When it comes to meal planning, it can be fun to work some fitness goals into the mix. Instead of the typical main dish and two sides approach, what about planning meals that help boost our metabolism… eating for energy, eating to burn stored calories. There are foods that literally rev up our metabolism. Think meats, seafood, legumes, nuts, and seeds – all of which provide good sources of protein.
Support a Healthy Metabolism
Proteins boost our metabolism. It takes more calories to digest proteins than they provide, so you have a net loss of stored calories. It’s called the thermic effect of food. It refers to the number of calories used to digest and process the foods we eat. Protein-rich foods increase the thermic effect of food more than carbs or fats, and they have the added benefit of allowing us to hold onto muscle, even if we are eating less calories overall.
With proteins, we become lean, mean, fat-burning machines. And proteins satisfy our hunger longer than carbs do, so we’re not as likely to snack between meals. Eating protein-rich foods has an additional metabolic-boosting effect. They’re rich in zinc, selenium, and iron, which all support thyroid health. The thyroid regulates our metabolism, keeping our calorie burning at maximum power.
Kick all of this into high gear by spicing things up a bit. Chili pepper has a compound called capsaicin, which some studies show increases metabolism and the oxidation (burning) of fat. Add a cup of coffee, and don’t choose decaf. The caffeine in coffee (or tea) boosts our metabolism too. Just don’t load extra calories in with sugar or cream.
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