Stock up on green tea
Green tea isn't known only for its cancer-fighting benefits: It may help boost your metabolism, too. People who took green-tea extract three times a day saw their metabolic rate increase by about 4 percent, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (Translation: You could burn an extra 60 calories a day, which equals about six pounds a year!) It may be because green tea contains catechins, which increase levels of the metabolism-speeding brain chemical norepinephrine, says Joy Bauer, a New York City nutritionist and author of Cooking with Joy.
Pump iron
Weight training is the ultimate way to burn calories fast. "A pound of muscle burns up to nine times the calories of a pound of fat," explains Richard Cotton, M.A., chief exercise physiologist for myexerciseplan.com. Weight training increases your resting metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn while sitting on your butt. What's more, it gives your metabolism an added boost after you exercise: It remains in overdrive for up to two hours after the last bench press, according to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Strapped for time? Try these quick moves: squats, bench step-ups, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups and crunches. In a pinch, just do single sets of 10 for each exercise - you'll get optimal results for the time invested.
Eat iron
Yeah, we just told you to pump iron, but you also need to eat it. "If you don't have enough of this mineral, your body can't get enough oxygen to your cells, which slows down your metabolism," explains Samantha Heller, R.D., a nutritionist at the New York University Medical Center. Most multivitamins contain around 18 mg (the RDA for adults); you can also get your fill by eating three to four daily servings of foods rich in iron, such as lean red meat, chicken, fortified cereal and soy nuts. If you are feeling symptoms such as fatigue and weakness, ask your doctor to test you for anemia (it's a simple blood test) at your next physical.
Order water - and ask for a refill
A German study found that when you drink 17 ounces of water (about two glasses) within a certain time frame, your metabolic rate shoots up by about 30 percent. Using these results, they estimate that by increasing your current water intake by 1.5 liters a day, a person would burn an extra 17,400 calories a year, resulting in about a five-pound weight loss.
Get your thyroid checked
Suspect you have a sluggish metabolism? You might have hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, which afflicts about 25 percent of American women - many of whom don't know they have the condition, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. "The thyroid gland controls your body's metabolism, so one of the first signs that it may be off is an inability to lose weight," explains Pamela Peeke, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Maryland and author of Fight Fat After Forty. Your doctor can determine if you're suffering from hypothyroidism by running a blood test. If you do have an underactive thyroid, you'll be treated with a synthetic thyroid supplement, which you will need to take for the rest of your life (it will return your metabolism to normal, so it should be easier to lose weight).
Avoid alcohol
Want to keep your favorite meals from going straight to your hips (thighs, belly)? Wash them down with water, not wine. Alcohol slows your metabolism by depressing the central nervous system. A British study found that when alcohol was added to a high-fat, high-calorie meal, less dietary fat was burned off and more was stored as body fat.
Rev up workouts
Interval training - in which you add bursts of high-intensity moves into your workout - is a surefire metabolism booster, says Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., director of the Kinesiology Program at the University of Virginia and author of The Spark. Researchers at Laval University in Quebec foundthat high-intensity interval training burns more fat than regular, consistent aerobic exercise. If you usually jog at a 10-minute-mile pace, for example, add a 30-second sprint every five minutes. Or add a one-minute incline to your treadmill workout every five minutes. "Even if you just have 10 minutes for a quick workout, you can walk at a normal pace and then add in a 30-second bout of speed-walking every three minutes," recommends Gaesser. Do more dairy
Women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat cheese, three to four times a day lost 70 percent more fat than low-dairy dieters, according to a study published in the journal Obesity Research. "Calcium serves as a switch that tells your body to burn excess fat faster," explains study author Michael Zemel, M.D., director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Sorry, but you won't reap the same benefits from calcium-fortified O.J. Research shows that you get the best results from dairy products themselves, not fortified foods. Aim for 1,200 mg, which includes about three servings of dairy a day.
Take up a new sport
Are you like Old Faithful when it comes to your morning walk or evening jog? Know this: The more you do an activity, the more your body adapts to it, so you burn fewer calories. If you want to light a fire under your metabolism, consider cross-training. For example, if you normally walk, try biking instead. "Since you're not used to working all those different muscles, it's a more intense workout, which can translate into a greater metabolic after-burn because your body is working harder to recover and get oxygen to all your tissues," says Carol Espel, M.S., an exercise physiologist for Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City. Go fish
Break out the lemon wedges: Regular fish eaters tend to have lower levels of the hormone leptin - good because high levels of leptin have been linked to low metabolism and obesity, says Louis Aronne, M.D., an obesity specialist at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. Try to consume three to four servings of a fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna or mackerel, each week.
You don't have to hit the gym -- or even change out of your pj's -- to burn more calories. Make these super easy home improvements/tips to start tipping the scales in your favor.
Cut the Lights
Installing a dimmer switch in your kitchen and turning on some Adele is a bright idea: Diners who ate a meal under soft lights with relaxing music in the background consumed 133 fewer calories compared with those who ate in bright, noisy environments, a recent Cornell University study revealed. Calm vibes encourage you to eat more slowly, so your brain has time to register that you're satisfied before you're stuffed. Not handy? No problem. Mike Scott, the resident lighting expert for Lowe's, says even a novice can install a dimmer switch in 15 minutes or less (click on the Ideas & How-Tos tab at lowes.com for a step-by-step video tutorial).
Take a Stand
The average woman packs on about a pound a year once she hits 25. Fight Father Time by spending an extra hour a day standing, which burns about 40 calories more an hour than sitting does, says Barry Braun, PhD, a kinesiology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. What's more, "not activating muscle fibers for a prolonged period of time causes negative changes in the pathways that regulate your metabolism," Braun says. Translation: Standing doesn't just use more energy, it also keeps your metabolism humming. You can purchase a computer stand for about $90, or just park yourself at the kitchen counter as you send e-mails. If standing for an hour straight sounds too drastic, Braun suggests taking a five-minute walking break every 30 minutes.
Chill Out
Even if it's been a laze-around-in-your-yoga-pants day, you can still burn more fat for basically no effort by adjusting your thermostat. A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that when people were exposed to cold temps for three hours, they burned an additional 250 calories. Your body has to go into overdrive to heat itself up to a cozy 98 degrees, and extra calories are zapped in the process, explains Scott Isaacs, MD, an endocrinologist and the author of Beat Overeating Now! You don't have to walk around shivering to get the benefits, he says; just lower your thermostat by two to three degrees.
Get Your Rear in New Gear
"Worn-out clothes can hold you back and even keep you from going to the gym in the first place, while a flattering, comfortable outfit boosts your confidence and energy while you work out," says body image expert Sarah Maria, the author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life. So, do a clean sweep and get rid of anything with stains or stretched-out elastic (the life span of a sports bra, for example, is six months to a year). Then reward yourself with a few purchases that fill the gaps in your workout wardrobe. "A neon sports bra or a moisture-wicking tank may be motivation enough to run an extra mile or bust out a few more reps," says Ramona Braganza, a Los Angeles-based celebrity trainer. Make a Little White Noise
The key to a good night's sleep could be snoozing to the sound of an overhead fan. "It helps you tune out disruptions. If you're in a too-quiet room, any little sound, whether it's the house creaking or your neighbors coming home, will wake you up," says Lisa Shives, MD, the founder of the Linden Center for Sleep and Weight Management in Evanston, Illinois. And when you're tired, you eat more: People who got just five hours of shut-eye a night put on nearly two pounds over a five-day period, according to a new study from the University of Colorado Boulder. If you don't have a fan, invest in a white-noise machine or download an app like White Noise ($2; Android and iTunes) or Relax Melodies (free; Android and iTunes).
Cool Your Jets
Just as cold temps help melt flab, so, too, can a chilly shower. "Cold temperatures activate brown fat, a type of fat that burns calories instead of storing them," Dr. Isaacs says. Of course, polar bear plunges can't replace exercise, "but exposure to cold can bring about a small bump in metabolism that adds up to weight loss in the long run." Only about 1 percent of our body fat is made up of brown fat, most of it found in the neck and upper chest. Letting cool water run over this area while scrubbing up -- or better yet, blasting it with cold water for a minute -- may be the most effective way to stimulate this natural calorie blaster. Come Clean
Clutter can increase frustration (where is that other sock?) and compromise relaxation (you sit down to a nice meal only to sit on your sock). So it's no surprise that women who described their digs with words such as overflowing and messy had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according to research from the University of California, Los Angeles. The less obvious consequence: "Because ab flab contains more cortisol receptors, your body responds to chronic stress by storing fat around your waist," explains Caroline Cederquist, MD, the medical director of Cederquist Medical Wellness Center in Naples, Florida. Fortunately, you don't need to keep things spotless to lose that spare tire. Start by tackling one highly visible area, like the top of your dresser, says Linda Rothschild, the chief executive organizer for Cross It Off Your List in New York City.
Do Yourself a Solid
If you love to bake but have a hard time controlling yourself around cookies, scoop the dough into an ice cube tray, freeze it, and pop the cubes into a freezer bag. Then, the next time a craving comes on, stick one in the toaster oven, suggests Heather Bauer, RD, the author of Bread Is the Devil. "The freezer keeps cookies out of sight, and baking them individually forces you to practice portion control," she says. Another way to slow your roll: Instead of whipping up an entire pan of brownies or a loaf of banana bread, mix up a microwaveable mug cake for one (search mug cake on Pinterest for recipes).
Weight Here
You won't find this tip on your favorite interior-design blog: Stash two lightweight dumbbells next to your remote control. "They serve as a visual cue to squeeze in a few extra minutes of activity," Braganza says. Use them to crank out full-body exercises, like squats plus biceps curls or lunges plus shoulder presses, during commercial breaks and you'll torch about 100 calories in the course of an hour-long episode. By paying attention to your form instead of the TV, you'll also be less tempted to raid the pantry: Research published in Health Psychology found that people who watched ads for junk food were likelier to snack.
Serve Yourself Right
The right plates can help you cut portions painlessly. Research shows that you pile more food on large dishes, so downsize from dinner plates to salad plates. Another study, from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, showed that serving white food on white plates prompted people to help themselves to 30 percent more. To avoid these results at home, follow the lead of study author Brian Wansink, PhD, a FITNESS advisory board member, and invest in a few brightly colored dishes. Use them to serve rice and pasta, reserving your whites for chocolate cake and ice cream.
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