So. You're trying to lose weight ... join the club. (No, seriously -- find weight-loss support among more than 120 other people in EatingWell's Losing Well online community group.) Wouldn't it be great if you could just turn a knob and rev up your metabolism, your calorie burn, just like that? (Imagine me snapping my fingers here.) Well ... we all hear about diet and exercise strategies that supposedly do just that. But do they work? Yes -- and no. Read on for the skinny on strategies to outsmart your metabolism.
You Can Boost Your Burn By ... Spicing Things Up.
Studies suggest that capsaicin, an antioxidant in chile peppers (and also what makes them hot), increases the body's metabolic rate -- slightly.
Would we recommend it? Sure! While the metabolic boost you get by added chiles to your diet isn't likely to melt away pounds, some research also suggests that capsaicin may stimulate brain chemicals in a way that helps you feel satisfied. And when you make your foods delicious with spices -- instead of huge amounts of butter or cream -- you save calories.
You Can Boost Your Burn By ... Eating More Often.
By having many mini meals instead of fewer, larger ones, you can shift your metabolism into a higher gear more often -- and burn more calories. Our metabolisms rev up slightly each time we eat, as our bodies process what we've consumed.
