capabilities.

If you learn to do exercises like the power clean, lunge jumps correctly, push press, and jump squat, they can become your most potent calorie-burning and metabolism-boosting weapons. 

Copper

The mineral copper reduces free radical damage, enhances exercise recovery, helps maintain bone and connective tissue health, and preserves normal thyroid gland function. Minerals initiate, regulate, and control vital bodily functions like enzyme activity, digestion, cell electrical impulse, and metabolism. Copper also helps develop the proteins and enzymes essential to iron utilization, directly influencing the amount of oxygen available to working tissues. This is important since every molecule of oxygen you utilize burns many calories!

So What Are The Top Sources Of Copper? Try crimini mushrooms in your omelet and turnip greens with your spinach salad. Or pick up some Hydrogen water tabs w copper at www.waterandwellness.com.

DO YOU FIDGIT?

Studies have found that individuals who are constantly moving burn more calories. Many people don't realize that "constantly moving" includes tapping your feet, drumming your fingers, standing up, sitting down, moving your head in circles, shrugging your shoulders, clenching your butt, and even rolling your eyes! These movements incorporate only slight and insignificant muscle contractions, but every time a muscle fiber moves, it uses energy and increases your body's temperature and metabolism.

Larger muscle fibers burn more calories, but even the tiny boosts from smaller muscle fibers will help when attempting to elevate the metabolism. If you're trying to lose or maintain weight or keep your metabolism elevated, ensure you're twitching and fidgeting as much as possible. Employing these tiny movements while riding the bus, watching television, or even eating breakfast will make a big difference in your metabolism.

GO OUTSIDE

The indoor exercise environment can be less conducive to large active calorie-burning movements due to pollutants or environmental toxins in the air from aerosols, detergents, and disinfectants, which leave the air stale and low in oxygen. In contrast, the outdoors offers higher amounts of oxygen, consistently less pollution, and more wide-open spaces that allow more significant, more productive movements. If the weather permits, don't go for the treadmill. Instead, choose the trail or the lake instead. By consuming more oxygen and swinging your arms and legs in more extensive motions, you'll burn more calories and boost your metabolism for more extended periods.

You'll find that exercise in the great outdoors also becomes less predictable, which causes your body to experience inefficiency, a good thing for your metabolism. A trail run's dips, hills, turns, and obstacles will burn more calories and strengthen a more significant number of muscles and ligaments than a single-direction, indoor treadmill run. 

Digestive Enzymes

As we age, our enzyme production slows down. In the human body, there are two forms of pancreatin. Pancreatic Amylase is the enzyme that breaks down complex sugars into simple sugars during digestion. Pancreatic Lipase is the enzyme that breaks down fats. Theoretically, higher levels of digestive pancreatin will speed metabolism by allowing you to process sugars much more quickly. I take Enzymes with every meal! Bioptimizers KPEX  

Eat Saturated Fat

An essential part of maintaining a high metabolism is ensuring the cells operate correctly. Saturated fats are a significant component of your cell's membranes which are crucial to the flow of nutrients in and out of the cell. Saturated fats are also essential to the maintenance of proper cellular function. Not only that, the heart and other muscles of the body use saturated fat as fuel.

Trans fats Are Heavily Associated With Heart disease, obesity, and metabolic damage. Many modern-day replacements for saturated fat, such as margarine or mayonnaise, and most of the lubricants used in frying and many packaged foods are damaging to the metabolism compared to saturated fats found in animal meat and dairy products. The processed compounds in these foods contain a high degree of trans fats, which are factory-produced fats that your body has difficulty metabolizing. Choose butter over margarine and steak instead of chicken salad with mayonnaise. But be careful; saturated fats are very calorie dense, so just a tiny pat of butter with dinner can have as many calories as the entire potato!

Post Exercise Calorie Expenditure

Metabolism stays elevated for a significant amount of time after exercise. Unfortunately, when we get around to exercising again, our metabolism can return to a slower pace, and getting back into action for the next day's workout can be difficult. Our body must be warm, our lungs must be stretched, and our blood must be actively flowing before our body efficiently utilizes oxygen. For most individuals, it takes about two minutes to begin, after which you start feeling good. Rather than struggling through these first two minutes, your post-exercise metabolic rate will be higher if you jump into the cardio at a moderate pace and hang on for the first 120 seconds. In addition, you'll warm up faster, and the rest of your exercise routine will burn more calories. 

EAT ORGANIC

Most organic foods retain higher levels of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients due to less exposure to toxins and pesticides. They also have lower levels of free radicals and metabolism-damaging compounds found in preservatives and packaging materials. Not only can your body use this clean fuel more readily as energy, but fewer free radicals mean healthier cell membranes and more active cellular metabolism. Since it's expensive and often inconvenient to go "all-organic," start by choosing fruits and vegetables with edible skins. For meat, eggs, milk, and other non-produce items, look online for local farms, suppliers, and distributors of organic or naturally raised products. The bottom line is that the cleaner fuel, the faster the metabolism. Help your body combat toxins, free radicals, and damaging, non-organic compounds by offering your body a diet with superfoods, adaptogens, antioxidants, phytonutrients, herbs, enzymes, and micronutrients. Also, the N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine is a superior form of the naturally occurring amino acid L-cysteine. It is an efficient precursor to the antioxidant glutathione, which assists the body in detoxification.

WATER   

Drinking (3l) daily is a low-hanging fruit, a behavior you can implement today! Your body's fat-burning process relies on water as a primary ingredient. Regular consumption of this refreshing, calorie-free beverage will also boost your metabolism by burning a few extra calories an hour, which quickly adds up throughout the day. In working with clients to achieve leaner bodies, I've found that staying hydrated is similar to eating small meals throughout the day for many. Knowing what to do is one thing; having the means or control to do it is another. Follow this rule: always keep your water bottle full during the day. You'll find you eat less, burn more calories, and feel fantastic.

SLEEP

Sleep is one of the most accessible activities in the world. Unfortunately, most people spend too much time on a favorite TV show, doing extra tasks at work, surfing the web, or having an unhealthy obsession with excessive exercise, which can disrupt sleep and lead to insomnia. Undercutting your necessary sleep by even one hour per night can decrease insulin sensitivity, reduce leptin levels which decrease appetite control, and increase ghrelin levels which increase appetite cravings. Any of these can severely affect your metabolism, thus increasing your propensity towards overeating, fat storage, diabetes, and obesity, as well as other chronic metabolism-related diseases. Furthermore, lack of sleep can increase cortisol levels, decrease key neurotransmitter levels and give your body inadequate rest and recovery for muscle tissue and organ repair. Not giving your body the required 7-9 hours of sleep a night is the equivalent of parking your car in a hailstorm every night. The long-term effect is a battered, slow body and a sluggish metabolism.

Cardio Between Strength Sets

It's time to break the rules on whatever type of weight-lifting regimen you're currently performing. To boost your metabolism, you should perform a "cardio booster" during every rest period, whether 10 seconds, 30 seconds, or 3 minutes. After you finish your set of 12 dumbbell presses, you do jumping jacks as fast as possible for 15 seconds. Following your six-rep squat routine, do 20 explosive pushups. You'll automatically burn several times more calories than your old routine, and your post-exercise metabolic rate will go through the roof. Other good cardio booster exercises include vertical and horizontal jumps, step-ups, lunge jumps, jump rope, jogging in place, and shadow boxing. If you have access to cardio machines, include 60-second bicycle or treadmill sprints, 250-500 meter rowing efforts, or a quick, all-out elliptical effort.

COOK YOUR MEALS

Plan, prepare, and cook your meals as much as possible. You'll have complete control over the ingredients, burn calories in the preparatory process, and be far less likely to overeat. Being in charge of your meals is also a great way to educate yourself about how foods affect metabolism and how ingredient substitutions can affect your energy levels. There's nothing more metabolically diminishing than sitting in your car as you go through a fast food drive-through and then consuming food higher in calories and damaging compounds that you would make for yourself at home.

As the chef, you'll also be introduced to various new fruits, vegetables, and novel food items that keep your body guessing and your mind free from boredom. For instance, just by substituting olive oil for margarine, you'll be consuming fat that is more preferentially used as energy and contains lower levels of metabolism-slowing free radicals! Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to your stir fry will control your body's blood sugar response to the more starchy vegetables.

 Thyroid Optimization

Many people unknowingly have a metabolic disorder called hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid gland. Since the thyroid gland controls much of your body's metabolism, an inability to lose weight can indicate low thyroid hormone levels. Other symptoms of an under-active thyroid can include chronic fatigue and depression. Using a blood test, your doctor can check your thyroid and treat you with a synthetic thyroid supplement to return your metabolism to normal. Natural thyroid hormone therapy is also available, and many of the metabolism-boosting foods and supplements in this E-book will be helpful.

 "Diet" Products

Studies have shown that consuming diet soda products is associated with obesity. Cut out diet sodas, sugar-free candies, artificial coffee sweeteners, and any sugar substitute or packaged food that includes aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, or saccharin. When the taste receptors on your tongue taste this sweet substance, your digestive system begins to produce compounds that prepare your body to use the "food" that your brain thinks you are consuming. The Hormones Produced in the digestive process are still present once this fake food enters your small intestine, but no energy release or satiety occurs. Leaving you with a gut full of digestive hormones that need food to break down and make the brain crave real food.

Furthermore, since these products are "calorie-free," they are not metabolized by the body. Not only does this mean that you miss the metabolism-increasing effect of normal food calories, but your body must also find a way to store these foreign bodies that your body can not metabolize. Toxins and compounds that cannot correctly metabolize are often held in fat cells. So if you consume large amounts of "diet" products, your body may create additional fat cells to store these compounds. If you're serious about burning fat, ditch any sugar-substitute foods or diet drinks you tend to consume. I guarantee you'll feel better once you overcome the initial "diet addiction" withdrawal.

 Cinnamon

 Cinnamon has been used as a natural healing agent to improve circulation for thousands of years. Studies have observed that the intake of cinnamon not only improves insulin production and response but can also increase glucose metabolism up to 20 times faster! Simply including a teaspoon or two of cinnamon in your daily diet will burn sugar more quickly, decrease your blood cholesterol and increase your antioxidant activity. Try adding cinnamon to your daily tea or coffee, sprinkling it on oatmeal or salads, or adding it to chicken or other meats before cooking.

 Pick Up The Speed

Work in short sprints. Studies have shown that the faster you cover a distance, the more calories you burn. There is a higher metabolic cost in moving quickly than in proceeding slowly. So you'll burn the most calories pedaling, running, rowing, swimming, or any other cardio exercise by doing it as fast as possible. The bonus is that the quicker you move, the higher your post-exercise metabolism becomes, causing you to burn more calories throughout the day than if you had moved at a slower pace. 

ZINC

Zinc is a crucial component in the metabolic process by which your cells produce energy. If you don't have enough zinc in your diet, your insulin response is decreased, resulting in insulin insensitivity. With a lower insulin response, blood sugar levels become hard to control, resulting in a catabolic hormone response that can depress your metabolism. Low zinc levels will not only directly impair your metabolic rate but can also decrease thyroid hormone production, further depressing your metabolism.

Zinc is also necessary for protein synthesis and collagen formation, which is essential if you're trying to boost your metabolism by adding lean muscle fibers. Furthermore, carbonic anhydrase enzymes in your red blood cells rely on zinc to help the body expel carbon dioxide. Low zinc levels can also impair your ability to exercise with metabolism-boosting intensity and speed. If you have in- adequate dietary protein intake, you likely have deficient zinc levels. Asparagus, spinach, beef, lamb, and crimini mushrooms are all great sources of zinc. 

DAMAGED FATS

 If you can change ONE thing in your diet today….

Avoid Vegetable, Soy, Peanut, and seed oil. 

How can an oil from a vegetable, such as corn-based oils, sunflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, and canola oil, be dangerous for our bodies? It's because of how the oils must be extracted from the vegetable. This process occurs in factories where the oil-containing seeds are heated to enormous temperatures under massive pressures while exposed to heavy amounts of light and oxygen. Add in the toxin-containing extraction chemicals and pesticide-concentrating compounds. The result is an oil with a high amount of free radicals and damaged or destroyed cholesterols and vitamins, which are non-beneficial for the body. Free radicals harm the cells and slow cell metabolism.

In contrast, an oil such as extra virgin olive oil is produced by crushing olives between two stone rollers – a relatively non-stressful process. In addition to extraction, many vegetable oils undergo hydrogenation, a process in which an oil that would typically be a liquid at room temperature is converted to a solid. This is accomplished by mixing the oil with metal particles, hydrogen gas, emulsifiers, starch, and bleach. This process, applied to margarine and shortenings, makes these fats more dangerous than vegetable oils. Hydrogenation forms trans fats, a toxic and metabolically un-usable fat that can build up in the body and significantly increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other metabolically damaging conditions. You'll find these fats in cream cheese, peanut butter, shortening, and other solid, spreadable fats. These "partially hydrogenated" fats give food a more extended shelf life and preserve flavor. Hydrogenation also blocks the body from using the fatty acids as energy, making them end up on your waistline. Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, butter, tallow, and flaxseed oil are the best oils to consume fats but avoid potential cell damage.

BREATH

Rhythmic contractions of the abdominal blood vessels during inhaling and exhaling help to circulate blood through the body, enhancing oxygen uptake and metabolic rate. As you inhale, your diaphragm expands and squeezes the blood out of your internal organs and blood vessels. Then as you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes as new blood rushes in. A simple method of boosting the metabolism, focus on deep breathing from the stomach, not just during a stretch or exercise routine but also while driving in your car or sitting at your desk.

Try this:

• Inhale slowly through your nose.

• Hold for one count.

• Then exhale through your mouth.

The breath should originate from the back of the throat and finish from deep inside the stomach. Once you've practiced and perfected this form of breathing, it can become a natural mechanism for boosting your metabolism.

FAT PARTICLE SIZE

Medium-chain fatty acids, also called medium-chain triglycerides, are different than other fats. They are small and can penetrate cell membranes easily without requiring significant help from additional proteins and enzymes for uptake and energy utilization. They are preferentially burnt as fuel over other fats. They are digested and absorbed into the bloodstream much more efficiently than larger fatty acids so that they can travel into the liver for immediate conversion into energy rather than stored as fat. So how do you get them? Many supplement companies offer MCFA or MCTs, often advertised as an excellent fat fuel source during long-term athletic activities.

COFFEE

Caffeine ingestion can increase your metabolic rate and energy expenditure by over 10%, and coffee is one of the most inexpensive and convenient ways to achieve this effect. In addition to stimulating the central nervous system and increasing mental and physical energy, caffeine can im- prove memory, enhance athletic performance and help you burn more fat as a fuel, especially during aerobic activity. Caffeine can also inhibit the growth of new fatty cells (your body's fat storage tissue) and improve fat-burning with a meal. To maximize the beneficial effect of caffeine on your metabolism, you must consume coffee or caffeine supplements only in moderation. If these supplements are consumed excessively, your central nervous system and hormones can adapt and grow non-responsive to the metabolic effect. In addition, excessive caffeine can cause an increase in your heart rate, blood pressure, and release of your body's adrenaline hormones which can eventually lead to physical stress and breakdown. Excessive caffeine consumption has also been linked to headaches, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, anxiety, dehydration, stomach irritation, and heart palpitations. An increasing metabolic dose of caffeine is about 100-200 milligrams daily, equivalent to one or two small cups or 10-15 ounces of coffee. For the best effect on exercise, consume it about 45-60 minutes before the workout, resulting in an optimal carbohydrate-sparing and fat-burning effect.    

 Chromium

Perhaps 90% of all Americans are deficient in chromium! Chromium picolinate is a trace mineral that potentiates the effects of insulin, causing less insulin to be needed by the body. It can increase insulin efficiency to optimal levels, aiding in glucose and fat metabolism and resulting in weight loss, mood enhancement, and energy promotion. Animals fed with chromium supplements have stored less body fat and attained more lean muscle mass than animals on similar diets. Combining chromium with picolinic acid enhances dietary absorption, as popular diet supplements do. Increase your chromium intake naturally by eating romaine lettuce, onions, tomatoes, oysters, liver, whole grains, bran cereals, and potatoes. You can also supplement with ThermoFactor, a rich source of chromium combined with other appetite-controlling and blood sugar-stabilizing compounds, like Vanadium and L-Tyrosine.

 Niacin

Niacin, or vitamin B3, is found in two different forms in the body – nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or "NAD" and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate or "NADP." These two compounds are essential for converting carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy and forming carbohydrate storage in muscles and the liver for future energy. Since niacin plays a significant role in fat processing, vitamin B3 can also successfully lower blood cholesterol. When supplementing or enhancing your diet with any of the B vitamins, you will notice a significant boost in energy and alertness. The best sources of niacin are crimini mushrooms and tuna. Other great ways to obtain niacin include salmon, chicken breast, asparagus, halibut, and venison. The dietary supplement EnerPrime contains green Kamut powder, a very rich and convenient source of niacin.

Interval Training

Interval training involves cardiovascular workouts that include periods of high-intensity training incorporated between rest sessions of low or moderate intensity. By allowing yourself recovery between each interval, you enable yourself to push harder during the intense portions. This will boost your post-exercise metabolic rate and ensure you burn significantly more calories following exercise. Compared to a long, low-intensity cardio session, the metabolic effect of interval training is considerably greater.

SAID Principle

Variety is the spice of life, and nowhere is this statement more true than with exercise. In exercise science, we have the SAID principle, which stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. This means your body will eventually adapt to the demands placed upon it, becoming more efficient at familiar movements and burning fewer calories during a frequently performed activity. To significantly increase metabolism, try cross-training by replacing your daily walk with climbing stairs or walking in the sand, switching from racquetball to tennis, or substituting rock climbing for a weight-lifting session. Take an evening martial arts or dance class. Try out spinning. You will boost your metabolism by working new muscles and energy systems and increasing your post-exercise metabolic rate as your body takes longer to recover from the different movements.

GLYCEMIC INDEX

The glycemic index, a.k.a. The GI, is one of the essential determinants in choosing your food, specifically your carbohydrates. The GI is a simple measurement of how quickly a carbohydrate or sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream. Foods with a "high GI" are absorbed rapidly, resulting in a significant spike in energy and insulin levels, followed by a sharp decrease in blood sugar and a subsequent fall in energy levels. This can then depress the metabolism and increase the appetite. "Low GI" foods are more stable sugars, absorbing slowly and providing long-term energy sources that elevate metabolism. This includes sheep/goat yogurt, BERRIES, peaches, plums, grapefruit, sweet potatoes, and squash. Avoid foods with a high GI, including juices, candies, bread, pasta, cereals, bagels, scones, biscotti, and most foods that taste "sweet" in your mouth. Also, avoid processed and packaged foods as much as possible because they will likely include artificial sweeteners (which have a similar effect as sugar) and simple and refined sugars. Keep your eye on the nutrition label for ingredients like sucrose, maltose, dextrose, fructose, galactose, glucose, arabinose, ribose, xylose, deoxyribose, lactose, and other fake names for sugars. Even "healthy" juice and many health food or supplement products will need to be avoided if they contain high levels of sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup. Gain the ability to identify the GI of all the foods in your diet, and your energy levels will stabilize, your mental focus will improve, and your metabolism will soar.

Vitamin B6 

is crucial for over 100 different metabolic reactions in the body. The most important include molecular synthesis of amino acids (your muscle's building blocks), red blood cell production (the oxygen-carrying system), sugar and starch breakdown and processing (blood sugar control), and nerve impulse transmission (muscle fir- ing capacity). Without these functions, your metabolism will crash to low levels! For optimal B6 consumption, keep your cupboards stocked with brightly colored bell peppers, turnip greens, and spinach. Use these vegetables in salads, soups, stir-fries, and as a side dish. 

SEAFOOD

Healthy cell membranes are crucial in helping energy generation within your cells. With proper in- take of omega-3 fatty acids, highly concentrated in fish, you can have efficient, leaky, poor-functioning cell membranes that will slow your metabolism. Proper cell membrane function can be supported by fish oil supplementation or the inclusion of fish in the diet, especially cold-water species like salmon. People who regularly eat fish have also been observed to have higher levels of leptin, a hormone linked to quick metabolisms, appetite control, and weight loss. If you're not taking a high-quality fish oil supplement, preferably one that contains "Omega-3's" and "antioxidants," try including fish in your diet at least twice a week. Don't ruin the benefits by frying it in high-heat-drenched oil – poaching or grilling are healthier. A few fish filets prepared on the weekend can be a perfect topping to salads all week.

Vitamin D

Did you know that the organ that burns the most significant amount of sugar calories during our resting metabolism is the brain? Since proper human brain cell development is closely related to adequate vitamin D consumption, it has been suggested that vitamin D regulates cellular growth and function in our brain cells. Our bodies also convert vitamin D3 into calcitriol, a compound closely linked to the cellular lifecycle. Salmon is a rich source of vitamin D, as are sardines, shrimp, cod, milk, and eggs. You'll promote a healthy metabolism by encouraging proper dividing and developing cells with adequate vitamin D levels.

Folate

Folate is essential for the proper development of red blood cells. If red blood cell levels are deficient, oxygen distribution to your muscles will decrease, which can be detrimental to maintaining a high metabolism since all the body's energy pathways are highly oxygen dependent. Think about running your car on gas fumes. Your acceleration and power will vastly decrease. Opening up the oxygen flow to the muscles is like filling the car tank with gasoline.

Anemia is characterized by low energy levels and an inability to maintain high exercise levels, and it is often observed in folate-deficient individuals. In addition to preventing the oxygen-deficient condition of anemia, folate also assists with healthy circulation. So a folate-rich diet not only gives you more healthy red blood cells but their delivery to the muscles is enhanced as well. The best sources of folate include dark leafy greens, romaine lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, and lentils. Pregnant women may also want to take a prenatal nutritional supplement that includes folate.

CHEW MINDFULLY

The digestion process, particularly carbohydrates, begins with the saliva in your mouth. By deliberately chewing to a pulp every bite of food you consume, you'll get a jump-start on digestion which will help you feel fuller sooner, requiring less blood flow to be diverted to the digestive system for breakdown. This is more available for muscle contractions and other metabolism-boosting movements. Due to the calorie-burning effect of "twitching," you also burn many extra calories with each squeeze of those powerful jaw muscles and all the other tiny neck and facial muscles involved in grinding your food down. A good strategy is to pick a set number of chews (20-30 is usually adequate) and focus on completing that number with every bite of every meal. Initially, this will seem like a chore, but you'll be amazed at how much sooner you feel full and how much smoother you digest your meal!

Walk After Big Meals

What happens inside the body after a large meal, like during the Holiday Season? Your liver becomes overloaded with a surplus of energy because it only has a specific "carbohydrate capacity." Once the liver is full of carbohydrates, any excess sugars in the bloodstream are easily converted to body fat and sent to your abdomen and vital organs. Wherever else you tend to deposit fat. Unused fats from a large meal typically circulate through your bloodstream and are deposited as adipose tissue. The massive insulin release after a large meal triggers this fat storage, but there's a simple way to halt the high insulin release and "energy storage" mechanism.

Studies have shown that moving about and walking after a large meal significantly decreases circulating fatty acid and sugar levels, lowering your body's energy surplus. As a result, your muscles take in up to 30 times more blood sugar and energy than "sitting on the couch" muscles. In addition, your cells become more sensitive to insulin, allowing your pancreas to release much lower levels of this fat-storage hormone. The nice part is that you don't need to run 5 miles or do 300 pushups – all that's required is a simple walk. Begin to make this a habit after large meals, and you'll keep that metabolism elevated.

 Co-Q10

While it may sound like the name of a sci-fi robot character, Co-Q10 is an enzyme found in your cells' mitochondria and is essential for oxygen-based energy generation and antioxidant pro-section. Co-Q10 levels decrease with age and intense exercise. Reduced Coq10 levels may be overcome by supplementation or increasing consumption from rich dietary sources like almonds, ocean salmon, sardines, spinach, and red meat. 

SUN EXPOSURE

As you may already know, vitamin D is essential to a healthy metabolism. Sunlight is the body's primary source for proper Vitamin D conversion and utilization. Exposure to the sun is also necessary for maintaining your body's natural circadian rhythm. Without a good sleep-wake cycle, you can become slow, tired, and depressed – none of which promotes an active body and fast metabolism. Although there will be rainy days and long stretches in the winter where sunlight exposure is difficult to attain, try to follow the general rule of exposing yourself to at least 10 minutes daily, even if it's just for a short walk. You'll feel more alert and awake and have another reason to go outside, remain active, and boost your metabolism!

RIBOFLAVIN

Like most B vitamin groups, Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is a critical component of your body's energy production pathways. It is converted to several compounds in the body that attach to protein enzymes, allowing optimal oxygen-based sugar to convert into energy. Riboflavin is found in exceptionally high concentrations in the liver and kidneys, two of your body's primary metabolic processing organs. High concentrations are also found in skeletal and heart muscles, where vitamin B2 plays a crucial role in aerobic metabolism. To get your daily dose of B2, go for mushrooms, calf's liver (fewer toxins than older animal liver), spinach, and smelt.

GROWTH HORMONE

Human growth hormones can reduce body fat even in the absence of dieting. They can also increase lean muscle formation and boost energy, endurance, and metabolism. Also known as somatotropin or "hGH," this hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland, mainly when you're asleep.

Here are some natural ways to increase your body's HGH production: 1. Make the last meal of the evening high in protein and low in fats and sugars.

2. Fast 2 hours before bedtime.

3. Avoid alcohol and caffeine 2 hours before bedtime.

4. Eat only low glycemic index (50 or less) carbohydrates.

5. Re-fuel as soon as possible after a workout.

6. Attempt to create lactate production in your muscles during nearly every workout, which means you rest very little between sets and achieve an intense burn or oxygen deficit with at least 1 set or exercise.

Weight Training

Weight training is one of the top metabolism-boosting activities out there. Since a pound of muscle can burn up to nine times as many calories as a pound of fat, training with resistance will not only vastly increase your metabolic rate by replacing fat droplets with muscle fibers. Still, it will keep the metabolism in overdrive for up to 24 hours after lifting. Suppose you compare an individual who utilizes only aerobic exercise with one who combines aerobic and resistance training. In that case, the latter will always have a significantly higher exercise-derived metabolism.

The best weight-lifting exercises to choose from are multi-joint movements that burn the most calories and use the most body parts in the shortest period. These movements include exercises like squats, lunges, rows, pushups, and pull-ups. Avoid machines that burn relatively fewer calories and do not train nearly as many different muscles as free weights. For the best metabolic results, complete a circuit with 10-15 repetitions of 4-8 other exercises with minimal rest between movements.

 Carnitine

Carnitine is essential for proper mitochondrial function and energy metabolism. As a cellular transport molecule, carnitine is a vital component of the cell's mitochondria system that helps to convert fatty acids into energy. Your body can produce carnitine by combining amino acids with vitamins B, C, and iron—high levels of carnitine result in increased fat utilization during rest and exercise. Still, in times of heavy training or stress, you may need to boost your metabolism with a supplemental intake. Supplemental forms of carnitine are available in pill or capsule form, but the richest dietary sources are lamb, organ meats such as liver and heart, fish, avocado, and wheat germ.

 Ginger

Ginger can speed your metabolic rate by enhancing fats and proteins digestion while stimulating your motor and respiratory centers and improving blood circulation. In addition, ginger can also speed up the digestion of large meals and improve feelings of well-being after eating. Try grinding fresh ginger on your next stir fry, salad, or smoothie. Peel the root and grate the ginger just like a carrot.

 Avoid Alcohol

In addition to stimulating appetite and providing excess calories that are primarily void of nutrients, alcohol slows your metabolism by depressing the central nervous system. Whenever alcohol is consumed, especially in the presence of food, you burn less fat and store more calories. The production of acetate occurs after alcohol consumption which can inhibit the burning of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, thus slowing the caloric cost of digesting food. Alcohol also has a dehydration effect and can deplete the body of essential vitamins and minerals while suppressing the formation of testosterone and lean muscle mass. All of this significantly depresses cellular metabolism.  

EAT FIBER

Fiber is essential to a high metabolism. Soluble fiber binds to "bile acids" and removes them from the small intestine. Since bile acids aid in fat digestion, your body is less likely to absorb and use fat and more likely to pass it through. Bile acids also transport cholesterol, so reduced bile acids in the small intestine result in lower cholesterol! Soluble fiber also regulates blood sugar levels and controls insulin levels, maintaining a high metabolism and greater utilization of fatty acids as fuel.

Insoluble fiber,

which does not dissolve in water (i.e., roughage) and increases the bulk in your gut. As a result, digested food sits for a shorter period in the intestine, and fewer starches and sugars are absorbed into the body. You also feel fuller faster! But while increased fiber intake can significantly assist in weight control, be aware that too much fiber intake will result in inadequate nutrient absorption, decreasing energy levels and lowering metabolism. So hold back on munching down that giant bag of spinach and space your fiber evenly throughout the day.

How do you ensure that you're consuming sufficient fiber? Enjoy a large salad for lunch or in the afternoon, usually with 3-4 different types of vegetables, like carrots, alfalfa sprouts, diced cucumbers, tomatoes, or one handful of whole, raw almonds every day as a snack; one large serving of vegetables with dinner, such as sautéed asparagus, a handful of mini carrots or a bowl of steamed broccoli.

 B12 

Vitamin B12 is of primary importance for red blood cell development. Without B12, your body has insufficient DNA, a necessary component for proper red blood cell formation. Forming red blood cells is crucial for oxygen transport to active tissues. Lack of oxygen will slow the metabolism. B12 also assists in iron utilization, proper digestion, nutrient absorption, protein synthesis, and carbohydrate and fat metabolism.

Your digestive system's ability to absorb vitamin B12 will decrease as you age. Excellent sources of vitamin B12 are the calf's liver and snapper. A daily supplement or multivitamin that includes this vitamin is recommended. 

 Look For HFCS

HFCS stands for "High Fructose Corn Syrup." Fructose directly interferes with the body's use of critical metabolism-boosting compounds like magnesium, copper, and chromium. It has twice the fructose of table sugar, and unlike the fructose in raw fruit, HFCS contains zero enzymes, vitamins, or minerals. High fructose corn syrup is highly soluble, mixes well in many foods, is cheap to produce, tastes sweet, and is easy to store. Hence its popularity as an additive in bread, sauces, beverages, meats, and, most disturbingly, many health food products. HFCS has been observed to increase the risk of high blood cholesterol, dangerous blood clots, and immune system damage.

Most importantly, the fructose in HFCS reduces your cell receptor sensitivity to insulin, which is a big step towards a plummeting metabolism and risk of type-2 diabetes. Since so many "health foods" contain HFCS, your best bet is to look for an organic or naturally sweetened energy bar if you must have an energy supplement. The organic cane juice, stevia, monk fruit, and agave nectar are two popular alternatives to HFCS.

Biotin

Teaching your body how to use fatty acids as fuel while maintaining adequate fat levels to build healthy cellular membranes is essential. Biotin allows your body to use starches efficiently as fuel by moving sugar through the cell for conversion into energy. It is also a necessary component of acetyl Co-A carboxylase, an enzyme essential for producing fatty acids from dietary fat intake. In addition to helping you utilize metabolism-boosting B vitamins, biotin supports proper neuromuscular function allowing for efficient skeletal muscle contractions.

 Pantothenic Acid

Pantothenic acid is just another name for vitamin B5. In the body, vitamin B5 is combined with another molecule to form coenzyme A, essential for the proper metabolism of sugars and storage of carbohydrates and fat. Increased levels of pantothenic acid have been observed in individuals with fast metabolisms and highly efficient mitochondria, like marathon runners. Vitamin B5 is vital for a high metabolism by sustaining cellular energy release.

The two top sources are mushrooms and cauliflower. Since two other good sources include broccoli and sunflower seeds, a broccoli-cauli- flower salad with sunflower seeds and sliced mushrooms are perfect for vitamin B5 optimization. 

Ghrelin 

Ghrelin is your body's primary "appetite-inducing" hormone. The longer it takes to consume a meal, the lower your Ghrelin levels. Chew multiple times, drink water after each bite, and eat protein to maximize this effect.

 Increase Iodine

Iodine is a vital component of thyroid hormone production. If your body cannot synthesize sufficient levels of thyroid hormones, you will be unable to maintain a high metabolism. When blood thyroid hormone levels drop, the body responds by increasing iodine uptake from the blood for more hormone synthesis. This process will usually happen as long as your iodine levels are sufficient. But if you're iodine deficient, thyroid hormone levels cannot be sufficiently increased.

Iodine is also essential for proper immune system function and is found in high amounts in sea vegetables (like kelp, seaweed, or algae) and strawberries. If you suffer from low thyroid symptoms, combine your iodine supplement with the powerful thyroid support supplement LeanFactor, a synergistic blend of ingredients essential for thyroid function and the addition of lean muscle tissue.

YOGA/MINDFULNESS

Control your stress. By encouraging high levels of circulating cortisol and overworking your body's fight-and-flight response, stress can contribute to abdominal fat formation and a decreased metabolism, as well as a lack of appetite control and food cravings. Any activity that helps to channel and control stress is beneficial. Although it doesn't burn significant calories, yoga can directly decrease your body's negative stress response, thus indirectly boosting your metabolism. The flexibility and blood circulation improvements are also highly beneficial from a metabolic standpoint. The stress-reducing benefits can be de- rived from as little as 15 minutes of focused yoga daily. If you can't make time for a local hour-long yoga class, learn a few simple yoga moves and work them into your day.

Thiamin

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamin, functions to help convert sugar into energy by acting as a necessary structural component of your body's pyruvate dehydrogenase system, an oxygen-based energy processing unit. Thiamin is also required for the average production of hydrochloric acid, which is essential for healthy digestion. The more efficiently you can digest food, the better the caloric expenditure from digestion. It would help if you tried to get about 0.5 milligrams of B1 for every 1000 calories consumed. You may not need a supplement to achieve this amount. The best natural sources of Vitamin B1 are asparagus, romaine lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, sunflower seeds, tuna, green peas, tomatoes, eggplant, and Brussels sprouts. Think tuna salad in a lettuce wrap, sautéed mushrooms, asparagus, or a spinach salad with sunflower seeds.