Fire Up Your Metabolism This Holiday Season

Your metabolism is your body's engine, converting food into energy, fueling daily activities, and supporting everything from breathing to muscle repair. While factors such as age and genetics play a role, there are several ways you can gently boost your metabolism. Here are simple and effective ways to keep your metabolism burning through the holidays:

• Move more often. Stop waiting for a “perfect” workout, take movement breaks! Walk while on calls, stretch between tasks, or dance while cooking. Frequent, light activity keeps your metabolism active.

• Build muscle. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, even at rest. Include resistance training such as body squats, lunges, and lifting weights, at least two to three times a week.

• Pump up the protein. Eating lean protein (chicken, fish, eggs, beans, Greek yogurt) with each meal helps preserve muscle and increases the energy required for digestion.

• Stay hydrated. Dehydration can reduce metabolic efficiency. Sip water throughout the day or flavor it with citrus, mint, or cucumber for a festive twist.

• Spice it up. Capsaicin, found in chili peppers, can slightly increase calorie burn. Sprinkle cayenne or crushed red pepper on soups, eggs, or roasted veggies.

• Drink green tea or coffee. Caffeine and antioxidants in green tea (especially EGCG —short for epigallocatechin gallate—is a powerful antioxidant found naturally in green tea leaves) may enhance fat oxidation and metabolic rate. Choose unsweetened versions to avoid added sugar.

• Laugh often. Laughter truly boosts more than your mood—it slightly increases energy expenditure while lowering stress hormones. Holiday humor counts as exercise for the soul!

• Manage stress. Chronic stress raises cortisol, which can slow metabolism and increase cravings. Deep breathing, yoga, or simply pausing for gratitude can help keep things balanced.