The first step in creating a lean body for life is to turbo charge your metabolism. By stoking your internal fire your body will burn and covert the food you eat more efficiently, ultimately melting fat and building muscle. That muscle, in turn, boosts your metabolism even more, so you shed more fat and build even more muscle. You get the picture.

So are you ready to kick it into high gear? Here are several ways you can eat, drink, and move your metabolism into warp speed.

Eat:

Graze All Day- Think of your metabolism as a camp fire. You’ve got to slowly add logs to keep it going. So instead of eating three large meals a day, keep your metabolism burning by munching 4-6 small meals. Not only do you burn calories digesting small amounts of food all day, but you’ll avoid those nasty blood sugar dips that have you sleeping on your desk by mid-afternoon.

Don’t Fear Carbs- Throwing out all of your beloved bread and pasta leaves your body lacking the fast-burning energy supply that can fire up your metabolism. Without carbs your body will start to burn muscle instead of fat. Stick to complex carbohydrates that come packed with fiber. A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything considered “white” (eg. Wonder Bread) and make a beeline for whole wheat or whole grain products along with fresh fruits and veggies.

Drink:

Down That H20- Water is your body’s lubrication. If you’re dehydrated your metabolism and for that matter all the cells of your body are not functioning as smoothly as possible. Keep everything moving by drinking the recommended 8 glasses a day. Add three to four glasses depending on how active you are. I like to carry a reusable Sigg water bottle pretty much all the time to stay hydrated.
Savor Tea Time- Besides green tea’s sweet antioxidant nature, it also contains low levels of caffeine, which researchers from the Institute of Human Nutrition found to boost calorie burning by almost 4 percent. Besides, sipping a nice warm cup of tea is a great stress reducer.

Move:

Don’t Sit Still- You know those types of people who can’t stop fidgeting, or won’t sit still? While they might drive you a little crazy, they’re keeping their motor running. We could all afford to move more. So walk around the house while you’re on the phone or rock out in your car to some new tunes. Every little bit of movement counts. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that just being on your feet more can burn an additional 350 calories a day.

Take Advantage Of The Cold- While the icy roads of winter have never looked more menacing, getting outside in the cold can help raise your metabolism. Stay bundled up of course, but don’t be afraid to strap on those ice skates. According to recent research about a quarter of the calories you burn during outdoor winter activities can be attributed to the energy your body uses to heat the air you breathe. Hell yeah, I’ve gotta get outside!

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