Sip green tea three times a day
A study from the University of Geneva in Switzerland found that in addition to caffeine, green tea contains catechin polyphenols, plant chemicals that may boost metabolism.
Use interval training to rev up your workout
Walk for the same amount of time at the same intensity day in and day out and your body gets as bored with your workout as you do. Throw it a curveball with interval training, which involves varying the intensity of your workout throughout your exercise session. Every five minutes into your walk, jog for one minute. Every five minutes into your bike ride, shift into a higher gear and pedal hard for a minute. If you swim, turn on the speed every other lap. You'll burn more calories in the same amount of time.
A study from the University of Geneva in Switzerland found that in addition to caffeine, green tea contains catechin polyphenols, plant chemicals that may boost metabolism.
Use interval training to rev up your workout
Walk for the same amount of time at the same intensity day in and day out and your body gets as bored with your workout as you do. Throw it a curveball with interval training, which involves varying the intensity of your workout throughout your exercise session. Every five minutes into your walk, jog for one minute. Every five minutes into your bike ride, shift into a higher gear and pedal hard for a minute. If you swim, turn on the speed every other lap. You'll burn more calories in the same amount of time.
Fidget
People who drum their fingers or bounce their knees burn at least 500 calories a day! That adds up to losing a pound a week.
Keep a small squeeze ball with you and work out your hands frequently during the day
It's one of the few exercises you can do anytime. You'll build up the muscles in your hands -- and muscle, whether in your hands or legs, burns a lot of calories.
Don't starve yourself
Cutting too many calories can backfire in more ways than one. Try to subsist on morsels and your metabolism will slow so much that you'll not only stop losing weight, but you'll be lucky if you can peel yourself off the couch.
Put five rubber bands around your wrist every morning
That's how many 16-ounce bottles of water you should drink during the day to rev your metabolism, helping burn more calories. At least, that's what German researchers found when they had 14 participants drink about 17 ounces of water. The volunteers' metabolic rate -- or how quickly they burned calories -- jumped a third within 10 minutes of drinking the water and remained high for another 30 or 40 minutes. The researchers estimated that over a year, increasing your water consumption by 1.5 liters a day (about 50 ounces) would burn an extra 17,400 calories, or about five pounds' worth. Since much of the increased metabolic rate is due to the body's efforts to heat the water, make sure the water you're drinking is icy.
Exercise outside
Maybe it's the fresh air, maybe it's the sunshine, but something about exercising in the open makes you walk or run faster than doing the same exercise in the gym.
Keep a small squeeze ball with you and work out your hands frequently during the day
It's one of the few exercises you can do anytime. You'll build up the muscles in your hands -- and muscle, whether in your hands or legs, burns a lot of calories.
Don't starve yourself
Cutting too many calories can backfire in more ways than one. Try to subsist on morsels and your metabolism will slow so much that you'll not only stop losing weight, but you'll be lucky if you can peel yourself off the couch.
Put five rubber bands around your wrist every morning
That's how many 16-ounce bottles of water you should drink during the day to rev your metabolism, helping burn more calories. At least, that's what German researchers found when they had 14 participants drink about 17 ounces of water. The volunteers' metabolic rate -- or how quickly they burned calories -- jumped a third within 10 minutes of drinking the water and remained high for another 30 or 40 minutes. The researchers estimated that over a year, increasing your water consumption by 1.5 liters a day (about 50 ounces) would burn an extra 17,400 calories, or about five pounds' worth. Since much of the increased metabolic rate is due to the body's efforts to heat the water, make sure the water you're drinking is icy.
Exercise outside
Maybe it's the fresh air, maybe it's the sunshine, but something about exercising in the open makes you walk or run faster than doing the same exercise in the gym.
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