The higher your metabolism, the more calories you will burn. This feels counterintuitive for most people. Aren’t cutting calories the right approach for weight loss? Nope. Believe it or not, you have to eat to lose weight. Eating too few calories over time can cause a significant decrease in metabolism. 

So, how can you boost your metabolism? You can make healthier choices and lifestyle changes to optimize your metabolism and burn more calories. The top 5 ways to speed up metabolism include:

  1. Move every day. 
  2. Add weights to your workout. 
  3. Don’t skip meals (especially breakfast).
  4. Eat protein at every meal. 
  5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. 

Fueling your body with the right foods at the right time may help. And it starts with breakfast. Eating breakfast foods high in fiber and protein is a surefire way to rev up your metabolism at the start of the day. Here are 3 metabolism-boosting breakfast ideas. 

Incorporate Eggs

Your body uses much more calories to metabolize protein; this is called a high thermal effect of food (TEF). This means when you eat protein, like eggs, you burn the most calories during digestion, versus carbs and fat. Eggs are also loaded with nutrients, and studies have shown that eating eggs (yolks+ whites) can increase your “good” cholesterol levels and lower your risk for some chronic diseases. 

Breakfast Idea: Make healthy avocado toast. Scramble 1 egg with yolk, plus 2 or 3 egg whites. Mash 1/2 fresh avocado on an English muffin or whole wheat toast, then top with scrambled eggs. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Boost Your Yogurt

Greek yogurt is an excellent source of protein. The protein in the yogurt will help increase the calories you burn in a day and make you feel full. But boost up the benefits by adding berries. Raspberries, in particular, are a great source of fiber, and they also include a mineral called, Manganese which can help with bone health and regulate metabolism.  

Breakfast Idea: Create a greek yogurt bowl. Look for low fat, low sugar greek yogurt options. Top with a cup of raspberries and a small handful of chopped almonds. 

Reach for Caffeine

Caffeine is a natural stimulant in coffee, tea, and soda. Research studies found that caffeine increases energy use, even when you’re at rest. It stimulates thermogenesis, which is how your body generates heat and energy from digesting food. Consider starting your day with a cup of coffee or, even better, a cup of green tea. Green tea is known to be high in antioxidants and contains EGCG, Epigallocatechin gallate, a substance that can boost metabolism. 

Breakfast Idea: Blend up a green tea protein smoothie. Add 1 cup vanilla almond milk, 1/3 cup of vanilla low-fat greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of green tea matcha powder, and a handful of ice cubes. Blend until smooth, and enjoy. Not a fan of green tea? Replace the almond milk with a cup of coffee. 

If losing weight is your goal, check out these 5 foods to support your healthy weight-loss journey.

Eat to Lose Weight

Eat to Lose Weight