You may not realize it, but while you're bumming it on the couch catching up on New Girl, your body is working hard to help you burn calories. How is that even possible? Your sweet, sweet metabolism. The cool part: You can speed it up to ensure it's torching the maximum number of cals. All you have to do is follow these 11 super-easy tips.
When You First Wake Up Eating breakfasts helps jumpstart your metabolism--especially if you do it within one hour of waking up. "Your metabolism went into rest mode over night, so your first meal of the day revs it up again," says Keri Gans , R.D.N., author of The Small Change Diet. To work the kick-start effect to the max, choose foods high in fiber and protein, like whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and berries. During Your Commute Parking farther away from your office may sound like a small step, but it can actually boost your metabolism in a big way because it forces you to move more. "Getting your heart rate up for a short period of time keeps it elevated afterward, which boosts your metabolism overall," says Doug Barsanti , M.A., strength and conditioning specialist and owner of ReInvention Fitness in Santa Cruz, California. Another good idea? Take the stairs to get to your floor.
When You First Get to the Office Go ahead and grab a cup of joe. Research shows that caffeine boosts your metabolic rate, albeit mildly, says David Katz, M.D., director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center and author of Disease Proof. Just watch all the caramel-cream--whatever concoctions--those are so sugary that they'll negate coffee's benefits.
At Work We hereby grant you permission to schmooze with your co-workers--as long as you don't do it over G-chat. "Moving more at every opportunity, even if it's just to get up to go to the bathroom, keeps your heart rate going and therefore boosts your metabolism," says Shirley Archer , an ACE-certified group fitness instructor. Try walking across the office to talk to co-workers rather than e-mailing them.
When You're Buying Lunch Pick the right foods, and you'll stoke your metabolism. "Nothing beats a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread with lettuce, tomato, and mustard and a piece of fruit on the side," says Gans. "The protein-carb combo will give you energy to get through your day without dragging."
At the Water Cooler When it comes to water, colder is better. "Your body burns more calories in colder temperatures because it has to work harder to keep you warm--so by drinking cold water, you end up burning more than if you guzzled room-temp H20," says Lisa Gain, Ph.D., evolutionary biologist and founder of snack-girl.com. (Sadly, the same does not hold true for ice cream, which is too high-cal to get the effect. Womp!)
During Your Workout It's all too easy to get into a cardio routine and stay at the same pace for your entire workout--but don't! Intervals are your friend, says Barsanti. "Short, high-intensity exercise boosts your metabolism. So when you're on the treadmill or elliptical, sprint for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds, and repeat this pattern for 10 minutes." Pro tip: Make a playlist with fast and slow songs to help you vary your rhythm without even thinking about it.
Post-Workout Good news for chocolate lovers! Drinking chocolate milk post-workout helps keep your metabolism going strong. "When you exercise, your body loses glucose," says Gans. "You need to restore it right away to keep your metabolism on track." Chocolate milk is ideal because it has the perfect combo of carbs and protein. Sweet!
At Dinner Some studies suggest that eating spicy foods may boost your metabolism--so top your meals with chili peppers and Tabasco. Bonus: Spices are naturally fat free, so there's no need to stress about calorie counts.
In the Evening Take a minute to relax, and your metabolism will thank you. Why? "When you get stressed, your body releases cortisol, and too much cortisol slows down your metabolism," says Archer. To prevent this, do whatever relaxes you most, like yoga, talking to a soothing friend, or meditating. At Bedtime Sleep is key to boosting your metabolism. "Your body needs it to fully restore and recover from the day and keep your muscle mass and hormones circulating properly," says Archer. Aim for seven to eight hours a night to keep your metabolism in tip-top shape.