8 Metabolism Boosting Tactics

1) Fish.

Most of us have read about the benefits of fish oil, which is full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Found in many common oily fish like mackerel, trout, sardines, herring, tuna, and salmon, it can also be taken in capsules (at least 300 milligrams/day) by those odd people (j/k lol) who don’t like seafood. Fish consumption has been found to boost your calorie burn by as much as 400 calories a day! Fish is also full of great, low-fat, muscle-building protein (which requires your body to burn more calories to digest it).

2) Dark green leafy vegetables.

These include arugula, chard, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, and spinach. They are full of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and lots of fiber. While the vitamins are great antioxidants and very healthy for you, the fiber is where the rubber really meets the road as far as your metabolism goes. Your body expends a lot more calories digesting fiber and protein than it does simply digesting carbs. This is called the thermic effect – the amount of calories required to digest food can sometimes be almost as much as the number of calories in the food itself. Dark leafies also contain many B vitamins, which are necessary to produce the enzymes for metabolism. Most other vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories and can boost your burn, but nutritionally speaking, the best are the dark green leafy vegetables.

3) Tomatoes.

Tomatoes contain high levels of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been proven to have several anti-carcinogenic properties. And like the dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes are a good source of fiber. But tomatoes can also work overtime to flush fat, as they contain citric, malic, and oxalic acids, which support your body's kidney functions, helping your body eliminate more waste and fat from your system. (I personally love dicing them up and eating them in salads and even scrambled eggs)

4) Blueberries and other whole fruits.

Whole fruits contain lots of fiber, and many contain so much, they can be said to have "negative calories," meaning your body burns more calories digesting them than it contains. One cup of blueberries only has about 80 calories, but it has 4 whole grams of fiber. Your body will expend much of those 80 calories digesting those 4 grams of fiber. Blueberries also contain lots of antioxidants, and are believed to lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. Try adding them to a high-fiber unsweetened cereal or oatmeal in the morning to get your metabolism up and running at the start of your day.

5) Whole grains.

Well, if you've read this far you've probably gotten that fiber is key to keeping the metabolic fires burning. Whole grains are one of the best sources of dietary fiber. This is where careful label reading comes in. Lots of items that are supposed to contain whole grains only have just enough to make the claim truthful, and may in fact be full of insulin-spiking carbs or sugars, which will take your metabolism in the wrong direction. Speaking as someone who is hypoglycemic I’m here to tell you that insulin levels also play a large role in maintaining a healthy weight. Check the ingredient list of your breads and cereals carefully and make sure the main item (and FIRST listed) of the ingredients is whole grains.

6) Chilies, curries, and other spices.

Ever eaten a particularly spicy meal and felt your heart race a bit faster and your forehead start to perspire? The capsaicin found in many hot peppers and other spices can fire up your metabolism while it fires up your mouth. In fact, some studies have shown a 50% increase in metabolism for 3 hours after eating capsaicin! So it helps to keep a bottle of hot sauce on hand at mealtimes. You can also use spices to add flavor to recipes to help kick your metabolism into a higher gear, instead of salty or fatty ingredients. I like to use crushed red pepper and/or chili pepper on most everything I cook.

7) Green tea.

Researchers have found that green tea consumption can increase calorie-burning by up to 4%. It's believed that green tea accomplishes this by helping to increase metabolic rates, as well as fat oxidation. Studies have also shown that green tea can reduce sugar cravings and help inhibit enzymes that slow digestion, thus raising metabolic rates. In addition to its metabolic properties, green tea is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols, making it one of the most healthful beverage choices around. (Just watch that you’re not excessively spiking it with sugar)

8) Ice water.

Almost every nutritionist will recommend drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, but did you know that if you drink ice water instead of room-temperature water, your body will burn an extra 9 calories per glass? Drinking room-temperature water can burn about 16 calories per glass – that's 25 calories per glass for ice water. So eight glasses of cold water a day can be responsible for burning 200 calories! Besides, water is necessary for all your bodily processes, including the ones that control your metabolism. But if you’re like me and have sensitive teeth that make “ice” water sound like a torture technique just know that you need water regardless of temperature and keep consuming it. If you're under-hydrated, your body will underperform. Water also flushes out fat deposits and toxins, which can hinder your energy.

Remember, a good night's sleep and smaller, more evenly spaced meals can be your best metabolic friends, there’s no avoiding the fact that one of the best things to really get your metabolism going is exercise. Also, because stress has been found to produce cortisol, a steroid that inhibits proper metabolism, I strongly recommend that you look into ways of reducing stress. (Yoga, meditation, reading, visit the ocean, etc.)

How Lack of Sleep Affects Weight Loss/Gain

I know many people think, “I’m too busy to sleep, sleeping doesn't make a difference in my weight loss goals.” But be warned, not getting enough sleep makes you very hungry and increases your cravings for the worst foods possible. How? According to a study published in the Public Library of Science, impaired sleep causes leptin (your "I'm full" hormone) to go DOWN by 15.5%. And it also causes ghrelin (your "I'm hungry" hormone) to go UP by 14.9%.

This can send your appetite wildly out of control. You wake up starving and completely useless until you can binge – and on the worst foods, driving up your cravings for sugar, sweets and sugary carbs (breads, pasta, etc.)!

Leptin (the "I'm full" hormone) also controls your metabolism by influencing your thyroid hormone. So when you don't get enough shut-eye and leptin goes down, your thyroid also goes down, which causes your metabolic rate (how many calories you burn at rest) to absolutely plunge. 

The result? More of the food you eat gets parked on your belly and thighs instead of being turned into energy to power you through the day. And it gets worse... most people don't know that the majority of the "fat burning" process actually happens when they sleep.

During sleep, leptin triggers specialized calorie-burning fat cells to burn up excess calories that you don't need and to release that energy as heat. So when you miss out on that deep sleep, you deprive yourself of the prime fat burning window.

Sleep deprivation also depresses how sensitive your cells are to insulin. If you are LESS insulin sensitive, you need to crank out MORE insulin to clear any excess blood sugar that may be floating around. And more insulin causes a double fat-making whammy by telling your liver to turn the food you eat into fat and by locking fat in your fat cells so it can't be released to be burned.

And yet another fat burning barrier occurs because your body perceives lack of sleep to be a threat to its existence so it fires up your stress hormone cortisol, which many people know has been directly linked to excess belly fat.

Impaired sleep also damages your brain, cognitive abilities and mood. Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, professor of neurosurgery at the University of Rochester, completed a study showing that when we sleep, our brain flushes out potent neurotoxins that are normal by-products of our waking activity.

But if you let those by-products accumulate without taking out the garbage, bad things happen – like brain fog, impaired memory, wild mood swings and trouble focusing. Inflammation and oxidative stress also run rampant, causing even further damage to your brain and putting you at risk of developing age-related diseases such Alzheimer's.

You ever see someone who hasn't gotten a good night's sleep in a few days? They look ragged and strangely older. That's because lack of good sleep ages you rapidly by robbing you of the small window of opportunity during which your growth hormone is helping you re-build and repair and keep you looking young.

Aside from making your skin wrinkly and dry, lack of growth hormone also dramatically alters your body composition, shifting it to be more fat and less muscle. So here's a few tips to getting more sleep:

- Go to bed 15 minutes earlier each week until you get to 7-9 hours of sleep.

- Make your bedroom completely dark, which maximizes your hormonal response.

- Calm down your brain before bed – no TV, no internet, no exercise, nothing.

- Eat (sensibly!) at least 3 hours before bed time – anything less can negatively affect fat burning.

6 Ways to Spring Clean Your Fridge or Pantry

I know that turning your back on your guilty pleasures can be painful at first BUT it’s a necessary spring ritual if you want a swimsuit-ready body by summer. By tossing out these six fat-laden temptations and restocking your shelves with healthier, portion-controlled alternatives, you can trim hundreds of calories from your diet and inches from your waistline.

1. Soda

Pour out the sugar water, and while you’re at it, lose the artificially sweetened ones, too. “Soda has absolutely no nutritional benefits,” says Keri Gans, RD. What’s more, the fizz disguises a potentially harmful cocktail of health risks. Just one regular soda a day may increase a man’s risk of heart disease by 20%, according to a 2012 study published in Circulation. Meanwhile diet soda may boost your risk for stroke, says research from American Stroke Association. Plus, a 2011 study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest linked the chemical used to create the beverage’s caramel coloring to several types of cancer. *Play it safe and fill your fridge with sparkling water instead.

2. Bag of Chips

A bag of chips contains tons of fat, calories, and sodium, which is extra dangerous if you’re one of those people who can’t stop munching until you reach the bottom of the bag. Throw out the salty snack and you’ll sidestep one of the biggest contributors to weight gain, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. *If you must indulge, choose the less-fattening baked variety or pick up a SINGLE SERVING of your preferred potato chip, says Gans. You’ll consume far fewer calories getting to the smaller bag’s bottom.

3. High Fat Cheese Blocks

Whole fat cheese won’t necessarily derail your diet – in fact, the fat can help you feel full and eat less. However, having an entire block on hand may beg you to binge, and a 10-ounce slab of full-fat cheddar packs over 1,000 calories and about 100 grams of fat. *Replace chunks of cheese with The Laughing Cow’s Mini Babybel single-serving wheels to keep your portions in check.

4. Fruit Drinks

Before you toss a jug of fruit juice in your grocery cart, give the label a careful read. A product that isn’t marked as 100% fruit juice needs to go back on the shelf. “Fruit drinks that aren’t 100% fruit juice are all sugar,” says Gans. Unlike the artificial alternatives, 100% fruit juice can generate similar health benefits found in whole fruit, such as protectors against cognitive decline, digestive and respiratory cancers, and heart disease, according to research from the University of California, Davis. *Just don’t overdo it! Stick to the appropriate serving size to avoid guzzling too many calories.

5. Ice-Cream

It’s okay to indulge in the creamy treat from time to time, but who actually stops at a spoonful of this stuff? Research from Cornell University shows that most people underestimate how much they serve themselves. In one study, diners with larger bowls served themselves and ate 31% more ice cream than participants with smaller bowls. *Purge your freezer of this frozen fat trap and leave this indulgence for dining out, so you can order a single scoop without being tempted to return to the carton for more. If you’re in desperate need for a fix, choose the single serving cups.

6. 70-calorie Yogurt

The two-digit number on the nutrition label makes this snack seem like a healthy choice, but the artificially sweetened cups aren’t a sufficient meal. “It’s not about the amount of calories in your yogurt, it’s about what’s in the yogurt,” says Gans. The measly 5 grams of protein found in the small package isn’t filling enough to keep you satisfied for long. *Go for low-fat Greek yogurt. With 15 to 20 grams of protein, it will keep you fuller longer, and you’ll be less likely to overeat later on.

Fitness Myths BUSTED pt.3 (final)

8) As long as I work out 30 minutes, that gives me a pass to do what I want for rest of the day.


You guessed it, WRONG! Working out doesn't negate a bad diet. You can’t just run a couple of miles and think well now it’s ok for you to drink and eat whatever you want the rest of the day. People think that if they exercise they don't really have to change their food/drink consumption, that it can take the place of making any serious changes to what they put inside their bodies. Any serious attempt to get healthier needs to start by understanding and changing the way you use food in your life and learn to develop a new nutrition LIFESTYLE that eliminates all the substances that masquerade as real food (highly processed foods, sweeteners – including sugar, etc.). When you get a grip on how you’re allowing your bad food/drink habits to rob you of optimal results from exercising you put yourself in a much better position to lose fat and KEEP IT OFF. When you focus first on your food/drink intake and understand why you feel the need to eat so much or why you feel you need to eat those foods that cause obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. then you have a better shot at maintaining the positives of weight loss and strength building that your workout program is helping you achieve in a long-term way .

9) No pain, no gain.


Feeling discomfort during a workout is expected and okay but if it's so intense you think you might pass out then it's too difficult and you're at increased risk for injuries or burnout. The programs I do, I do at MY PACE. Many times I go hard-ER and take less breaks BUT I break when I need to, whether the instructor is or not. I may add weight to some moves and I may do slower reps than they do. You have to judge for yourself. Remember the, “talk test.” And if you feel like throwing up or about to black out, here’s a novel suggestion: stop. There are also a ton of modifiers you can use if you have special medical reasons why you can’t execute the move exactly as they do. When you’re building muscle there will be soreness afterward, as the muscles repair themselves (becoming stronger) but you shouldn’t be feeling sharp or ongoing pains.

10) Stretching will help prevent injuries.

I know, we were all told this, BUT a growing number of studies challenge this assumption. A review published in 2007 of 10 randomized studies about stretching after or before physical activity found that "muscle stretching does not reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness in young healthy adults.” A study presented in 2011 at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons found that static stretching (when you stay in place, bend over to touch your toes, or try to pull your ankles towards your hips) before a run neither prevents nor causes injury. Then a more recent study in Medicine & Science and Sports & Exercise found that static stretches that last longer than a minute could even be detrimental to performance. Now don’t confuse this with how athletes often swing their arms and warm up before a game. That type of DYNAMIC stretching such as high knees, walking lunges, etc. can help move your muscles through different ranges of motions. This type of dynamic stretching is different from clasping your limbs, because it focuses on movement. A study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found professional soccer players who practiced dynamic stretching had higher range of motion than when they practiced only static stretches. While toe-touches and extra flexibility might be required in gymnastics or ballet, it's irrelevant for more everyday activities like volleyball or weightlifting. I do want to mention that the American College of Sports Medicine recommends stretching each of the major muscle groups at least two times a week for 60 seconds per exercise. I do certain yoga poses 10-15 minutes 2 or 3 times EVERY week.  And as for working out I actually only stretch afterward when I’ve been lifting heavier or harder than usual. I also use my trusty cherry juice to minimize the DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness). Other proven forms of relief can be as simple as a warm bath and/or Ibuprofen. I loathe having to swallow pills so I opt for cherry juice.

Fitness Myths BUSTED pt.2

5) Low-intensity exercise burns more fat.

In general, low intensity exercise has its place, like it's less stressful on joints. The myth is that if you exercise too intensely, you end up burning carbs instead of fat. In my opinion, it's the most dangerous type of myth because there's a bit of truth in it. The more intensely you exercise, the higher proportion of carbs you burn. You may burn less fat, true, BUT the total amount of calories burned is higher and that is the bigger picture. And when your body has burned up all the carbs, it starts burning fat. If you pay attention to how many calories you burn, that ultimately determines how much body fat you're going to lose.

6) You HAVE TO down a protein shake after every workout.

Take a seat, lol. Ok, I’m going to seem a little sometimey on this topic but bear with me. I DO advocate this practice if you’re looking to pack on substantial muscle, such as bodybuilders, fitness models, etc. However, if you’re the average individual who’s just looking to maintain and assist the muscle you do have by giving it what it needs to repair and recover properly then no, I don’t recommend slamming down a 40g protein shake after every single work out. If you’re really ripping and roaring on weights, say twice a week then yeah, after THOSE workouts it makes sense. Generally speaking, and I can go on and on about this topic, as it has many different facets but I’m not writing a book, lol sooo the “average person” will do fine by just upping the quality and types of protein in their normal diet. There is a recommendation of no more than 30g at a time and a myth that anymore won’t be used by the body. Not true! However, the type of protein and when you take it becomes the variant on that point. For instance, last night I had a big steak. That probably gave me 60g of protein – and my body used it ALL. See, since that protein was from a whole food source it digests pretty slowly so I was getting the benefit from that steak many hours after. An educated guess for the rate for absorption here would be 4-5g per hour for the steak. There are also quicker delivered types that are consumed after a workout vs. the type you consume beforehand (and depending on the type of workout you’re doing) but most of this can be done through natural whole food sources. I want to note that Shakeology® is NOT a “protein shake.” It is far more inclusive than that, being a very nutrient-dense source of vitamins and minerals PLUS yeah, protein. And it’s more often than not used as a low calorie meal replacement for those seeking to lose weight. I personally use it as a recovery drink more than a meal replacement so I add other things to it. Inbox me for more details on the protein dilemma (or Shakeology® questions).

7) You can spot-reduce for tight abs.

I hear pretty much on a daily basis, “how do I get tight abs?” Many people think all they have to do is find the right abs exercise and then boom-bang-boom = awesome abs. Wrong!  You won't see real muscle definition or a nice six-pack despite how many crunches you do, because of the layer of fat resting on top of your muscles. It’s not about focusing on a single body part – it’s hitting them all! And you have to not only discipline yourself in exercise but also in your eating habits. You have to work the whole body, strengthening the muscle and burning calories altogether. And yes, you want a well-balanced healthy diet, but also, a very simple scientific fact is that if you consume more calories than you’re burning you will not lose weight –period. I tell people all the time, you probably have fine abs… they're just under that layer of fat. You have to burn the fat to reveal the muscle you’ve built / are building underneath. And there’s a ton of studies that prove the most quick and effective way of doing that is a combination of cardio and strength training AND EATING BETTER QUALITY FOOD/DRINK along with consuming less calories than you burn.

Fitness Myths BUSTED pt.1

We're all looking to maximize results while minimizing time and effort during exercise. That search for shortcuts has translated into a lot of myths about exercise so I want to bust a few of those for you.

1) Your cardio machine is effectively counting the calories you're burning.

Whatever! If you’ve ever had your percentages done professionally you know how much goes into being accurate on this point. However, some machines don't even ask for your weight or sex. And most aren’t asking your body composition. For instance, if you're a guy at 18% body fat, you're going to burn a lot more than if you're female at 35% body fat. And how many people know their body fat percentage even if there was a machine asking you for that info? The number calculated by your machine is not going to be accurate and some are way off!

2) Women shouldn't lift weights because it'll make them bulky.

This one drives me bananas! I’ve lifted weights my whole life and I’m not “bulky.” I’ve seen plenty  of women in the gym who were trained by professional competition circuit coaches spend 3 to 4 hours a day trying to build muscles. And I’ll tell you another thing, even the ones who achieved it were using some type (legal and not) of “help.” Women have too much estrogen to build large amounts of bulk. Guys build muscles faster because they have testosterone. So ladies, don't fear the weights! Strength training helps decrease body fat, increase lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently. The government's 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommended muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least three days of the week for kids and two or more for adults.

3) Heart rate monitors will let you know how hard you're working.

Ok, heart rate monitoring is a flawed science. The better detector of how hard you're working is not the newest, gee-whiz tech device, but your own body. Heart rates can vary depending on what kind of exercise you're doing. The “talk test” can measure how intensely you're working out and it doesn’t cost a dime. This is measured depending on whether you can talk in full sentences, short phrases or if you're barely able to muster a few words. Basically, if you can carry on a light conversation while exercising, then you are in a good intensity range. Once your speech starts to break, slow, or cause discomfort, you’re working too hard. Researchers at the American College of Sports Medicine found that people who can talk in full sentences or short phrases during exercise are likely to be working at the appropriate intensity, and that this test is a good way to predict intensity levels, even corresponding to exercise prescriptions (like the target heart rate) from doctors or trainers.

4) A weight scale is an accurate way to determine weight loss.

This is another pet peeve of mine. The only time I stepped on a scale was when I was training with competitors at the gym I used to work at (I only mimicked their practices until a couple of weeks out from stage, because then it got too unhealthy for my taste). The exercise novice, and even some seasoned folks are eager to weigh themselves every day on the scale. Week-after-week, they don’t see what they want then they get impatient. People starting saying, "I haven't lost any weight. This is pointless, I'm not accomplishing anything." After a few months of increased exercise, they are healthier because they've reduced risk factors such as blood sugar levels. Even though a person may not be losing weight, their health and strength level has improved in ways that aren’t measured on a scale. This is why I recommend the tape measure and/or jeans test.

ALCOHOL

I know many people enjoy a drink or two but here’s just a few health & fitness facts to keep in mind:

Alcohol can't be stored as energy in the muscles (since it’s not a nutrient), so it's stored as fat instead. Welcome to the party, flabby belly!

Alcohol is second only to fat in the amount of calories per gram.

Alcohol also gets in the way of metabolizing carbohydrates used for energy so the body – since you redirected the liver’s positive function to just focusing on metabolizing the alcohol – isn’t using its power for fat burning.

Studies have also discovered drinking alcohol can cause the pancreas to secrete its digestive enzymes inside itself rather than sending them to the intestine to digest nutrients properly. This can inflame the pancreas and halt transportation of key nutrients to the bloodstream.

And for those of you like me, who concentrate on building muscle, alcohol has proved to diminish protein synthesis which stops muscle growth by preventing the repair of damaged muscles.

Alcohol also decreases levels of human growth hormone (HGH), which helps the body build muscle.

Alcohol even interferes with protein digestion and absorption.

No one is saying NEVER drink alcohol or that its pure EVIL but just try to focus on moderation and compensation.

Weight Loss Nutrition

I don’t like the word “diet” because it usually refers to fad diets, but anytime I happen to use the word I’m referring to the food you eat as part of your nutrition LIFESTYLE, that you maintain all throughout your life. If your goal is not to lose weight this article is still worth reading, to better understand the reasoning behind calorie sorting. Not necessarily the same thing as calorie counting but most calorie counters will sort them for you which makes it quite useful in other ways, not just for losing weight.

When your goal is weight loss what you need to focus on first is calories, not just fat or just carbs. Even if this is just semantics or a technicality (because fat and carbs have calories) please let this point sink in or you will end up like the low carb or low fat fanatics who think it’s all or nothing and if you just radically reduce or eliminate them there’s no need for calorie distinction. None of that is true, however, if you’re trying to lose weight it is vital that you consider not only how many calories you’re taking in but possibly even more importantly, what type they are.

There are 3 parts to a fat-burning and/or muscle-building meal:

1. Lean protein (meat and fish)

2. Fibrous carb (broccoli, spinach, green peas, etc)

3. Starchy carb (potatoes, beans, cereals, rice, grains, breads)

To lose weight, you need a calorie deficit so that means you have to reduce calories below maintenance level. In other words, whatever calories you’re consuming in a day right now, if you’re not happy with your fat percentage then you either need to burn more calories each day or lessen the amount you consume. I personally suggest a combination of both at once.

What I'm asking you to think about more specifically is where do you pull out those calories? You could cut calories across the board and yes, that absolutely will work. But the ideal way to create your calorie deficit is to drop down the starchy carbs.

Keeping protein high on a weight loss nutrition plan is important for retaining lean body mass, plus, protein controls appetite. Starches are calorie dense and starches are easy to overeat. Extreme carb restriction may have negative hormonal consequences so you need to keep the fiber up and you also need healthy fats.

So the obvious place to create a calorie deficit is by cutting back on starchy carbs. I personally try to maintain this type of diet as my usual nutrition lifestyle. If you were taking in a lot of simple carbs or sugars they should actually be the first to go BUT I'm hoping you're not eating a ton of sugar and simple carbs to begin with. So with that in mind here are a couple of meal strategy examples:

Breakfast

1. 1 whole egg, 5 egg whites scrambled (lean protein) and side of fruit like berries - FYI, strawberries are not only nutrient rich (loaded with Vit C, in case you’re sensitive to citrus) but they’re also a negative calorie food (fibrous carb), OR

2. Omelet (lean protein) with mushrooms, peppers, tomato (fibrous carb), AND

-Side of oatmeal (starchy carb)

Lunch or dinner

1. Baked fish (lean protein), OR

2. Baked Chicken, OR

3. Lean steak (such as sirloin), AND

- Asparagus, Cauliflower, Artichoke (fibrous carb, aka prebiotics)

-Side of brown rice (starchy carb)