Lifestyle

5 Types Of Food That Will Boost Your Metabolism And Speed Up Weight Loss

by Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott
Tone It Up

Eating lean, clean and green definitely doesn't have to be boring.

Why not eat meals that taste incredible, look beautiful (hey, Instagram feed on point) and help you burn fat at the same time?

We're always experimenting with ingredients that boost metabolism and balance blood sugar levels. And it turns out, fiber, protein and spice are three items that can majorly affect your metabolism for the better.

It also just so happens that each of these types of ingredients are pretty tasty, too.

Eating foods packed with any of these powerful three can keep your bod toned and your taste buds happy.

Today, we're sharing five of our all-time favorite recipes that incorporate protein, fiber or spice to work with your body's chemistry and help you reach your #fitgoals!

Sweet Potato Toasts

Upgrade your regular avocado toast with some sweet potato as the base!

One cup of sweet potato contains 4 grams of satiating fiber. You can also top these toasts with other high-fiber options such as avocado, figs and beans.

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Meals high in fiber help slow down the digestion of carbs and allows for a steadier release of glucose into your blood stream. This means you're less likely to have spikes of blood glucose that result in a crash, leaving you hungry for sugary snacks.

Another perk: You need to chew high-fiber veggies more in order for them to break down. Chewing gives your body time to register the amount of food you've eaten and recognize when you're full.

Try out our sweet potato toast recipe here. We have a bunch of variations to satisfy all types of cravings.

Vanilla Latte Smoothie Bowl

Your daily java really can up your metabolism.

Research has found that 100 milligrams of caffeine (about one 8 ounce cup of joe) can raise your metabolic rate by 3 to 4 percent.

Chlorogenic acid found in coffee also plays a role in metabolism regulation. Studies show that the acid reduces the absorption of glucose, which ultimately promotes weight loss.

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Bonus: This smoothie bowl also delivers protein. It takes more energy to break down protein than carbs or fats, which causes a thermic effect to burn extra calories.

Try out our Vanilla Latte Smoothie Bowl recipe here.

Spicy Mexican Soup

Spicing up your dinner also revs metabolism, thanks to a compound called capsaicin.

According to a study, capsaicin promotes fat oxidation. Translation: It burns extra fat.

This wonder compound has also been found in studies to help with metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity and stroke risk. Add an extra shake of cayenne pepper or dice up some jalapeños to throw in your dish.

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You can also try our Spicy Mexican Soup recipe here. It can be made in a Crock-Pot, so it's all warm and ready when you get home!

Cauliflower Wings

Continuing on with the capsaicin, we have some spicy cauliflower wings.

These are loaded with flavor from cayenne and chili powder. They're great made in a large batch for a friends or family get-together (hello, Super Bowl Sunday).

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We love dipping these lil' guys in some Sriracha to bump up the burn even more.

Grab the recipe here!

Banana Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

This is one of our absolute favorite breakfast meals right now. I mean, with banana and peanut butter, you just can't go wrong!

It helps build lean muscle, it burns through calories (with the thermic effect of protein) and it tastes AMAZING.

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We used vanilla Perfect Fit Protein in this recipe, making it a great post-workout meal. Try swapping out the almond milk for coffee for an extra boost to your metabolism!

You can find the recipe here!

Pair your metabolism-boosting meals with some high intensity interval training (HIIT) for the best fat-burning effects.

Try out our HIITy Bitty Bikini workout here, and then follow it up with the Vanilla Latte Smoothie Bowl. You're going to feel incredible!

If you love these amazing recipes, we have thousands of others as part of the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan. Get ready to sweat, eat amazing food and join a community of millions of women who are all behind you every step of the way.