Although you can’t control your age, gender, or genetics, there are other ways to get a
boost:
1) Build Muscle: Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain
itself; each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily.
2) Kick Your Workout Up ANotch: High-intensity exercise delivers a bigger, longer increase
in resting metabolic rate than low- or moderate workouts.
3) Drink More Water: The body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly
dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down.
4) Eat Less, More Often: Having a small meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours keeps your
metabolism cranking, so you burn more calories over the course of a day.
5) Spice Up Your Meals: Spicy foods contain chemical compounds that kick the metabolism
into high gear.
6) Eat More Protein: The body burns up to twice as many calories digesting protein as it
uses for fat or carbohydrates.
7) Drink Black Coffee: The caffeine in coffee can cause a short-term increase in metabolic
rate.
8) Avoid Crash Diets: Crash diets often lead to loss of muscle mass. The lower your muscle
mass, the slower your metabolism.