Relax and burn calories easily: experts say you can speed up your metabolism so you melt fat and lose weight. Here's what you need to do - Cover Story

Natural Health, July, 2003 by Amy Rapaport Karlson

SOME LUCKY PEOPLE burn calories almost as fast as they consume them. Fortunately, you can convert your own metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories) from a smolder to a blaze with a few simple diet and exercise changes. "A typical person can increase her metabolism by around 10 percent," says Philip Goglia, a nutritionist in Los Angeles and author of Turn Up the Heat (Viking, 2002). Follow one or two of our metabolism-maximizing tips and you could drop a pound a week--without restrictive dieting. The more of these healthy habits you take on, the more pounds you'll take off.

(1) Eat Cheese

Eating dairy foods may increase your muscle mass, helping you burn more fat, says Michael Zemel, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Several studies demonstrate the effect. In one 2002 study led by Zemel, people who ate three daily servings of dairy, which provided 900 mg of calcium, lost fat and gained lean body mass. Those who ate less than one daily serving of dairy, which provided less than 300 mg calcium, had no significant change in body fat or muscle mass. None of the participants altered their usual calorie, protein, or fat intakes or exercise routines. Zemel and his team aren't sure exactly how dairy products increase muscle mass, but calcium and amino acids found in dairy products may play a role. Interestingly, he says, calcium and amino acids from other sources, like supplements or vegetables, don't seem to have the same fat-burning effect.

Zemel recommends substituting three servings of dairy foods daily for other foods, taking care not to add calories to your diet. For example, try 1 cup of low-fat milk (120 calories), 1 cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt (194 calories), and 1 ounce of cheddar cheese (114 calories). Subtract a 12-ounce can of cola (151 calories), an energy bar (240 calories), and a small bag of pretzels (140 calories). If you're surprised that Zemel okays full-fat cheese, listen to his explanation: "As long as you control your calories, full fat is okay," he says. "If you're satisfied by the food you're eating, you're more likely to stick with the diet."

(1) Put Your Muscles to Work

A toned body looks good, but it delivers an even greater benefit: "The more lean muscle tissue you have, the more body fat you will shed--even at night, while you sleep," says Jorge Cruise, a San Diego-based weight-loss specialist and author of 8 Minutes in the Morning (HarperResource, 2003). For example, adding a pound of lean muscle will allow you to burn 50 additional calories a day, he says. A pound of fat, on the other hand, burns nothing. So if you build 5 pounds of muscle you will burn 250 extra calories a day. Multiply this by 365 days in a year and divide by 3,500 (the number of calories in one pound). The result indicates that with this added muscle you will lose an extra 26 pounds in just one year.

Building muscle is easier than you think. You'll gain it fastest if you work the major muscle groups (butt, thighs, abs, chest, and arms), which demand the most calories, says Johanna Hoffman, exercise physiologist at the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Lutherville, Md. Just work two of these areas for a few minutes daily, Hoffman says. For a series of simple workouts, try the Quick Fix: Total Body Toning video ($9.95; 800-433-6769; www.collagevideo.com).

(3) Fan the Flames with Spices

Spices can stoke your metabolic fire, says Jennifer Workman, R.D., a dietitian in Boulder, Colo., and author of Stop Your Cravings (Free Press, 2001). Spices have thermogenic, or heating, properties that increase fat burn, she explains. A 1999 Canadian study found that people who consumed 10 g of ground red pepper (about 5.5 teaspoons) with a meal showed a significantly higher metabolic rate than those who didn't eat any pepper. The boost lasted for 20 minutes.

You probably won't want to add that much spice to your food, but smaller amounts will still help increase your fat burn, Workman says. She recommends seasoning dishes with 1/2 teaspoon per serving of cayenne or pungent spices like allspice, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, or wasabi powder (Japanese horseradish). You can also garnish meals with 1 tablespoon of spicy condiments like salsa and chutney, or use fresh spices like chiles, garlic, ginger, and onions liberally in cooking.

(4) Play Up Protein

Protein spurs one of your body's fat-burning mechanisms: the production of the hormone glucagon. Glucagon signals your body to move dietary fat into your bloodstream and use it for energy rather than just store it, Workman says. What's more, when you don't eat enough protein, your metabolism slows. That's because your body breaks down muscle to meet its protein needs, explains Cruise. And when you lose muscle, you lose a key calorie-burner.

Workman and Goglia recommend including 4 to 6 ounces of protein with every meal. (Four ounces of protein roughly equals the size of your fist.) Healthy sources include beans, eggs, fish, and poultry. Of course, you shouldn't just dine on protein foods: Consume plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also eat two protein- and energy-rich snacks a day, like an apple with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and I cup of soy milk, or 8 to 12 almonds sprinkled on 1 cup of low-fat yogurt, Goglia says.