How to Kick Start Your Metabolism in the New Year

As the year comes to an end, using the “Sure, why not? It’s the holidays!” excuse is not longer viable when asked if you’d like another chocolate truffle. It’s now time to take stock and refocus on healthy habits, and these 10 metabolism-boosting tips are here to help.

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Cut out trans fats

Trans fats, which are found in a whole host of junk foods, bind to existing fat and liver cells, slowing down your body’s ability to burn fat. Avoiding them altogether in 2016 is a smart move.

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Protein power

Since your body digests protein more slowly than carbs or fats, it takes more calories to process, which gives your metabolism a bump. Plus, protein fills you up for longer, keeping you away from instant-gratification snacking.

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Buy organic

Eating fruits, veggies and grains grown without pesticides means you’re not exposing your thyroid—the gland that decides how much fat to burn—to the system-disturbing toxins sometimes used in conventional farming.

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Kick it up a notch

Use interval training to kick start your metabolism. Next time you’re out for a walk, run or swim, up the intensity for 30 seconds then return to your regular pace and repeat. This technique gets more oxygen into you, making the mitochondria in your cells burn more energy.

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Keep up the calories

If you cut your calories by too much too quickly, your body thinks food is scarce and stops burning fat altogether to conserve energy. Always keep your calories up at the recommended level for your weight or BMI.

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Bask in the after burn

Even after you’ve finished working out, your body goes right on burning energy in a process called excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). So work hard at the gym, but then reap the benefits when you’re not.

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Eat more fish and fish oil

The Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, herring and tuna help to balance blood sugars and keep inflammation down, which help to regulate your metabolism. Add fish to your weekly dinner menu or invest in a good daily supplement.

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Morning wakeup call

Eating a nutrient-rich breakfast soon after getting up helps to jumpstart your body’s metabolism; it gets your energy-burning engine going and keeps it running throughout the day.

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Green tea is great

This fragrant brew is not only loaded with antioxidant polyphenols, but new evidence points to its power to pump up metabolism. Time to put on the kettle!

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Get grazing

To keep blood sugar levels steady—thus preventing weight-gaining insulin spikes—try breaking up your daily food intake into six small, 300-calorie meals throughout the day rather than eating three larger ones.