EAT SPICY FOODS TO REV UP YOUR METABOLISM

One of the things I do on a regular basis is add lots of ground cinnamon to my oatmeal everyday.  It not only revs up my metabolism, it helps regulate my blood sugar.  This is one of the best dietary changes I have made.  My point in telling you that is this; small diet changes can be very helpful in many ways.

Here is another good example: That beyond-hot mustard that comes with Asian takeout can rev your metabolism by 20 to 25 percent. "It boosts production of fat-burning hormones," says Lori Shemek, PhD, author of Fire-Up Your Fat Burn! Try adding one teaspoon to your usual vinaigrette.

If you aren't already using lots of spices in/on your food, give it a try.  You will be pleased with the results.

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SUMMARIZING ACTIVE CALORIES & COUCH POTATO CALORIES

If you don't like counting calories or have trouble following specific diet plans, don't despair!  You can control and maintain your weight by following some simple guidelines when planning your meals.  In the recent past this blog has focused on different types of calories (yes, there are different types!) and how they affect how the body handles them.

Remember the following guidelines when planning your meals (you will find the details on all these recommendations on previous posts on this blog) and let the calories you eat help you maintain your weight.

• You can forget counting calories.
• Eat foods from each of the "Active Calories" lists every day.
• Eat mostly foods from the "chewy" and "hearty" categories.
• Eat at least one "energizing" or "warming" food every day.
• Any snacks should contain at least one "active calorie" food.
• Drink plenty of water; 2 glasses per meal is recommended.  You need the water to prevent digestive problems because of all the protein and fiber you are consuming.

By following these guidelines, you will keep your fat burners active rather than allowing "couch potato" calories to take over and go straight from digestion to fat storage.

Note: Healthy fats such as nut butters, avocados, healthy salad dressings, etc can also boost fat burn.  The key is amount control.  Keep nut butters and salad dressings to around 1 tablespoon.  1/8 of an avocado is the recommended amount.

And don't forget this; beverages count too!  You can destroy a lot of the good you do by eating the right foods if you drink unhealthy beverages.

ACTIVE CALORIES - WARMING FOODS

Continuing on to the 4th food type of active calories, today's post is about warming foods.  Warming foods include peppers, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, cloves, mustard, and vinegar.  Capsaicin is the chemical giving peppers their burn.  A UCLA study found that dieters taking in capsaicin doubled their energy expenditure for several hours after eating.  Even mild peppers contain a compound that helps erase up to 100 calories a day by binding to nerve receptors and sending fat-burning signals to the brain.

 Garlic - One of the Warming Foods

I'm sure you have seen something in each of the four groups you can eat every day, maybe even every meal.  Help your body to help you burn calories!