5 Easy Ways to Up Your Metabolism

Your metabolism - you hate it or you love it. For those who hate it, try these 5 ideas to increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories.

1. Eat fish
Go for the gold, the omega-3s, in fish like sardines, herring, tuna, mackerel, trout, and salmon. Studies have showed that if you consume fish you can boost your calorie burn by as much as 400 calories a day.

2. Eat dark green leafy vegetables
Arugula, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, chard, and spinach are classified as dark leafy greens. They're full of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and lots of fiber. They're also packed with loads of antioxidants, but what really helps you increase your metabolism is the fiber content in these vegetables. Your body is going to burn a lot more calories because of the work it takes to digest the fiber in these foods.

3. Eat more tomatoes
Tomatoes have lycopene, which is the antioxidant that has been found to have natural cancer fighting qualities. Tomatoes are also a good source of fiber. The key ingredient for eliminating fat, however, are the acids in tomatoes that help your body get rid of fat from your system.

4. Eat more fruit
Whole fresh fruits are thought to have "negative calories", meaning your body will burn more calories digesting the food than it stores from eating the food. Try adding fresh fruits like blueberries, strawberries, or bananas to boost your metabolism.

5. Eat spicy foods, chiles, and curry
The capsaicin in many hot peppers increases your metabolism due to the "fire" it creates inside your body. It is even believed that there is a 50% increase in metabolism after eating a spicy meal that contains capsaicin. So keep that bottle of hot sauce handy and use it liberally!

Try these five ways to boost your metabolism and burn more calories. Here's a perfect menu for dinner tonite: Cajun blackened salmon, a salad made with spinach and tomatoes, and a fresh fruit salad for dessert.